The Burkle Estate is a historic home at 826 North Second Street in Memphis, Tennessee. It is also known as the Slavehaven. Although disputed by some historians, the Burkle Estate is claimed to have been part of the Underground Railroad- a secret network of way stations to help slaves escape to freedom in the northern states. The house was constructed in 1849 by a German immigrant by the name of Jacob Burkle.
It is understood by some that The Burkle Estate may have served as a way station on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. Publicly, Mr. Burkle was a livestock trader and a baker. Privately, some state that he was a conductor on the Underground Railroad.[1] Many believe his home was the last stop in a series of Memphis homes connected by tunnels. The house included a small cellar which might have been used to hide escaping slaves.[2] Slaves could then get on boats to take them upriver to other way stations in the free states north of the Ohio River.
Controversyedit
The role of the home as a part of the Underground Railroad is subject to debate. There is a significant lack of physical, primary evidence suggesting that the Burkle Estate was a part of the Underground Railroad.[3]
In response to the claim that there is not enough evidence to suggest that the Burkle Estate was in fact a part of the Underground Railroad, Historians from Memphis' public library system proposed a counterargument. The historians suggest that the lack of primary, physical evidence of the Burkle Estate further validates the presumption that the Burkle Estate was a part of the Underground Railroad.[3] This is because keeping physical evidence of the Underground Railroad would have been dangerous for the Burkle family as it would have revealed their role in the Underground Railroad.[3] A trapdoor, and a hidden staircase inside the Burkle Estate house, which are rather abnormal characteristics of a home, also are used to suggest that the Burkle Estate played a role in the Underground Railroad.[3]
Slavehaven Museumedit
The house opened as a museum in 1997 and tours of the one-story, white clapboard house are available. The house is decorated with 19th-century furnishings and artifacts and served as part of the overall civil rights heritage of Memphis.[4][5] The museum documents the history of the Underground Railroad and the possible role of the house in that secret escape network. Slavery, slave trade, slave auctions and the everyday life of slaves in the wider Memphis area are also documented in the museum.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Burkle Estate.
^Lorne Blumer (2005-01-26). "This Train Traces the Route of Black Migration North". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
^"Mississippi Learning". The Sunday Times. London. 2005-01-23. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
^ abcdBradley, Cole (June 28, 2018). "People's power: Memphis' early history of race, resistance, and Black political power". High Ground. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
^Ruth A. Hill (2004-02-01). . The Record. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
^"African-American Heritage in Memphis". Frommer's. NBC News. 2006-10-09. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
burkle, estate, historic, home, north, second, street, memphis, tennessee, also, known, slavehaven, although, disputed, some, historians, claimed, have, been, part, underground, railroad, secret, network, stations, help, slaves, escape, freedom, northern, stat. The Burkle Estate is a historic home at 826 North Second Street in Memphis Tennessee It is also known as the Slavehaven Although disputed by some historians the Burkle Estate is claimed to have been part of the Underground Railroad a secret network of way stations to help slaves escape to freedom in the northern states The house was constructed in 1849 by a German immigrant by the name of Jacob Burkle The Burkle EstateEstablished1997 built in 1849Location826 N Second St Memphis TNPublic transit accessMATA Since 1997 the estate is home to the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum Contents 1 Underground Railroad 2 Controversy 3 Slavehaven Museum 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksUnderground Railroad editIt is understood by some that The Burkle Estate may have served as a way station on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves Publicly Mr Burkle was a livestock trader and a baker Privately some state that he was a conductor on the Underground Railroad 1 Many believe his home was the last stop in a series of Memphis homes connected by tunnels The house included a small cellar which might have been used to hide escaping slaves 2 Slaves could then get on boats to take them upriver to other way stations in the free states north of the Ohio River Controversy editThe role of the home as a part of the Underground Railroad is subject to debate There is a significant lack of physical primary evidence suggesting that the Burkle Estate was a part of the Underground Railroad 3 In response to the claim that there is not enough evidence to suggest that the Burkle Estate was in fact a part of the Underground Railroad Historians from Memphis public library system proposed a counterargument The historians suggest that the lack of primary physical evidence of the Burkle Estate further validates the presumption that the Burkle Estate was a part of the Underground Railroad 3 This is because keeping physical evidence of the Underground Railroad would have been dangerous for the Burkle family as it would have revealed their role in the Underground Railroad 3 A trapdoor and a hidden staircase inside the Burkle Estate house which are rather abnormal characteristics of a home also are used to suggest that the Burkle Estate played a role in the Underground Railroad 3 Slavehaven Museum editThe house opened as a museum in 1997 and tours of the one story white clapboard house are available The house is decorated with 19th century furnishings and artifacts and served as part of the overall civil rights heritage of Memphis 4 5 The museum documents the history of the Underground Railroad and the possible role of the house in that secret escape network Slavery slave trade slave auctions and the everyday life of slaves in the wider Memphis area are also documented in the museum See also editList of Underground Railroad sites List of museums in Tennessee History of Memphis TennesseeReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Burkle Estate Lorne Blumer 2005 01 26 This Train Traces the Route of Black Migration North The Christian Science Monitor Retrieved 2008 04 03 Mississippi Learning The Sunday Times London 2005 01 23 Retrieved 2008 04 03 a b c d Bradley Cole June 28 2018 People s power Memphis early history of race resistance and Black political power High Ground Retrieved 2021 01 28 Ruth A Hill 2004 02 01 In Memphis a Crash Course on the Civil Rights Movement The Record Archived from the original on 2012 11 04 Retrieved 2008 04 03 African American Heritage in Memphis Frommer s NBC News 2006 10 09 Retrieved 2008 04 03 External links editEncyclopaedia Britannica Underground Railroad Information about the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum Burkle Estate Information from Memphis Travel 35 09 57 N 90 02 36 W 35 165933 N 90 043323 W 35 165933 90 043323 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Burkle Estate amp oldid 1167579673, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
