The Mifflin House has kept watch over the winding Susquehanna River in southeastern Pennsylvania for almost 300 years. This house and the surrounding land and communities all played a significant role in the history of the Underground Railroad, and we are working with the local community to ensure this significant property is permanently protected.

Why It Matters

During the 1800s, the Mifflins, a Quaker family, operated this large homestead as a stop on the Underground Railroad — a secret network of routes and safe houses that aided people escaping slavery. The Mifflin House was an important stop on the route because it was a safe location where people could cross the  Susquehanna River on their journey north. At times, the nearby bridge was under watch and unsafe to use. During these times, the Mifflin family worked with Robert Loney, a formally enslaved man, to ferry freedom seekers across the river in the cover of night. Loney lived across the river in the city of Columbia, which had a large free black population. There were black and white abolitionists on both sides of the river who made this stop along the Underground Railroad possible.

Our Role

Not too long ago, the house was slated for demolition to make way for an industrial warehouse development, but the community rallied around this historic site, and The Conservation Fund worked closely with the developer and preservation partners to envision a different future for this site of national importance. We are now actively fundraising to permanently protect the site.

This house and property hold an unparalleled opportunity to continue uplifting the story of the Underground Railroad. Although it’s impossible to know exactly how many people passed through the Mifflin House on their way to freedom, it’s estimated that over 100,000 people escaped slavery using the Underground Railroad between 1810 and 1850. Now, the Mifflin House and its story will be a permanently protected treasure — one that will continue to help people recognize and reflect on our nation’s past.