by Matt Maris, Local Historia

Bellefonte has a rich history that includes connections to the Underground Railroad. In an effort to make Underground Railroad and Black history more publicly available, a self-guided tour is now available at tapintohistory.net.

This project is an initiative by the Leadership Centre County (LCC) Junto group, Centre Servers (Class of 2022), in collaboration with community partners and organizations who support the same mission, including iPHET, the Bellefonte Art Museum, the Centre County Library & Historical Museum, and Local Historia. You are invited to be a part of the touras maiden voyage on May 15, 2022. Please see the event details and RSVP link below.

The tour will begin at 2 p.m. May 15 at the Bellefonte Art Museum, located at 133 N. Allegheny St. Members of Centre Servers will greet you and chaperone you through the tour. A reception will follow, from 3-5 p.m., to celebrate the launch of Tap Into History at The Republic (and Speakeasy) at the Gamble Mill, 160 Dunlop St.

If you plan to join us for both or either of the two events, please RSVP here. Capacity is limited.

If you would like to support this project’s mission, please consider donating to the links below. Any donations to these beneficiaries will be applied to educational programs focusing on Underground Railroad history and Black history in Centre County. Please write Tap Into History in the donation description.

Donate to the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County

Donate to the Centre County Library & Historical Museum

If you have any questions about the project or the event, please email tapintohistory@gmail.com.

We hope to see you on May 15th. However, even if you cannot join us, please use, enjoy, and share the tour, tapintohistory.net, freely!