Congress votes to create New Philadelphia National Historic Site

By Editor | December 27, 2022 |

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

David Camphouse/Pike Press
In June, National Park Rangers from the Abraham Lincoln site in Springfield helped the New Philadelphia Association and Looking for Lincoln dedicate a new wayside sign that illuminates historical connections between western Pike County and Abraham Lincoln. On hand, was U.S. Representative Rodney Davis, who cosponsored a bill to place the New Philadelphia town site in the National Park System. Left to right: National Park Rangers Tim Good and Tim Townsend, Davis, and Looking for Lincoln Executive Director Sarah Watson. In September, Davis’s bill was approved by the House of Representatives, and now the Senate has also approved placing the New Philadelphia site in the National Park System. The New Philadelphia site will likely by overseen by National Park staff from Springfield’s Lincoln site.

Last Thursday, the New Philadelphia Association (NPA) announced that Congress passed a 4,155-page Omnibus Spending Bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, 2023. President Biden signed the bill last Friday. Within the spending bill are four pages that establish the New Philadelphia National Historic Site. The bill places the New Philadelphia site in the National Park System.

The New Philadelphia site, located between Barry and Baylis, was the site of the first town platted and founded by an African American – Free Frank McWorter.

The original House of Representatives bill to place the New Philadelphia site in the National Park System was co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Rodney Davis, Darin LaHood, Danny Davis, and Mike Bost. That House bill passed in September.

The continued development and recognition of the New Philadelphia site that will be made possible under the auspices of the National Park Service, according to NPA Executive Director Marynel Corton, is a critical step in realizing New Philadelphia’s potential to teach residents and visitors about Pike County and American history.

“It’s important to demonstrate that African Americans were involved in settling Pike County early on,” Corton said. “Inclusion in the National Park system would allow New Philadelphia to be included as part of the seven percent of National Park sites that tell African American history. It’s very important to preserve and educate people about the history of Free Frank starting this integrated town on the prairie in Illinois before the Civil War.”

Corton also said that the inclusion of New Philadelphia in the National Park System will help create tourism and economic development in the area, and it will help provide organizational backing for the NPA.

“It will help encourage tourism and bring people to the area and to western Pike County,” Corton said. “And it will help NPS preserve the site and tell its unique story. It’s important enough that it deserves to be on the national stage.”

Eventually, Corton anticipates that the site will be managed by the federal government, but she believes that the NPA will still have a strong hand in helping to support and guide the future of the site.

“We expect New Philadelphia will be managed by National Park employees associated with Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln site,” Corton said. “That should allow for more facilities at the site and a better presentation of the New Philadelphia story, in addition to what’s already there. The New Philadelphia Association will still be strong local supporters and help the National Park employees with presentations and activities.”

In last Thursday’s announcement, NPA wrote the following summing up the importance of inclusion in the National Park System: A national park site will commemorate and contribute to our nation’s march toward freedom. It is a tribute to the legacy of Free Frank and Free Lucy McWorter and their family and community, and all who kept and enriched the memory: local activists and community members, descendants, archeologists and historians, elected officials and many more.