Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, it was illegal to aid people seeking freedom from bondage. When the act was strengthened in 1850, underground activity greatly increased. Though Ohio and Pennsylvania probably saw the most activity, Illinois had several underground routes. One departed from Chicago taking freedom seekers to Canada by way of the Great Lakes, and another went north over land through the area of Burlington, Wisconsin.
Photo of Kuhn Family cabin from Browe School History, 1918. Dunn Museum 2003.0.36
Photo of Kuhn's rock from the Browe School History, 1918. This large granite boulder was used as a landmark to direct enslaved people seeking freedom to the "safe house" at the Kuhn family house. Dunn Museum 2003.0.36.
Since the Underground Railroad necessitated secrecy, there were no maps to guide those seeking freedom in the North, only the stars in the night sky, landmarks, and verbal directions. Finding the Michael Kuhn family home in rural 1850s Lake County would have been difficult if not for a distinct landmark nearby known as Kuhn's Rock. Shown above is the John Strock Family on an outing to Kuhn’s rock circa 1918.
The rock was named after German immigrant Michael Kuhn (1800-1882), whose log house was reportedly used as a "safe house" on the Underground Railroad. Kuhn's rock is a glacial erratic. It originated far
north of Illinois, and as the last glacier melted and retreated over 12,000
years ago, it deposited the rock here. It is thought to be the largest gray granite rock in the State of Illinois.
With the construction of Interstate 294 in the late 1950s, the rock needed to be moved out of the road's right-of-way. Purportedly, road contractors Campanella and Sons moved Kuhn's rock onto private property where it remains today.
Bess Bower Dunn posing next to Kuhn's Rock, circa 1910. This photo gives a good perspective of the rock nestled on farmland. Bess Bower Dunn Collection, Dunn Museum.
With the construction of Interstate 294 in the late 1950s, the rock needed to be moved out of the road's right-of-way. Purportedly, road contractors Campanella and Sons moved Kuhn's rock onto private property where it remains today.
8 comments:
Do you know exactly where the rock was originally or where it was moved to?
Kuhn's rock was originally in the right-of-way of I-294. It was moved directly west, a short distance, onto Tempel Smith property on the north side of Kelly Road in Newport Township.
The boulder used to be visible from the Tollway, but is now blocked from view by an overgrowth of vegetation.
I-94 is the correct highway. I-294 ends about Lake Cook Road.
I want to find this rock.
Kuhn's rock is on private property.
Is Kuhn Rock visible from Kelly Road?
Kuhn's rock is not visible from the road due to all the vegetation (brush) around it.
I'm interested to know where Kuhn's Rock originally was. My 3rd Great Grandparents owned a farm at the southern border of Warren Township. The farm is now the sites of The Rudd Farm Park and Serenity Park. I have the Lake County Map from 1850 with their property. I've located the Mother Rudd House/Tavern on this map and I believe I see small property labelled J.M. Kuhn about a mile north on a line between our farm and that of the Rudd House. This site is just northeast of the northeast cloverleaf of I-94 with 120. It would be about where W Eastwood Avenue ends just west of O'Plaine Road. Could this be where the rock once stood?
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