Sites of daring escapes and places of refuge are among the 19 listings added to the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Created by Congress in 1998, the Network to Freedom recognizes places and programs with verifiable connections to the Underground Railroad and the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight. It includes almost 800 sites and programs in 40 states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.

“The National Park Service is committed to sharing a fuller and more inclusive account of our nation’s history, a history that is not complete until all voices are represented,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said during a National Park Week event at Mission San José in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, one of the newly listed sites. “These listings are the result of years of research and documentation that recount the struggles and successes of freedom seekers during the Underground Railroad era. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and its advocacy of equal rights and self-determination, we must ensure that our national narrative includes their stories of bravery, persistence and resilience.”

The network documents the diverse experiences of people who escaped slavery and the allies who supported them. The listing for Mission San José commemorates an 1833 defense of Mexico’s anti-slavery laws. Five freedom seekers from Louisiana completed a treacherous 400-mile journey to safety in San Antonio, which was part of Mexico at the time. The Mexican Army protected the five men by opening fire on the slave catchers pursing them.

Following are the additions to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Some sites are privately owned. If a site is not open to the public, please respect the privacy of the owner.

• Florida: Timucuan Preserve’s Freedom Seeking Stories
• Georgia: Saltwater Underground Railroad Experience
• Indiana: Lawrenceburg Public Library District Genealogy & Local History Department
• Illinois: Allison Family Homesite and Contraband Camp at Cairo
• Maryland: Button Farm Almanac Tour and Union Bethel A.M.E. Church of Cecilton
• Missouri: Seeking Freedom: Bold Escapes from the Bissell House; Lila, the Life of a Missouri Slave; Oglesby Park; and Smith Chapel Cemetery in Foristell
• Ohio: Ohio Freedom Path and Restore Cleveland Hope
• New York: Post Street in Utica and Crossing to Freedom: The Cataract House and the Underground Railroad
• Pennsylvania: Daniel & Hannah Gibbons Burial Site at Lampeter Friends Meetinghouse and Byberry Hall
• Texas: Southward to Mexico: Mission San Jose and Jackson Ranch Church and Martin Jackson Cemetery

Nominations for the Network to Freedom are accepted twice a year. Grants and technical assistance are available to help communities investigate their connections to the Underground Railroad. Information and applications are available online.