Celebrate the legendary freedom seeker, suffragist and abolitionist, Harriet Tubman, in the Finger Lakes region. Ms. Tubman called Auburn, on Owasco Lake, her home for 54 years. It is her final resting place.
This sprawling town in central New York’s Cayuga County combines the rural beauty of the Finger Lakes with historical attractions for a rich family travel experience.
Born A Freedom Seeker in the South
Tubman was born enslaved as Araminta Ross in March 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland – location of a National Historical Park in her honor. After escaping from slavery alone at the age of 27, she relocated to Philadelphia and became active in equal rights issues.
Tubman matured into a legendary conductor on the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was founded by a network of brave Americans. They opposed to slavery and secretly assisted escapees from the South to reach freedom in the North.
During her life, Tubman was a fugitive, celebrity, noted speaker and Union spy. Tubman’s fame was secured by helping nearly 70 family members escape from the South during 13 daring trips. Her work earned her recognition from President Abraham Lincoln, who shared her goals of equality.
In 2030, she becomes the first woman and the first Black American to appear on currency — the new $20 bill. Many attribute Tubman’s huge impact to her astonishing longevity. Given her difficult life, it’s reamarkable that she was active almost to her death in 1913.
“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.”
Her achievements, even more remarkable for a woman born enslaved, are well worth revisiting and sharing with our own children.
Auburn, Home to Harriet Tubman in the Finger Lakes
Start your education about Harriet Tubman in the Finger Lakes in Auburn. Discover the town’s other major players in U.S. history and the many historical events that took place there.
Auburn was a prosperous industrial town in the 1800s. Visit the Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum to appreciate this fascinating history. Kids really enjoy walking around and inspecting the old tractors, iron ploughs and the first reaper, all manufactured locally. Our wonderful guide Rob explained that Auburn was birthplace to many agricultural inventions which modernized farming. They also made many local families wealthy.
Meet William H. Seward and his wife, Frances Miller Seward, among the best known of prominent local families. Both were ardent abolitionists who supported the Underground Railroad. They invited the noted Harriet Tubman, then living in freedom in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, to relocate to Auburn. Selling a Black woman property was unheard of – and illegal — in 1859. Frances Seward charged the proud Tubman $1,200 for seven acres. She paid $25 down and $10 every quarter.
A New National Park For Tubman In the Finger Lakes
Begin your Auburn visit at the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center. The visitor center in the heart of Auburn’s historic district features the interactive exhibit “Seeing Equal Rights in NYS.” Images and videos showcase luminaries in equal rights, women’s suffrage, abolition of slavery and other progressive movements who fought for causes throughout central New York.
Join the free “Walk in Tubman’s Footsteps” guided tour given most mornings. National Park Service rangers and interns lead the two-hour (approximately 2 miles) walk around Auburn’s historic district.
Outside the grand homes of South Street, hear about the Seward family, the Osbornes, the Howlands and Tubman’s other progressive neighbors. An excellent introduction to Tubman’s life and times, the tour helps visitors decide which in-depth house tours to take. Make the Seward House Museum and Harriet Tubman House your first stops.
The Progressive Seward Family Meets Harriet Tubman In The Finger Lakes
William Seward’s progressive public career included stints as a New York state senator, U.S. senator and governor. “Seward’s Folly,” the seemingly crazy purchase of the Alaska territory from Russia in 1867, was only one moment in Seward’s long career as Secretary of State to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
Frances Miller Seward, raised a Quaker, was very active in social justice movements sweeping central New York. Tour the Seward House Museum, kitchen and basement that were hidden stops on the Underground Railroad. Knowledgeable guides introduce the topic of the young Black girl Tubman left in the Seward’s care. Although raised in the house, the girl’s relationship to Tubman has never been verified.
Harriet Tubman’s Neighbors in Central New York
White and Black residents were active in the central New York abolitionist movement. They worked even after the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act enabled bounty hunters to capture freedom seekers in any state. Freedom seekers continued to arrive in Auburn via the Underground Railroad (UGRR) despite the dangers. Use the Tubman’s UGRR – Cayuga County App for a self-guided driving tour past several of these houses.
The new two-part Auburn and Cayuga County app blends technology and history on two self-guided driving tours—a 24-stop exploration in Auburn and a 27-site adventure across Cayuga County. Listen for the narration of Ted Freeman, a descendant of Harry and Kate Freeman. His ancestral legacy is intricately tied to the Underground Railroad’s narrative. Learn about the New Guinea Negro Settlement, a cornerstone of this clandestine endeavor.
Finger Lake’s Black Population Today
Many freedom seekers went north to Canada, as Tubman had. Others settled in Auburn living as freedmen, accepting small wood houses built for them by wealthy white families. Despite generations of Black families occupying these houses, the city’s Black population today is less than 9%.
Look for some of the historic houses behind Fort Hill Cemetery. Tubman was buried at Fort Hill on the West Lawn, Section C-17. Look for the headstone Harriet Tubman-Davis (Nelson Davis was her last husband) located under a towering Norway Spruce. It is engraved “Servant of God, Well Done.”
Outside the cemetery’s Underwood Gate is the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church where Tubman was part of the congregation for 22 years. Damaged by lightning in 2019 and now a construction site, the National Park Service plans to reopen it with a visitors center in 2024.
The National Park Service app, Travel with Tubman, is a trip-planning guide to 13 key sites in the U.S. Time permitting, visit other Finger Lakes National Park Service monuments, including the Susan B. Anthony home in Rochester, and the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, site of the first women’s rights convention in 1848.
Visit Harriet Tubman In Her Finger Lake’s Historic Home
Tour the Harriet Tubman Home and Historic Park and meet Rev. Paul John Carter, steward of the non-profit property for the AME Zion Church. This is a Black-owned enterprise affiliated with the National Park Service. Carter says is supported by admission fees and private donations. It is a powerful place.
Start at several informative displays in the visitors center. “Harriet Tubman—The Journey to Freedom,” a traveling Tubman Bicentennial show of sculptor Wesley Wofford’s work, shows through August.
Walk the verdant land Tubman bought from the Seward family. This is where she raised pigs and baked pies to support emancipated family members and anyone in need. Carter is quick to point out that Harriet Tubman, while known as the “Moses of her people,” did not try to save the world. Instead, he says, “She had a vision and a mission to save her family.”
See Tubman’s Bible in the restored building that the AME Zion Church used to care for indigent African Americans. The church has stabilized the exterior of the second Tubman house; a red brick one that was built on the site after the first was destroyed by fire.
If the kids are into apps, they will enjoy Harriet Tubman’s Lantern Trail. Snap the QR Code on the lantern symbol outside 10 major sites to get more context from your visit.
Local Arts Institutions in the Finger Lakes
Auburn was quite an affluent town in its heyday, and still supports a large arts community. The Cayuga Museum of History & Art is one example. It is located in the former Theodore W. Case mansion, home to one of the pioneers of sound on film. Mr. Case’s laboratory chronicles his invention of the Aeolite glow lamp in 1923. His invention played sound plus image on Movietone Newsreels and was later bought by Fox Film.
The Schweinfurth Art Center almost next door has more historical exhibits and rotating art shows.
Did Harriet Tubman ever see Auburn’s gorgeous Willard Chapel, built between 1892-1894? It features windows, chandeliers, tiles, inlaid oak furnishings and other extremely rare work by Louis C. Tiffany and the Tiffany Glass and Decoration Company. It is the only complete chapel of its kind known to exist and is well worth a visit.
Finger Lakes Fun for Families
In addition to historical sites, Auburn is a fun town for families to visit. Take advantage of the breezy summer days to enjoy watersports on Lake Owasco, the easternmost of the Finger Lakes. The lake is known for its bass, pike and trout fishing.
Kayak, canoe and standup paddleboard rentals are available from Owasco Paddles on the Fleming town side of Emerson Park. Operating Memorial Day to Labor Day, they provide quick lessons, flotation jackets and even a life preserver for dogs who join you.
Auburn has several small parks scattered throughout the downtown and historic district. Emerson Park is the place to truly relax with beach access to swimming in the lake. One of the favorite local eateries, Green Shutters, is at the edge of the park for hot dogs, soft serves and ice cream served at outdoor picnic tables.
Summer entertainment includes the “Summer Series” of free evening music concerts on the grass. Bring a picnic blanket! The many food trucks from local vendors and the Prison City Brewing make this a fun lawn party for all ages.
Another ice cream favorite, Tom Thumb Drive-In & Miniature Golf is on a ridge above Owasco Lake. Go at sundown to appreciate the Finger Lakes’ beauty.
Dining in Auburn, Tubman’s Home in the Finger Lakes
Auburn has several small casual restaurants for a quick bite between the historic sights.
Lavish Lounge and Irie Jamaican Queen are among the Black-owned eateries; both specialize in Jamaican cuisine. Octane Social serves a variety of coffees, teas and lighter bites with a focus on local and vegan treats.
Café 108, run by Auburn Public Theater (APT), is a community space with a historic past. It’s on the site of the ca. 1803 Bostwick’s Tavern and the ca. 1891 Cayuga County Political Equality Club. Find healthy, quickly prepared food and beverages within a 5-minute walk of the historic attractions.
Send your dessert lovers to the Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail, which follows different themes this year is dedicated to Tubman’s memory and favorite sweets. Several Auburn businesses are supporting it with themed dishes.
A Classic Finger Lakes Inn on the Underground Railroad
For a special night out, book Oak & Vine, a modern American gastro-pub located in the Springside Inn. Sit out on their wooden deck and enjoy fresh seafood, salads and appetizers whose presentation is as fun to consume as the cuisine. Don’t miss the opportunity to sample one of the Finger Lakes wines on their menu.
We stayed at the Springside Inn, a classic B&B on the shores of Owasco Lake. The chintz, floral patterns and sloping stairs will remind parents of their grandparents’ homes. Inn owners, the Lattimore Family, are trying to authenticate its reputed role as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
When in the Finger Lakes, Go Wine Tasting
Most visitors to Auburn will be curious about the Finger Lakes’ reputation as a wine region. Two Cayuga County vineyards are in King Ferry, within 45 minutes’ drive of Auburn.
Treleaven Wines is a bigger operation with live music and a small café. Bright Leaf Vineyard is the more scenic choice. The boutique winery has 14 acres planted on a hill overlooking Cayuga Lake.
Beyond Harriet Tubman’s Legacy in Central New York
Explore progressive activism in the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District not far from Auburn. The main site for visitors is the Howland Stone Store Museum, a cobblestone general store built in 1837 by the family of suffragist Emily Howland. Read about her contributions as an abolitionist and educator. Upstairs, peruse Ms. Howland’s remarkable collection of travel memorabilia and souvenirs from her many international journeys.
The Howlands had several ties to the Underground Railroad. Their grocery store itself was a safe haven for those who escaped from the South. Scholars believe that Emily was a friend and supporter of Harriet Tubman. One of the Howland family homes now houses meeting space, women’s suffrage posters and other equal rights documents.
After #Tubman200 Keep Going
Make Auburn your base in September, which is International Underground Railroad Month, a great time to explore Auburn and Cayuga County along the Underground Railroad Tour. Many more UGRR places of interestSince the widely-publicized Tubman Bicentennial events in 2022, you’ll find many more UGRR places of interest.
We celebrate Harriet Tubman long past her bicentennial year. Syracuse University has been excavating the Tubman Home and land for decades, uncovering nearly 70,000 artifacts related to her life. Scholars are working to understand their significance.
As researchers contribute to work, their discoveries will amplify the legacy of Harriet Tubman in the Finger Lakes.
Go now. Go again. Keep going.
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