Not long after settlers came to Jefferson County, Indiana, a group of Baptists formed the Neil’s Creek Anti-Slavery Society in 1839, in a town named Lancaster. They brought in speakers and collected dues, but were more than a social organization. These families were involved with the local workings of the Underground Railroad.

Working closely with free blacks in the city of Madison, they all put their lives at risk to help slaves, who crossed the mighty Ohio River from Kentucky, escape from plantations in the south to freedom in the north.

The group went one giant step further: They created a school that put their anti-slavery ideals out in the open – a suggestion made by the Rev. Thomas Craven.

They founded Eleutherian College, a three-story stone building that sits atop a hill – a beacon for freedom in the hamlet of Lancaster, where students – black and white, male and female – received their education together.

The Board of Directors for Historical Eleutherian College Inc. is dedicated to preserving this building and raising awareness of its local, state and national importance.