Some background for 11:31, who asks "Was it the actual location, via a vis local roads, escape routes, etc, or was it because of the convictions of the owners(s)? This is important because if the actual location had a great deal to do with the house's use, then moving the house defeats the purpose."
Downtown Brooklyn used to have many Abolitionist churches. There were Quakers, and some churches split along racial lines, which may be related to the very high number of African-Americans in Kings County. It is my understanding that escaped slaves got to Weeksville, and the best way to get to boats was basically west down Atlantic Avenue and then down Bridge Street, which was a wooden bridge to Wallabout Bay that started near the Duffield Street homes.
Here's a map with all the churches:
http://gowanuslounge.blogspot.com/2007/05/duffield-st-underground-railroad-houses.html
There are many other interesting connections, including Walt Whitman, who lived a few blocks from the Duffield Street homes. He wrote about an escaped slave coming to his house in Leaves of Grass.
Some background for 11:31, who asks "Was it the actual location, via a vis local roads, escape routes, etc, or was it because of the convictions of the owners(s)? This is important because if the actual location had a great deal to do with the house's use, then moving the house defeats the purpose."
Downtown Brooklyn used to have many Abolitionist churches. There were Quakers, and some churches split along racial lines, which may be related to the very high number of African-Americans in Kings County. It is my understanding that escaped slaves got to Weeksville, and the best way to get to boats was basically west down Atlantic Avenue and then down Bridge Street, which was a wooden bridge to Wallabout Bay that started near the Duffield Street homes.
Here's a map with all the churches:
http://gowanuslounge.blogspot.com/2007/05/duffield-st-underground-railroad-houses.html
There are many other interesting connections, including Walt Whitman, who lived a few blocks from the Duffield Street homes. He wrote about an escaped slave coming to his house in Leaves of Grass.
Posted by: raulism at August 21, 2007 12:54 PM in response to HPD OK’s Seizure of Duffield St. Homes