In celebration of Harriet Tubman’s life and impact, Governor Wes Moore on Monday presented a new wayside historical marker close to her birthplace in Dorchester County. This underscores Maryland’s dedication to preserving untold stories through permanent state monuments.
Governor Wes Moore today commemorated the placement of a new wayside historical monument honoring the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor who was born in Maryland, according to the news release issued on Monday, June 23. The new historical roadside marker honors Tubman’s early life and her ties to her family and community, and it is located on the Eastern Shore, fewer than three miles from her birthplace.
Archaeologists from the Maryland Department of Transportation conducted a thorough search and found Ben Ross’s house in 2021. Before discovering an 1808 coin and a few fragments of shattered 19th-century ceramics, archaeologists excavated a thousand holes along a historic road using ancient documents to determine the search area. The archaeologists have been working on hundreds of artifacts that were gathered from Ross’s house, which is located deep within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge’s wetlands, for the past four years.
The Tubman roadside historical plaque was unveiled today, coming after a virtual museum was established in March to convey the history and display items from the location where the renowned abolitionist spent her adolescent years.
According to Tina Wyatt, Harriet Tubman’s great-great-great-grand niece, this plaque provides a chance to honor the faith and tenacity of those who had to adapt to terrible circumstances in order to survive. It also offers a place to acknowledge Harriet and Ben’s relationship as father and daughter. This magnificent heroine was fostered by their community and familial relationships.
Attendees saw relics from Tubman’s birthplace after the wayside historical plaque was formally unveiled. In addition, state leaders, Dorchester County officials, and community members came together to commemorate the unveiling of the historic marker honoring the abolitionist’s priceless contributions and the significance of creating permanent state monuments to honor significant Maryland figures, locations, and occasions.
According to Tonet Cuffee, a relative of Ben Ross, the dedication of the Harriet Tubman Birthplace Marker is more than just a sign dedication; it is a potent homage to the history of bravery, selflessness, and unwavering resolve that Tubman embodies. Her story serves as a reminder that it is not just history but also live heritage that has been passed down via her generations and is firmly ingrained in this country.
The new roadside monument, which is located along MD 16 close to the Woolford Country Store, is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Department of Transportation’s initiative to enhance the number of markers that tell the state’s untold history.
Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld stated that Marylanders are still inspired by Harriet Tubman’s bravery and commitment to the fight for universal freedom.The Maryland Department of Transportation is pleased to present the newest historical marker in the state in honor of Harriet Tubman.
Visit the Maryland Department of Transportation’s virtual museum to see the objects discovered near Tubman’s birthplace.
Visit mdot.maryland.gov to learn more about the Maryland Roadside Historical Marker program.
