New Philadelphia National Historic Site
Hours
See this week's hours below.
- Entrance fee
- The Park Service lists no entrance fee for this site.
- Phone
- 217-492-4241
- Address
- New Philadelphia National Historic Site, Barry, IL 62312
About New Philadelphia
To a casual observer, New Philadelphia looked like a typical Illinois pioneer town. But a closer look revealed a unique and racially diverse community. New Philadelphia was the first US town platted and registered by an African American. A formerly enslaved man, Free Frank McWorter, founded New Philadelphia in 1836 and purchased freedom for himself and 15 family members.
Hours
Operating Hours
The site is open to the public with no scheduled operating hours.
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Getting there
New Philadelphia National Historic Site is in rural western Illinois between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers near Interstate 72. The site can be reached by turning onto 306th Lane from County Highway 2. An informational kiosk is immediately on the left after turning onto 306th Lane. The small city of Barry lies two miles west and has the nearest services. Hannibal, Missouri, is 27 miles west. Springfield, Illinois, is 76 miles east. St. Louis lies about 115 miles south.
Weather
Temperatures at our site can range from 0°F (-18°C) in the winter to 95°F (35°C) or warmer in the summer. Summers can be very humid, with intense sun, rainstorms, thunderstorms possible. Snow and occasional blizzard conditions are possible in the winter. Please dress appropriately for potential weather conditions and plan ahead.
Things to do
Guided Tours.
Source: National Park Service data feed, checked September 24, 2026. Hours shown are the Park Service's posted standard hours plus any date changes it lists. Official page for New Philadelphia ↗