Virtual Field Trip: Underground Railroad

Go on a virtual field trip of Underground Railroad sites in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Share the rich history of this colonial town with your students, and explore its integral role in the network used by fugitive slaves during the 1800s. Use these resources to educate students about slavery in America and the abolitionist movement. This is an excellent classroom activity for Black History Month.

Click here to start the tour, or go to an individual site by clicking on a name below.

New Bedford, MA and the Underground Railroad
Visit New Bedford, Massachusetts, which was an integral part of the Underground Railroad.
State Pier -- New Bedford, Massachusetts
The site of a booming whaling industry in the 1800s and a place where many slaves first set foot on free soil.
Nathan and Polly Johnson
Nathan and Polly Johnson helped many slaves find their way to freedom in the 1800s -- including Frederick Douglass.
Lewis Temple
Lewis Temple, a man of color, invented the toggle harpoon in 1848. This device increased the efficiency of the whaling industry.
54th Regiment Massachusetts Memorial
The first African-American regiment ever commissioned in the United Stated is commemorated with this fountain in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Friends Meetinghouse
The Friends Meetinghouse in New Bedford, Massachusetts was the site of abolitionist activity in the 1800s. View pictures and read about this historical site.
Underground Railroad Map of New Bedford, MA
This printable map of New Bedford, Massachusetts highlights areas of historical significance related to the Underground Railroad.
Related Resources
Virtual Field Trip: Black History in Boston
Take students on a virtual field trip for Black History Month. Use these photos and resources to learn about places important to African-American history in Boston.
Black History Month – Teacher Resources
February is Black History Month. Explore the many contributions of African-Americans with our cross-curricular lessons, printables, activities, and references for grades K-12. There are activities to connect Black History with every subject, including holiday resources for Kwanzaa and Martin Luther King Jr Day.

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