Newly Discovered NYC Underground Railroad Passage Faces Threat

Merchant's House Museum's historic site could be damaged by proposed neighboring development

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:18pm

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A newly identified Underground Railroad passageway once used by enslaved people fleeing to freedom has been discovered at the Merchant's House Museum in New York City's NoHo district. The discovery has raised the museum's profile, but it now faces a threat from a proposed neighboring nine-story mixed-use development that could structurally damage the historic site.

Why it matters

The Merchant's House Museum's Underground Railroad passage is the first 'intact' site of its kind found in New York in over 160 years, providing a rare window into the history of the abolitionist movement and the dangerous journeys of enslaved people seeking freedom. Its potential destruction would be a significant loss for preserving Black and American history.

The details

The passageway was first discovered in the 1930s when the home was being turned into a museum, but it wasn't until 2024 that researchers determined the home's original owner, Joseph Brewster, was an abolitionist. The 15-foot shaft with a built-in ladder is hidden under a dresser drawer in the second-floor hallway. Museum officials say the proposed neighboring development would likely cause significant structural damage to the historic building.

  • The Merchant's House Museum's Underground Railroad passage was first discovered in the 1930s.
  • In 2024, researchers determined the home's original owner, Joseph Brewster, was an abolitionist.
  • The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is currently weighing whether to approve the proposed neighboring development.

The players

Merchant's House Museum

A historic house museum in Manhattan's NoHo district that recently revealed the discovery of an Underground Railroad passageway on its property.

Joseph Brewster

The original owner of the Merchant's House Museum, who was an abolitionist.

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission

The government agency that is reviewing the proposed neighboring development that could threaten the Merchant's House Museum's historic site.

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What they’re saying

“What our engineers are saying is that there really is no way that a building of that size is built immediately next door to the museum without causing significant structural damage to our historic building.”

— Emily Hill-Wright, Director of Operations, Merchant's House Museum

“When engineers tell me that an African American heritage site is in danger of structural compromise or any other sort of irreversible damage, I listen.”

— Al Sharpton, Civil Rights Activist

What’s next

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission will decide whether to approve the proposed neighboring development that could threaten the Merchant's House Museum's historic Underground Railroad passage.

The takeaway

The discovery of this rare, intact Underground Railroad site in New York City has shone a light on the importance of preserving Black history and heritage sites. The museum's fight to protect this passage is a battle to safeguard a vital piece of American history from potential destruction by development.