Historical marker unveiled during ceremony marking Underground Railroad site on Chicago’s Far South Side
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, left, and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, center right, help unveil an Illinois State Historical Society marker at the site of the former Ton Farm, now known as Chicago's Finest Marina, 557 E. 134th Place, Sept. 24, 2022, in Chicago.
About four years ago, Larry McLellan, professor emeritus of Governor’s State University, called Gaines to tell him about the history of the property, Gaines told a crowd of about 100 people on Saturday afternoon. Stratton visited the site two years ago as she was learning about Black history. Her journey, she said, took her to parts of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, deepening her understanding of the discomfort and pain people faced on their path to freedom.
After the unveiling, people ate and visited the marina, children ran around as adults talked. A woman led a group in Yoga and others walked around a room where an art exhibit titled “Witness” by artists Mama Edie Armstrong and Nathan Miller was on display.