Levi Coffin House

Infobox_nrhp | name =Coffin, Levi, House
nrhp_type =nhl


caption =
location= Fountain City, Indiana
lat_degrees = 39 | lat_minutes = 57 | lat_seconds = 23.45 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 84 | long_minutes = 55 | long_seconds = 1.56 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1827
architect= Unknown
architecture= Federal
added = October 15, 1966
designated= June 23, 1965cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=12&ResourceType=Building
title=Coffin, Levi, House|accessdate=2008-07-23|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = State
refnum=66000009 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The Levi Coffin House is a National Historic Landmark located in present-day Fountain City, Indiana. The two-story, eight room, brick house was constructed in 1839. It was designed in the Federal style. It was a station on the Underground Railroad, and is a registered National Historic Landmark.

Levi Coffin, and his wife Catharine, helped as many as 2,000 former slaves escape to freedom in the free states and Canada during the 20 years that they lived in the house. In fact, Levi has been referred to as the President of the Underground Railroad. The Coffins were Quakers, a denomination that led in the fight against slavery. Underground Railroad conductors brought slaves up through Kentucky, and they primarily crossed the Ohio River at three points: Madison, Indiana; Jeffersonville, Indiana; and Cincinnati, Ohio. After crossing all three points, many of the slaves were brought to the Levi Coffin House until they could be transported further north. Eliza, whose story is told in Uncle Tom's Cabin, was one of the slaves who stayed at this way station.

The house was never searched, because whenever a slavecatcher would come to the house, Coffin would demand a warrant to search the house, which meant a 26 mile round trip to the county seat, Centerville, Indiana, to acquire, by which time the fugitive slave would be long gone. If the house had ever been searched, secret doors within could hide as many as 14 fugitive slaves. The Coffins were careful not to keep records, as it was criminal behavior, but it is speculated that 2,000 fugitive slaves had been at the house from 1826 to 1847.

The Coffins would move to Cincinnati, Ohio to open a warehouse that supplied free labor businesses, at the request of fellow abolitionists.

The state government of Indiana acquired the house in 1967, and opened it to the public in 1970 after restoration. This was not difficult, as the owners since Coffin kept it in excellent shape. The restoration was done by Himelick Construction of Fountain City. The house is open to the public, and is operated by the Levi Coffin House Association at the behest of Indiana DNR. An additional house close to the Coffin House is being restored to act as an interpretive center for the Coffin Home.

References

*Stowe, Harriet Beecher. "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
*"My Indiana:101 Places to See", by Earl L. Conn (Indiana Historical Society Press, 2006). pg. 70-71.
* [http://www.waynet.org/nonprofit/coffin.htm Levi Coffin House Website]
* [http://www.in.gov/ism/StateHistoricSites/LeviCoffinHome/lc_hstsign.aspx Official State Historic Site website]