Step beyond Yardley Borough’s familiar streets and discover the powerful, often-overlooked African American history embedded within this historic community. Led by Shirley Corsey, this guided walking tour brings together stories of freedom, faith, labor, courage, and generational resilience.

Beginning at Gather Place, located within the Historic A.M.E. Church of Yardley, participants journey along the Delaware Canal towpath and through surrounding neighborhoods while exploring Yardley’s connections to the Underground Railroad, the Delaware River, the historic Yardley Ferry, African American churches, Quaker abolitionists, and local sites associated with freedom seekers and their allies.

The tour also highlights the remarkable Derry family legacy, beginning with matriarch Mary Derry and continuing through eight generations of Yardley residents—including Edward E. Robinson, Yardley Borough’s first African American mayor and the first African American mayor elected in Pennsylvania.

Through historical narration, archival photographs, music, reflection questions, and place-based storytelling, participants are invited to imagine the lives of those who walked these paths before them and to consider how ordinary people made extraordinary choices in the pursuit of freedom.

• The Historic A.M.E. Church of Yardley and its early African American congregation
• The Delaware Canal, Lock 5, canal labor, and the Black-owned Derry Brothers coal-hauling business
• The multigenerational legacy of the Derry and Robinson families
• The historic Yardley Ferry and Delaware River freedom routes
• Robert Purvis, Harriet Forten Purvis, and Bucks County’s abolitionist network
• African American churches and neighborhoods within Yardley Borough
• Aaron LaRue’s General Store and other documented or locally remembered Underground Railroad sites
• Stories of freedom seekers, abolitionists, faith communities, and courageous allies 

• Reveal Yardley Borough’s often-overlooked African American history
• Connect local landmarks to the broader American struggle for freedom
• Honor the faith, perseverance, labor, and leadership of Yardley’s Black community
• Encourage thoughtful reflection about courage, belonging, and historical preservation
• Inspire participants to carry these important stories forward

This immersive tour is ideal for schools, churches, historical organizations, community groups, senior groups, heritage travelers, and anyone interested in African American history, the Underground Railroad, and the untold stories of Bucks County.

Participants may enjoy the full festival or register specifically for this guided tour. 

Space is limited to 25 walkers, per date. Advance RSVP required. Contact: 215.595.2722 | info@gatherplace.org