Saint Louis Riverfront Trail

Mary Meachum (1801–1869) and her husband, Reverend John Berry Meachum, were American abolitionists who dedicated their lives to educating and freeing enslaved people. Reverend Meachum grew up enslaved in Virginia and Kentucky before earning enough money to purchase his freedom. John followed his first wife to St. Louis where he bought her freedom. Later, he married Mary, a free born Black woman, and eventually established the First African Baptist Church, the first Black congregation in St. Louis.

As part of Reverend Meachum’s church, he established a school for free and enslaved black students called the “The Candle Tallow School.” The Meachums’ home on Fourth Street in St. Louis was a safe house on the Underground Railroad. From there, they helped enslaved people escape to Illinois – a Free State, where slavery was outlawed. Their work involved considerable risk due to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 – a law authorizing the hunting and capture of escaped enslaved people and requirement that they be returned to their enslavers. After John’s death in 1854, Mary Meachum continued their work educating and freeing enslaved people. On the night of May 21, 1855 – in the area that is now part of the Mississippi Greenway: Riverfront Trail north of the Merchant’s bridge – Mary Meachum attempted to help a small group of enslaved people cross the Mississippi River to Illinois where slavery was outlawed. However, enslavers and law enforcement officials caught at least five of the enslaved people and arrested Mary for her participation in the plot. She was charged in criminal court for helping the “fugitives” escape. In 2001, the National Park Service recognized the site as part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

The site is located on the Mississippi Greenway. To bike or walk to the site, you can park in North Riverfront Park and ride south on the greenway. To drive there, take Highway 70 to Adelaide Avenue: Head east toward river; south on Hall to Prairie; left (east) on Prairie to site & parking, free shuttle the rest of the way.