Despite their importance in the history of the nation, many of the old homes and barns that acted as “stops” along the country’s Underground Railroad in the days before the American Civil War no longer exist.

In the small Cass County village of Vandalia, once referred to by Kentucky Senator Henry Clay as “that hotbed of abolitionism,” the Underground Railroad Society of Cass County is working to preserve the nearly 200-year-old structures that once served as symbol of hope for slaves looking for freedom and a better life.

“It’s rare to have actual homes standing over these stations,” said Cathy LaPointe, treasurer of the local historic organization. “Usually there’s a little marker that says what was once there. We’re blessed to have so many buildings left standing.”

LaPointe, one of the founding members of the URSCC, was the special guest speaker at Thursday’s meeting of the Dowagiac Rotary Club. Invited by Rotarian Fred Mathews, the Cassopolis resident shared the history of the society and their ongoing efforts to restore the nearly 175-year-old Bonine House, the centerpiece of their plans to preserve the history of the Underground Railroad here in the county.

Built by James E. Bonine and Sarah Ann Bogue Bonine in the mid 1840s, the URSCC has been working since purchasing the property in 2010 to bring the both the home and its carriage house, which sheltered escaped slaves as they made their way further north, to their original luster.

Over the last several years, the members have raised money to pay for thousands of dollars worth of repairs to the main residence, fixing everything  from the foundation of the building up to its roof. Now, the society is hoping to raise $200,000 to finish up restoration of the home, and, even more importantly, begin in earnest on the work necessary on the carriage house across the street.

“When restored, visitors will be able to experience a genuine Underground Railroad station,” LaPointe said.

Since acquiring the Bonine House, the URSCC has hosted a number of events there, including its annual Underground Railroad Days in the summer and Christmas at the Bonine House in December. It’s also become a destination for several local school trips, including for students at Sam Adams Elementary in Cassopolis.

“School kids love this, a lot of them look forward to visiting during field trips,” LaPointe said.

The society is hoping to open the Bonine House for further public use within the next few years, with the downstairs serving as a space for weddings, parties, meetings and other private or public functions, with the upstairs serving as a repository for information and artifacts for the history of the Underground Railroad her in Cass County.

“We’re just now uncovering the whole story of the Underground Railroad in Vandalia,” LaPointe said. “I think we’ll one day be considered one of the most important Underground Railroad sites in the world.”