About New Philadelphia National Historic Site
To a casual observer, New Philadelphia looked like a typical Illinois pioneer town. But a closer look revealed a unique and racially diverse community. New Philadelphia was the first US town platted and registered by an African American. A formerly enslaved man, Free Frank McWorter, founded New Philadelphia in 1836 and purchased freedom for himself and 15 family members.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Temperatures at our site can range from 0°F (-18°C) in the winter to 95°F (35°C) or warmer in the summer. Summers can be very humid, with intense sun, rainstorms, thunderstorms possible. Snow and occasional blizzard conditions are possible in the winter. Please dress appropriately for potential weather conditions and plan…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Illinois. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
The site is open to the public with no scheduled operating hours.
Activities
Getting There
New Philadelphia National Historic Site is in rural western Illinois between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers near Interstate 72. The site can be reached by turning onto 306th Lane from County Highway 2. An informational kiosk is immediately on the left after turning onto 306th Lane. The small city of Barry lies two miles west and has the nearest services. Hannibal, Missouri, is 27 miles west. Springfield, Illinois, is 76 miles east. St. Louis lies about 115 miles south.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Find Flowers and Butterflies in Lucy's Garden
New Philadelphia buzzes to life in Lucy’s Butterfly Garden! The wildflowers in this garden represent the types of plants that…
Go Birding at New Philadelphia
Birds provide a living link to the past in New Philadelphia. Forest and field habitats continue to shelter many species…
Take a Self-Guided Augmented Reality Tour!
Today, few hints of life in New Philadelphia remain above ground. Peek into the past with the New Philadelphia Association’s…
Visit the New Philadelphia Information Kiosk
Start your experience at the Information Kiosk. Brochures and basic information are available here. Allow yourself at least a few…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
