A concealed passage, believed to be part of the Underground Railroad, has been discovered behind a closet wall at the Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan’s East Village, museum officials announced Sunday. The hidden compartment, located between two bedrooms in the nearly 200-year-old home, was revealed behind a dresser on the second floor.
Historians believe the space served as a hiding place for enslaved people escaping to freedom in the North. Emily Hill-Wright, Director of Operations at the Merchant’s House Museum, described the passage as consisting of “built in drawers from 1832.” The discovery remained hidden for over a century, offering a tangible link to a network that facilitated the escape of countless individuals from slavery.
The Merchant’s House Museum was built in 1832 by Joseph Brewster, a known abolitionist. Curator and Collections Manager Camille Czerkowicz explained the difficulty in discovering the passage, noting that it is “extremely hidden” and lacks any obvious domestic purpose. “You sort of proceed in legs first, and you catch the top of the ladder, and then you’re able to climb down,” she said.
The Underground Railroad operated as a clandestine network, utilizing various methods to aid escaping enslaved people, including routes through woods, tunnels, private homes, and concealed spaces within buildings like churches and even under wagons. Information regarding safe passage was often communicated discreetly, through whispered instructions, coded quilts, or embedded within songs.
New York City played a significant, though often under-recognized, role in the Underground Railroad. According to historical records, over two dozen sites across all five boroughs were instrumental to the network. The true extent of the Railroad’s activity in New York was historically obscured by the city’s anti-abolitionist sentiment.
The Merchant’s House Museum had long been aware of the unusual crawl space within the house’s structure, but its connection to the Underground Railroad was only recently confirmed. The museum is currently assessing the space and planning further research into its history and the individuals who may have sought refuge within its walls.
