Vivid Society NY

by Bennet D.

Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims (Plymouth Church) in Brooklyn Heights is one of America’s most famous Underground Railroad stations, nicknamed “Grand Central Depot” because so many freedom-seekers passed through it on their way to Canada.

Photos via Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims

Reverend Henry Ward Beecher

Plymouth Church harbored countless freedom-seekers under Reverend Henry Ward Beecher’s leadership from 1847 to 1865. Escapees found temporary refuge in the church’s brick tunnel and secret chambers beneath the pulpit before their final journey across the East River toward Canadian freedom.

The sanctuary that would one day host Lincoln also witnessed Beecher’s dramatic Sunday morning slave auctions, where congregants pooled their money to purchase liberty for the enslaved—including young “Pinky”. “Pinky” (1860) was a enslaved, possibly bi-racial (white/black) 9-year-old girl, from Alabama. Plymouth Church collected $900.00 and a gold ring. They were able to purchase her freedom and Beecher gifted the gold ring to the girl. “Pinky” returned in 1927 as Rose Ward Hunt with the ring still on her finger and gave the ring back to the church (on display). Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Clara Barton, and Mark Twain all spoke here. Abraham Lincoln sat in pew 89 on Feb. 26, 1860.

The church is still an active house of worship.

The church is a National Historic Landmark and open for tours.

***You can walk the actual basement tunnel, sit in Lincoln’s pew, and hold Pinky’s ring!***

ADDRESS: 57 Orange Street (between Henry & Hicks), Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201.

Free Sunday tours: 12:30 p.m. after 11 a.m. service ($5 suggested).

Plymouth Church has a thrift shop downstairs called the “Underground Thrift Store”.

For more information: http://www.plymouthchurch.org/

Tags: #UndergroundRailroad #HiddenGem #SecretNYC #PlymouthChurch #BrooklynNY #Slavery #Abolitionist #History #AbrahamLincoln #BrooklynHistory #HistoricalSites #NYCTourism #ExploreBrooklyn #AmericanHistory #OffTheBeatenPath #HiddenGemNYC #HistoricalLandmarks