Gurnee in Lake County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Mother Rudd Barn
Historic Garden
1840 s
It is believed that the Mother Rudd Barn was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Shelter and food were provided to escaped slaves as they journeyed from the South to freedom in the North and Canada. All that is left of the barn is this foundation.
Additional Marker inside of barn
The Mother Rudd Barn
From all indications, a main line of the Underground Railroad ran through Lake County from Illinois across the state line to Wisconsin. Several sites have been identified as stops in Gurnee, Ivanhoe, Milburn and Waukegan. Oral tradition indicates that the Mother Rudd Barn was one of these stations on the Underground Railroad.
Many times slaves traveled along the riverbanks to avoid detection. The Mother Rudd House and Barn are less than 100 feet from the Des Plaines River making this a prime location for a stop. Furthermore, the Mother Rudd House was a good location to hide escaped slaves because travelers drifted into this inn at all hours of the night.
Erected by Sears and the Village of Gurnee.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 42° 22.368′ N, 87° 55.127′ W. Marker is in Gurnee, Illinois, in Lake County. Marker is on Kilbourne Road, 0.1 miles north of Old Grand Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gurnee IL 60031, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Serbian Orthodox Monastery of St. Sava (approx. 3.1 miles away); General Dragoljub Mihailovich (approx. 3.2 miles away); Ray Bradbury Park (approx. 4.2 miles away); Welcome to Ray Bradbury Park (approx. 4.2 miles away); Cpl. Richard E. Bush Memorial (approx. 4.3 miles away); Orion Perseus Howe (approx. 4.3 miles away); Waukegan Veterans Memorial (approx. 4.3 miles away); Waukegan Doughboy Statue (approx. 4.4 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,133 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 20, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.