A major federal grant to the Rokeby Museum on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh will result in a permanent exhibit on Vermont’s role in the Underground Railroad that helped escaped slaves find their freedom. The Addison Independent reports the museum has received a $235,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities. The exhibit will highlight the stories of two fugitives who enjoyed long stays at the Ferrisburgh farm, then owned by Rowland Robinson, after they fled slavery in Maryland and North Carolina.

The exhibit will be housed in a new visitor center that will be funded by another grant that will be announced soon. Rokeby was the name given to the farm. The exhibit will occupy five rooms and offer narratives of a man named Simon and another named Jesse. Sounds like it will a fascinating bit of history to understand.