A small bedroom was set up near the kitchen in the Ritchie house.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CIONLINE.COM

Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. – A house that was part of the Underground Railroad has been dedicated as an official site along a new Kansas trail linking historical places related to African American history.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Shawnee County Historical Society held an event Sunday in Topeka to dedicate the Ritchie House.

The event allowed visitors to explore the historic home where John and Mary Jane Ritchie helped escaped slaves flee to Nebraska.

The Kansas African American History Trail officially opened last month as a partnership of 18 historic sites across Kansas related to African American history. The trail also includes Topeka’s Brown v. Board of Education historic site.

Sunday’s dedication of the Ritchie House featured speeches from the local historical society’s president and the project manager of the Kansas African American Museum.