Things to Do

Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing and Rest Area

See Photo Location

This site is on the St. Louis Riverfront Trail, three miles north of downtown St. Louis, just north of the Merchants Bridge. The site can be accessed from the Prairie Avenue trailhead of the St. Louis Riverfront Trail (an 11-mile paved trail along the Mississippi River, between the Gateway Arch and the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge).In the early morning hours of May 21, 1855, a small group of runaway slaves and their guides crossed the Mississippi River from St. Louis, attempting to reach a route to freedom through Illinois. Accompanying them was Mary Meachum, a free woman of color, the widow of a prominent black clergyman. The area is marked by a designation sign. A colorful wall mural by the students of Logos School interprets the Meachum event. In December 2001, the Meachum site was dedicated as part of the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Information

4500 E. Prairie Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63106

Additional Information

Travelers With Disabilities Information
Partially Wheelchair Accessible
Smoking Policy
Smoking Unrestricted
Cost Of Admission
Free Admission
General Interest Info
Open Year-round
Pet Policy
Pets On Leash Allowed