Fountain City’s Levi Coffin House will commemorate a personal milestone and an annual observance with several activities this September. As the historic site marks its 200th anniversary, it also celebrates International Underground Railroad Month.
According to a press release, Underground Railroad Month was first observed in 2019 in Maryland. It has since been celebrated in other U.S. states and Canada, with Indiana joining in 2021. The month-long observance raises awareness about the people and places that played a significant role in the secret network that led freedom-seekers from enslavement between 1800 and 1865.
Levi and Catherine Coffin were part of said network, offering shelter, transportation, food and medical care to more than 1,000 Black people seeking safe passage through Newport to the north.
Year-around, visitors can experience the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad” through guided tours on a first-come, first-served basis from Wednesday through Sunday. Tours are free for Indiana State Museum and Historic Site members, $12 for adults, $7 for youth ages 3-17 and $10 for seniors. Advanced registration directly with the site is preferred.
If visiting Sept. 19-20, one can experience the Levi Coffin Days festival. During the annual celebration, tours are discounted $2, along with live performances, vendor booths, food and a parade. Hosted by the Fountain City Lions Club, the annual festival celebrates 59 years and revives its Royal Court Pageant fundraiser.
Before the festival, the Historic Newport Walking Tour will take place 3:30-5 p.m. on Sept. 5. Visitors will walk to several locations in Fountain City and learn how the community came to be a sanctuary for freedom-seekers. Tickets are $5.
And on Sept. 18, “Women and the Underground Railroad: Caroline’s Escape” presents visitors with a first-hand account of a mother’s escape along the secret path. The program is led by retired teacher and local historian John Pratt. Tickets are $8.
For more information, visit IndianaMuseum.org.
A version of this article appeared in the September 2 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.