Harriet Tubman was a deeply spiritual woman who lived her ideals and dedicated her life to freedom. She is the Underground Railroad’s best known conductor and before the Civil War repeatedly risked her life to guide nearly 70 enslaved people north to new lives of freedom. This new national historical park preserves the same landscapes that Tubman used to carry herself and others away from slavery.
Harriet Tubman—Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, Civil War spy and nurse, suffragist, and humanitarian. Born into slavery in early 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman rose above horrific childhood adversity to emerge with a will of steel. Owing her success to unique survival techniques honed in the forests, fields and marshes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman transcended victimization to pursue lifelong dreams of freedom, equality, and justice.
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center houses permanent exhibits, an A/V program, restrooms, a museum store, an information desk, and a research library, and it serves as the park’s primary visitor destination. Its design concept, “The View North,” symbolizes the importance of moving northward, away from slavery and into the possibilities of freedom; a quiet, open legacy garden offers walking paths for meditation and reflection.
A partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service, and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park operates the 16,000-square foot, LEED Silver certified visitor center and administration building, along with a 2,700-square foot open air pavilion with a fireplace and picnic tables. The state park is a 17-acre site adjacent to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The site is also home to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, which partners with local, state, and federal entities to commemorate events, preserve sites and resources, and educate the public about the national significance of the Underground Railroad.
Ask for a Junior Ranger booklet when you visit the park, and complete the activities to earn your Junior Ranger badge!
Interested in spending a summer at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park as an intern? As our park develops, we expect to offer internships to students and recent graduates. To inquire about opportunities, please call 410-221-2290
Want to bring your students to visit the park? We're happy to welcome students to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center! Explore our exhibits and film, take a walk in our legacy garden, or request a program from National Park Service or Maryland Park Service staff. To inquire about field trip opportunities, call the park at 410-221-2290.