French Azilum facts for kids

French Azilum (which means "French Asylum" in French) was a special town built in 1793. It was planned in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. This town was a safe place for French people who were escaping big problems back home.

Some people were fleeing the French Revolution, a time when France changed its government and many important people, like King Louis XVI, were in danger. Others came from a French island colony called Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). There, enslaved people were fighting for their freedom.

Important people from Philadelphia, like Stephen Girard and Robert Morris, helped buy the land for French Azilum. They wanted to help the refugees and also hoped the settlement would do well.

Building a New Home in Pennsylvania

In 1793, these helpers bought about 1,600 acres (6.5 square kilometers) of land. This land in northeastern Pennsylvania was mostly wilderness. About 300 acres (1.2 square kilometers) were set aside for the town itself.

Town Layout and Early Settlers

The town was carefully planned with wide streets. It had a market square that was about 2 acres (8,000 square meters) big. There were 413 lots, each about half an acre. Around 30 log houses were built for the new arrivals.

A small group of French people arrived in the fall of 1793. Some were royalists, meaning they supported King Louis XVI. They were escaping prison or death during the French Revolution. Others came from Saint-Domingue, where enslaved people had started fighting for their freedom in 1791. This fight was inspired by ideas of human rights from France.

There's a story that Queen Marie Antoinette and her two children were supposed to live here. However, she was also executed in France in 1793.

Life in the Settlement

Soon, French Azilum had many useful buildings. Small shops, a schoolhouse, a chapel, and even a theater appeared in the market square. The settlers also built a gristmill to grind grain, a blacksmith shop, and a distillery. They raised cattle and sheep, and planted fruit trees and gardens.

The Grand House of Azilum

The biggest building in the colony was called La Grande Maison. This large log house was 84 feet (26 meters) long and 60 feet (18 meters) wide. Some people believed it was meant for the Queen, but this was never proven.

Famous Visitors to Azilum

La Grande Maison was a place for big social events. Important guests visited the settlement. Talleyrand, a famous French diplomat, stayed in the United States from 1794 to 1796 and was entertained here. Louis Phillipe, who later became the King of the French, also visited Pennsylvania in 1797 and was a guest.

The End of French Azilum

The special French settlement did not last forever. In the late 1790s, the people who helped buy the land, like Robert Morris, faced money problems. Funds from France also stopped coming.

Where Did Everyone Go?

Many of the French settlers moved to bigger cities in the southern United States. These included Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans. Some even went back to Saint-Domingue. When Napoleon came to power in France in 1799, he made it possible for exiles to return home. Many French Azilum residents went back to France.

However, some families chose to stay in Pennsylvania. Families like the LaPortes, Homets, LeFevres, Brevosts, and D'Autremonts settled in nearby communities. By 1803, French Azilum was no longer an active settlement.

French Azilum Today

None of the original buildings from French Azilum remain standing. The land where the houses and gardens once were became part of larger farms.

The LaPorte House Museum

The LaPorte House was built in 1836 by the son of one of the colony's founders. This house shows French style with its painted ceilings and decorations. Today, it is a house museum.

You can see an original foundation from the settlement that has been uncovered. There's also a reconstructed log cabin from the 1790s that serves as a small museum. You can take guided tours of the LaPorte House during certain times of the year. There's also a self-guided tour of over 20 acres (81,000 square meters) of the original settlement, including other buildings from the LaPorte Farm.

French Azilum is managed by a non-profit group called French Azilum, Inc., which started in 1954. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission also helps run the site.

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