Buttonwood Tree House Hellam,PA Underground Railroad

[Gypsy Heart]

Buttonwood Tree House
In 1937, telephone linemen who were sent to install phone lines in the "Chicken Pie Place" Restaurant in Hellam, York County found an arched German fruit cellar hewn from solid rock. The Buttonwood Tree House, which takes its name from the large buttonwood tree in the front yard, is built like a fortress, on solid rock, with walls 24 inches thick. The original house was built in approximately 1760. It was remodeled sometime between 1810 and 1820. The house is located 8 miles east of York City. It sits midway between York City and Columbia.

A prominent businessman in both York and Lancaster Counties, Abraham Hiestand bought the building in 1830. Hiestand also owned the Old York Inn, which was another known Underground Railroad stop in York County. Sarah Wilson, Hiestand's daughter inherited the property and owned it from 1865 to 1899. She continued to help fugitives in the latter days of the Civil War.

It was in the hidden cellar that fugitive slaves were hidden. The means of entry into the cellar was via a fireplace in the living room. In the living room fireplace, a hole large enough for a large person to slide down into the otherwise completely walled in cellar was concealed. When strangers were present a log fire was kept burning in the fireplace and the hole was covered with stones.
http://muweb.millersville.edu/~ugrr/...buttonwood.htm

[beavis]

I,ve always found that stuff fasinating! In southern NJ where I come from I remember a few homes that were used for the underground railroad. At one , Lawn sprinkler installers found a tunnel from the home to a long gone out building.