Harriet Tubman National Historical Park

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Harriet Tubman National Historical Park

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Located in Auburn, NY, Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is located at the site where Tubman lived and worshiped, caring for family members and other formerly enslaved people seeking safe haven in the North.

06/11/2026

Architecture is the art of designing and constructing buildings. Just like paintings can be used to learn more about the thoughts and opinions of the artist, a building's architecture can help us learn more about the community that built it. Join rangers at Harriet Tubman National Historical Park this weekend to explore the architecture of Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and learn about the church's congregation through the building’s construction. During your visit you can also make a paper version of Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church to take home.

Alt Text: A small paper model of Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church is held up in front of the church building.

06/10/2026

Harriet Tubman's life in freedom began and ended in song.

When Tubman decided to emancipate herself in 1849, she knew that she would not be able to say goodbye to her family. Instead, she took a walk outside their cabins before she left, singing

“I’m sorry I’m going to leave you
Farewell, oh farewell
But I’ll meet you in the morning
Farewell, oh farewell.”

Tubman kept her promise to meet her family in freedom, and she was able to bring her parents and brothers out of enslavement. Most of her family settled with her in Auburn, New York. When she passed away at the age of 91, she spent some of her final moments singing hymns with her nephews and other members of the community she built in freedom.

Alt Text: A black and white portrait photo of Harriet Tubman, Library of Congress.

06/05/2026

On June 1st, 1863, Harriet Tubman became the first woman to plan and execute an armed expedition during the Civil War.

She advised James Montgomery and helped lead a raid in Port Royal that gathered crucial intelligence on Confederate defenses. Union troops drove off gunners, destroyed plantations and mills, and seized large stores of food and livestock. Enslaved people rushed to the gunboats with their belongings, overcrowding the vessels in fear of being left behind. Tubman later recalled that it was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Montgomery urged Tubman to reassure them, saying, “Moses Garrison… come here and speak a word of consolation to your people.” Tubman did not know them, but she was familiar with their situation. Determined to bridge the gap of panic and unfamiliarity, Tubman began to sing and the crowd joined her song. Her efforts calmed the enslaved people long enough for the evacuation to proceed with care and caution, ultimately freeing over 700 people.

Source of photo: Library of Congress

06/03/2026

This week marks the beginning of African American Music Appreciation Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the musical influence African Americans have had on our nation's melodic heritage.

Although Harriet Tubman wasn't a formal musician, she has an impressive musical legacy. Tubman was known to use songs to communicate with the freedom seekers she led on the Underground Railroad. Today her story reminds us of the beauty and importance of the genre of music called spirituals.

Enslaved Africans developed spirituals by combining African musical culture with Christian symbolism. These songs were often sung during hidden worship services called "invisible churches," where enslaved individuals could explore faith and build community away from the control of their enslavers. Singing spirituals was an act of resistance that communicated messages of hope, sorrow and their shared longing for freedom.

Image: Singtrece, a Black female vocalist, sings passionately at a podium during Auburn's 2024 Harriet Tubman Day celebration.

05/28/2026

Thank you all for an amazing opening weekend this past weekend!

We had so much fun interacting with visitors, giving talks and playing our part in showing people the history of Harriet Tubman and the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Auburn.

We welcome you to come visit – or to come back for another – on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October 31. We will keep our pages updated with the most recent information on all of our events, special ranger talks and pop-up program schedules for this season. HART is thrilled to be open for our third season and we’re excited to have you all experience it with us!

NPS Photos

05/25/2026

Memorial Day started in 1865, as a reaction to the human cost of the Civil War. Early observances of Memorial Day were often community-based events that centered around visiting the local cemetery to pay respect to the soldiers buried there. These events gave Americans the opportunity to come together and reflect on the sacrifices of military service members.

Harriet Tubman witnessed these sacrifices firsthand as a nurse on the frontline during the Civil War. Leaving her family to care for wounded soldiers was one of the many sacrifices Tubman made in the pursuit of equality. In the country’s 250th year may Memorial Day be a time to reflect on the many Americans who made sacrifices to achieve the Founder’s promise of a more perfect union.

Alt Text: A bronze U.S. Veteran medallion at Harriet Tubman’s gravesite, with a copy of “The Abolitionist’s Field Guide” visible in the background.

05/24/2026

Today is National Brother’s Day, so it's a good time to remember Harriet Tubman’s four brothers.

Robert, Harriet's eldest brother, was born in 1816. Ben followed in either 1823 or 1824. Henry came next in 1829 or 1830. Moses, the youngest, was born in 1832. When she herself was young, Harriet had to care for her younger siblings. She recalled fond memories of playing a game with them called “pig in a bag."

Harriet first attempted to escape in 1849 with brothers Ben and Henry. The men grew nervous after a notice was released about their escape. They convinced Harriet to turn back. That made Moses the first of the four brothers to escape to freedom, with Harriet’s aid, in 1851. Unfortunately, no further records of Moses have yet been discovered.

With their sister Harriet's help, the remaining brothers escaped on December 24, 1854. After they were free, all the brothers changed their names. For their surname, they all chose Stewart, the last name of a prominent white family in Dorchester County. Each brother took a new first name as well. Robert renamed himself John Stewart. Henry changed his name to William Henry Stewart. Ben became James Stewart. Ben’s fiancée Jane Kane, who escaped with the brothers, also changed her to Catherine Stewart.

James (formerly Ben) moved with Catherine to Chatham sometime between the summer of 1855 and the spring of 1861, where their son Elijah Ross Stewart was born. Both John (formerly Robert) and William (formerly Henry) moved to St. Catharine’s, Canada and worked as laborers. In 1861, William bought six acres of farmland, which he settled with his wife Harriet Ann and their four children. John eventually worked as a coachman for two doctors.

James died in 1863. William, however, lived until 1912, long enough to see his sister's dream of a Home for the Aged realized.

Source of photos: Kate Clifford Larson, Bound for the Promised Land, NPS Photo

Photo 1: Headstone reading “William Henry Stewart Sr. Brother of Harriet Tubman. 1830-1912.”
Photo 2: Photograph of William Henry Stewart from the 1860s.
Photo 3: Runaway notice for Harriet Tubman and her brothers Henry (referred to as Harry) and Ben from September 1849.

05/22/2026

Today marks the official opening day of our third season here at Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. That’s three seasons of researching, programming, learning, and growing. Whether you are a returning visitor or discovering the site for the first time, we can’t wait for you to visit.

Here’s everything that you need to know for our upcoming season.

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. every Friday and Saturday from May 22, 2026 through October 31, 2026.

Ranger talks will be offered every Friday and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Talks will consist of either the historical Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church talk, or “Ranger’s Choice” talk that focuses on the intricate stories of Tubman’s connections and community.

Come out this weekend and help us celebrate another year of honoring the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman.

For more information on special programming and events, please visit www.nps.gov/hart.

Alt Text: Visitors entering the historic Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church with NPS staff stationed to the left and right of the church.

05/20/2026

Pictured here is a louver from the steeple of Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion church. Louvers are a fairly common piece of steeple architecture. The open slatting created ventilation for the building, allowing hot air to slowly escape through the steeple. This kept the church from overheating in the warm summer months.

This louver was original to the building's 1891 construction. It received minor repairs during efforts in the early 2000s to stabilize the church, but sustained fire damage in 2019 after lightning struck the steeple of the church. Today it is part of the park's museum collection.

The louver is an example of how preservation often takes multiple stages and at times is undertaken by multiple organizations.

Image: A large vent made out of wood. The lower portion of the vent is painted yellow while the upper slats are blackened and charred.

05/17/2026

Mark your calendars 📆 Our opening date is fast approaching!

We open for the season at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 22. The park will open Fridays and Saturdays throughout the season from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The parsonage and the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church will welcome visitors from Friday, May 22 through Saturday, October 31.

We have an exciting lineup of events and programs planned throughout the season and we hope you'll join us for each one! Keep an eye out for more information on some of our events like the Juneteenth community event, Equality Week, Underground Railroad Week and more. We'll also share details about our July 4th and Freedom 250 event that celebrates America's 250th birthday, with key focus on Harriet Tubman's legacy of working "towards a more perfect union."

Address

Auburn, NY
13021

Telephone

+13152377197

Website

https://www.nps.gov/hart

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