Building on the Dream

Each month CarSense highlights some of the best attractions in the region in a feature called "Sunday Drives".

March 7–8 

There’s a lot of history in and around Philadelphia, and it’s not all in large museums or about the founding fathers. Witness Building on the Dream: from Africa to Bucks County, a small but must-see exhibition located at the Bucks County Visitor Center, sponsored by the African American Museum of Bucks County.

Building on the Dream is a travelling exhibition which chronicles the events of African American history in Pennsylvania. It’s a heartfelt tribute that shares stories of accomplishment and sacrifice, and the untold stories of ancestors and prominent black leaders who aspired to live free and spark change in a nation divided. There’s a little-known local angle here, too, highlighting Bucks County’s role in the Underground Railroad, as well as local churches that helped the enslaved in their journey towards freedom. The exhibit is free; the Center is open from 9 to 5. 

If you’re a history buff, it’s just one of the things worth putting on your calendar this month. Return March 15, and you can hear “Untold Stories of African American Civil War Soldiers buried at Slate Hill Cemetery”, as related by speaker Dr. Helen Hines, Chair of the Lower Makefield Historical Commission.

Also, consider visiting the Underground Railroad Museum at 803 Smithville Rd. in Eastampton, NJ. There, you can learn how Burlington County served as the cradle of emancipation for slaves seeking freedom, with help from the Quaker Abolitionist movement. You’ll also learn about William Still – the Father of the Underground Railroad, – plus Harriett Tubman and other influential figures. The museum is free, and open Thursday-Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from noon till 4 pm. 

Bucks County Visitor Center
3207 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020

215 752 1909