Hidden rest stop: Bucks County church has connections to Underground Railroad
BUCKS COUNTY (CBS) -- Bucks County is home to one of the oldest churches in the state. The community is hoping to preserve the landmark because there's a sacred connection between the church and the Underground Railroad.
Mount Gilead Community Church perched on Buckingham Mountain in Bucks County dates back to 1834. As you'd imagine, the rose quartz, iron-veined stone building holds a significant history.
"It's set in a way that it's off the beaten track and folks could perhaps see trouble coming their way from a distance," Rev. David Jackson said.
During the time of the Underground Railroad, the tabernacle was a sanctuary for enslaved people escaping north.
Mount Gilead was like a hidden rest stop. Discreetly offering shelter, food, and medical attention before they continued a dangerous journey to freedom.
"There's people that were in desperate need," Jackson said. "They were refugees coming up from the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland in hopes of a better future. And thank God for places like Mount Gilead that were here."
Almost 200 years later, Rev. Jackson and the community are making sure that history doesn't slip away.
He says four times a year the congregation comes together for service. However, some repairs are needed to preserve the landmark.
The church is holding a fundraising event Sunday with a goal of $100,000 for improvements to the interior, exterior, and cemetery grounds.
Artist Jim Lukens from Quakertown is also auctioning off a painting to help out.
"The reason I was so moved by this was there was a story attached to it about Ben Jones that was an escaped slave," Lukens said. "So I put Ben's name in the painting."
"It means so much to the area and folks are really gravitating toward helping out just as they did during the Underground Railroad," Jackson said.
