WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowans can get a glimpse into the pre-Civil War era at the Jordan House in West Des Moines, which once served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
The house was built by James Jordan, who was a Virginia native and one-time slave catcher. However, he was so appalled by the experience he became a staunch abolitionist.
In Iowa, Jordan became known as the "Chief Conductor" for Polk County.
Today his house is open for tours to remind people of our country's history—and dispel some myths.
"That is one of the things that we often talk about on our tours here at the Jordan House, what the Underground Railroad was and wasn't," said Gale Brubraker, the executive director of the West Des Moines Historical Society. "It was not a series of trains that ran underground like a subway, it was this loose connection of different groups and individuals who helped formerly enslaved people reach freedom."
There weren't many records kept at the Jordan House at the time of the Underground Railroad, as helping former slaves escape was dangerous and a federal offense. However, there are coded letters from Jordan to other abolitionists, like Josiah Grinnell.
Grinnell founded the central Iowa town named after him, which was known for being a community of abolitionists and another station along the Underground Railroad.
The Jordan House is open for guided tours on Fridays and Sundays.
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