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Shedd Aquarium

Local Stories of the Underground Railroad

Sat, Feb 28 , 2026

15891 Paxton Avenue, South Holland, IL 60473

The stories, while not always fully documented in primary sources, reflect a local community’s quiet but vital role in the broader story of freedom and the Underground Railroad.

In the south-suburban Chicago region, including what is today South Holland, Illinois, the network of the Underground Railroad found unexpected local allies. Beginning in the 1830s and through the Civil War era, many freedom seekers fleeing enslavement in the South passed through the Calumet region on their way toward Canada.

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Clarion Inn-South Holland

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Best Western Plus - South Holland

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When you stay at Best Western Plus Chicago Southland in South Holland, you will be in the busy I80 corridor, 35 minute drive from Downtown Chicago,…

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Travelodge by Wyndham - South Holland

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Take a drive on Route 1 or I-57 into the center of Chicago, less than 30 miles away or, fly to the area from Chicago Midway…

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