Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum

06/02/2026

It is hard to believe the Washington NC Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum is celebrating its Tenth Anniversary! A full decade of sharing some of Washington's most amazing history!

04/30/2026

Did you know the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum was ten years old this month?

Just one of the many exhibits you can see at the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum. My favorite exhibit is about this cauldron. While cauldrons were used in man ways, slaves used them in some pretty interesting ways. For example, former slaves gave accounts in WPA (Works Progress Administration) narratives that were documented in 1937 how they would bring the cauldrons into a cabin or shed and turn it upside down to muffle the sounds of their prayer meetings and talks in order to keep slave masters from hearing talk about slave escapes or runaways or meetings. Slaves were forbidden to have meetings without the master's permission.

04/24/2026

Please join us for this amazing opportunity to learn more about Washington's amazing history.

Did you know Washington NC had Freemen's Schools, sometimes referred to as 'Contraband Schools' in 1864?
Want to learn more about the Schools and their locations?

Here's an event you don't want to miss!
The Washington NC Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum, the Beaufort County NC NAACP and Spring Garden Missionary Baptist Church proudly presents,

"Fannie Graves-A Freedmen's School Teacher In Civil War Washington North Carolina.'

On Thursday, April 30th at 7:00, Mr. Tom Hubbard, a great grandnephew of Miss Graves from Westborough Massachusetts, will present a lecture on 'Fannie Graves-A Freedmen's School Teacher In Civil War Washington North Carolina.' at Spring Garden Missionary Baptist Church.526 Gladden Street, Washington NC. The original organizational site for the church hosted a Freedmen's School.

The events is free and a part of Washington's Black History NC 250 Celebrations.

02/19/2026

A million thank yous to Brian North form WCTI (New Bern) for a wonderful interview! We truly enjoyed your visit so much. You and your camera operator, (I think her name was Amy) are simply the best! You both made our day. Please stop by the museum any time you're in Washington, we would love to have you drop by. Again, thanks a million for what you did for us. We appreciate this so much!

02/11/2026

02/06/2026

Join us for one of our 'Living History Presentations!

02/06/2026

North Carolina has a rich tapestry of history, particularly regarding its role in the American Civil Rights Movement and the Underground Railroad. The Explore the Road to Freedom NC app is a useful guide to help discover important historical sites throughout the state. There is also a version of the...

02/06/2026

We share the story of William and Catherine Hubbard at the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum. A member of the Hubbard family from Ohio and who now lives in Washington, shared some amazing history with us. Come visit the museum and find out why the popular nursery rhyme 'Old Mother Hubbard' was used by Abolitionists as a signal to Freedom Seekers about important information that would aid their escape plans.
Many thanks and photo credit to Jonathan Green for sharing these photos

02/06/2026

Did you know enslaved people used nursey rhymes to convey a hidden message? They would hear children singing or saying a nursery rhyme, or perhaps an adult told the nursey rhyme to children to entertain them. An enslaved person could say the same rhyme but give it a 'hidden meaning.' This was the case with Jack who evaded capture here in Washington. To say "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candle stick" was a code to convey or symbolize Jack's (or some other freedom seeker's) bravery, skill, brilliance and quick thinking that helped him escape danger or evade his captors or the law. Jack escaped in April of 1827.
The poem Jack Be Nimble was published around 1798, it was probably written before that date.

We need to realize these stories from the local underground railroad are no myths. After emancipation, the formerly enslaved from Elmwood Plantation, Cedar Grove Plantation (now Washington Park) and Rosedale Plantation lived in Washington, especially those on Elmwood Plantation who made their homes along Second and Gladden streets. Elmwood's Slaves Quarters were on Second and third Streets between Washington Street and Hackney Avenue. One of the formerly enslaved, Miss Diana Steward 1833-1929 lived at Second and Gladden Street. Many stories of plantation life were passed on by people like her. I have spent over 20 years tracking down these old stories and finding the documentation that will collaborate the stories.

12/25/2025

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE WASHINGTON NC WATERFRONT UNDERGROUD RAILROAD MUSEM. 🎄🎄🎄