Anna Goodell

APUSH
Summer Assignment #1

To fulfill my first assignment for APUSH, I visited what is probably the

nearest historical landmark to our home. I visited the Harriet Tubman House in
Auburn, NY. It is an attraction that I have always been aware of, and have driven by
countless times, but have never taken the time to appreciate. I am therefore glad
that APUSH has motivated me to take advantage of the meaningful opportunity that
is so conveniently close by but also so commonly overlooked.

I knew a lot about Harriet Tubman before visiting her home. Harriet was
involved heavily in the workings of the Underground Railroad. She was born a slave
in Dorchester County, Maryland and lived there until her escape from slavery in
1849. After successfully escaping to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she returned to
Maryland to make sure her family received the same freedom she had been granted.
This soon became a pattern; Harriet made thirteen trips back and forth, safely
guiding over 70 slaves to freedom. She was known as the “Moses” of her people, and
was famous because she never lost a single “passenger” on the Underground
Railroad. Harriet served the Union Army in the American Civil War, and afterwards
retired to Auburn, NY.

Realistically, I could have found the majority of the information I learned

during my visit on the Internet. For the first half of the tour, we were simply placed
in a small room in the Visitors’ Building and shown an outdated video biography of
Harriet’s life. I could have seen this video or found this information anywhere.
During the second half, we toured the house. At first glance, this experience did not
seem very remarkable. The house itself is not even in its original state. It has been
remodeled once, and none of the furniture in the home is original. It is all either
furniture from the appropriate era, or items donated by the descendants of Harriet
Tubman. However, our guide showed such interest and passion toward Harriet and
her cause that I could not help but be enthralled with her knowledge. The tour
guide made me realize that I was standing in the home of an American hero, and
that this was indeed a rare and valuable opportunity.

According to the enthusiastic tour guide, Harriet received the land from
William H. Seward. Seward had heard Harriet speak at a women’s rights
convention, and was so enthralled by her that he requested she return for the next
one. After meeting her at the second convention, he offered her a property right
across the street from his own home. Knowing very little about William Seward, I
was surprised to learn about the connection about the Seward House and the
Harriet Tubman House. Originally, Seward intended the property to be a gift, but
Harriet would not accept it. Personally, I do not understand why; I would be very
excited if someone offered me a free house. However I apparently do not possess
the same independent, hard working qualities Harriet is known for. She had worked
hard all of her life and did not intend to become helpless and dependent upon others
in her retirement. So she arranged with Seward that she would work off her debts.

Tubman resided in her home in Auburn with her husband, Nelson Davis, and
her niece whom she raised as her own daughter. Davis died in 1888, at which point
Harriet began to receive a pension of $20 a month from the state. In 1896, Harriet
purchased the 25 acre property surrounding her home at an auction for a total of
$1450. However, living on a pension, Harriet was soon unable to keep up with the
cost of running such a sizable property. In 1903, she sold the property to the AME
Zion Church (African Methodist Episcopal). When Harriet sold her home to the
church, she made it very clear that the property came with several conditions,
including the following: anyone who was in need of a place to stay could reside on
her property, and these people could stay as long as necessary. She wanted to make
sure that her home was a safe haven for those in need, in order to continue the
pattern of helping others as she had done her entire life. After Harriet’s death in
1913, the church continued to honor her wishes, and the AME Zion Church remains
the owner of the Harriet Tubman House to this day.

Harriet is someone whom we, as students, have learned about all of our lives.
She has always been regarded as a hero and a hard worker. However, I had little
knowledge of Harriet’s personal life before visiting her home. Our trip to Auburn
was a valuable experience, as it is not often that I feel so involved in the history of
our country. Harriet Tubman was a world-changing abolitionist, and it was an
honor to visit her home.