Harriet Tubman National Historical Park facts for kids
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Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
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Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Auburn, New York |
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| Website | Harriet Tubman National Historical Park |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001222 (original) 01000073 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 30, 1974 (original) January 3, 2001 (increase) |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
| Designated NHP | January 10, 2017 |
The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is a special place in Auburn and Fleming, New York. It honors the amazing life of Harriet Tubman, a true American hero. This park includes three important locations connected to her story.
These locations are the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, the Harriet Tubman Residence, and the Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church. The church is managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The other properties are looked after by both the NPS and the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc.
The park's properties are also recognized as a National Historic Landmark. This means they are very important to the history of the United States.
Harriet Tubman was a brave leader on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom. She was often called the "Moses of her people" because she led so many to safety.
After living in St. Catharines, Ontario, for many years, she moved to Auburn with her parents. She continued to fight for women's right to vote (a suffragist) and always helped those in need.
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Harriet Tubman's Important Places
This park helps us remember Harriet Tubman's incredible work. It shows us where she lived, worked, and helped others.
The Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged
This home was Harriet Tubman's dream come true. It was a place where poor and elderly African Americans could live and be cared for. She herself lived there from 1911 until she passed away in 1913.
The Harriet Tubman Residence
This house was Harriet Tubman's main home for many years. She lived here from 1859 until 1913. A kind politician named William H. Seward sold her the land in 1859.
Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church
Harriet Tubman attended services at this African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Later in her life, she gave the Home for the Aged to this church. She wanted them to continue running it after she was gone.
History of Harriet Tubman's Home
In 1859, Harriet Tubman and her parents moved to a wooden house at 180 South Street. This was just outside of Auburn. She bought the property from Frances Adeline Seward, whose husband was William H. Seward. He was a senator who fought against slavery.
Because Harriet Tubman had escaped slavery, the Sewards helped her. They gave her a private loan for the house and were flexible with payments. The original house sadly burned down in 1880. A new brick home was built in its place.
In 1896, Tubman bought more land next door, about 25 acres. This land, at 182 South Street, later became the Home for the Aged.
By 1903, she could no longer afford to keep the land. She gave it to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. They agreed to keep running the Home for the Aged. Harriet Tubman was a very active member of this church. She also supported building the Thompson AME Church.
In 1908, after five years of hard work, the house officially became the Harriet Tubman Home for the Elderly. Harriet Tubman also lived there. By 1911, her health declined, and she became a patient herself. She stayed there until her death in 1913.
The Home for the Elderly continued for a few more years before closing. The house was empty by 1928 and was torn down in 1944.
In 1953, the house was rebuilt and restored. This was done to honor Tubman's life and achievements. The AME Zion Church, to whom Tubman had given the property, organized this effort. Since 1953, more buildings have been added as the site became a national park.
The site received a special grant called "Save America's Treasures" in 2000.
In 2017, several places linked to Harriet Tubman became part of the National Historic Park:
- The Tubman Home for the Aged, at 180 South Street in Auburn, New York. It was restored in 1953.
- The Harriet Tubman Residence, at 182 South Street in Auburn, New York.
- The AME Zion Church, built in 1891, at 33 Parker Street in Auburn, New York.
Becoming a National Historical Park
The park in Auburn officially opened on January 10, 2017. A special ceremony took place in Washington, DC. US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and other officials were there. This park became the 51st National Historical Park. It is also the 414th unit in the US national park system. This park focuses on the later years of Harriet Tubman's life.
This park works with another NPS site in Maryland. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland tells about Tubman's early life. It includes her birthplace and parts of the Underground Railroad routes. The Maryland park opened earlier, on December 19, 2014.
Harriet Tubman moved to Auburn, New York, after living in St. Catharines, Ontario, for about eight to ten years. She also brought her parents there. In Ontario, her life is remembered at the Salem Chapel National Historic Site. This was her church, and it still has an active community today.
See also
- List of Underground Railroad sites
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway (Maryland)
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (Delaware)
