Woodlawn Farm - Jacksonville, Illinois

07/02/2026

Free local exhibit open until
August 1.

Only ONE MONTH LEFT to see this great exhibit!

'Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad,' will be open to to the public through August 1, 2026.

Jacksonville had a number of participants to the Underground Railroad, and it's connections across the State of Illinois.
The Jacksonville Area Museum's newest installation highlights the courageous stories of freedom seekers and the multi-racial conductors who assisted them on the Underground Railroad in Illinois.

In addition, the Jacksonville Area Museum will feature local stories to enhance the exhibit.

In conjunction, the Jacksonville Area Museum offers events to help bring the story to life. “Walk with Heroes” Cemetery tour of UGRR Conductors with Chad Boehlke will be held on July 11 at 6 pm at Diamond Grove Cemetery in Jacksonville. Mr Boehlke will offer a guided walking tour of the final resting place of the many Underground Railroad Conductors of Jacksonville.

The exhibit will be open during regular museum hours: Wed & Sat 10-4, and Sundays 1-4.

The exhibit is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged.

07/01/2026

Check out this upcoming tour!

The Jacksonville Area Museum invites you to join us on the “Walk with Heroes” Cemetery Tour of Underground Railroad Conductors on July 11 at 6 pm at Diamond Grove Cemetery in Jacksonville.

Chad Boehlke will offer a guided walking tour of the final resting place of individuals who assisted freedom seekers through our area.

The concurrent exhibit, 'Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad,' will be open to to the public through August 1, 2026. The Jacksonville Area Museum's newest installation highlights the courageous stories of freedom seekers and the multi-racial conductors who assisted them on the Underground Railroad in Illinois.

'Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad' is presented in arrangement by The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, also known as Looking for Lincoln.

The exhibit will be open during regular museum hours: Wed & Sat 10-4, and Sundays 1-4. The museum is located at 331 East State in Jacksonville. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

06/02/2026

Check out so many great learning experiences this summer!

06/02/2026

Don't have any plans yet this summer? Jacksonville has you covered!

Spend the day learning about Jacksonville's deep history with the Underground Railroad and support local museums along the way!

Here at the Jacksonville Area Museum, you can visit our Journey to Freedom exhibit through August 1st. This is an engaging exhibit highlighting the Underground Railroad throughout Illinois. As a reminder, you can visit us on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm as well as Sundays from 1pm to 4pm.

Woodlawn Farm was a station along the Underground Railroad in Morgan County. The property is open to the public for tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm through September.

The Jacksonville African American History Museum: is also located in a former Underground Railroad site. This is a great place to dig deeper into the history of the Underground Railroad and beyond. The museum will be open for tours starting June 6th and you may visit on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm through September.

02/28/2026

02/16/2026

Save the date for our annual bus tour. RSVPs are required, as the tour sells out each year!

02/12/2026

Please join us on Saturday, February 28th from 10am-3pm at Woodlawn Farm Museum for our annual Black History Month open house. We can’t wait to see you there!