Auburn, New York: The Spirit of Tubman

Renée S. Gordon

Harriet Tubman was born 200-years ago in Maryland and embarked on an extraordinary journey that continues to resonate throughout US history. Her story serves as an example of courage and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. She employed her uncanny ability to conquer any situation functioning as an Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, lecturer, suffragist field nurse, Union spy and scout, and in 1863, leader of a Union raid resulting in the destruction of Confederate supplies and the liberation of hundreds of the enslaved. Barely 5-feet tall, this exceptional woman was unable to read and write, suffered from chronic illness and pain and yet managed to leave an indelible mark on our collective consciousness.


This year marks the bicentennial of the iconic Harriet Tubman and her legacy will be honored throughout the year in a number of locations. This is an opportune time to find other aspects of Harriet Tubman’s life and the perfect place to accomplish this is in Auburn, New York. She chose to live in Auburn for more than 50-years, established a permanent residence, marry and be buried here. She became familiar with central NY as she followed established UGRR routes to Canada and found  supportive local abolitionists to provided safe haven and financed her work. Here you can literally follow her path and visit spaces that were meaningful to her and her work. Tubman became a resident of Auburn in 1857 and in 1858 she moved her parents here from Canada where she had settled them after their escape.


Senator William Seward and his wife Francis Seward were friends and confidants of Tubman’s. Their 1816 Federal Mansion is the first “safe” house freedom seekers reached after traveling through town. Seward, Lincoln’s Secretary of State and victim of Booth’s assassination plot, hosted countless visitors, Webster, Clay, Custer, Douglass, Grant, and fugitive slaves. Doubtless the constant stream of guests was cover for the UGRR station that Francis ran in the rear of the house.



A guided tour of the 30-room Seward House and Museum, where Tubman and Douglass were guests, provides a window into the era. Ninety-nine percent of the furnishings and personal effects are original and intact. Highlights of a tour are the Seward’s library, portraits of mid-1800s’ diplomats, a mantelpiece carved by Brigham Young, and a magnificent spiral staircase.


The basement kitchen interprets the slave experience and Francis’ work as a stationmaster. The kitchen is fully outfitted and visitors can see spaces that were used by escapees. A room above a shed was also used as a hiding space. Displays, artifacts and informational panels help you to more fully understand.


Adjacent to the Seward House Museum is the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center. Visits should begin in the courtyard where a bronze sculpture of Harriet Tubman stands. This unique, interactive center provides an introduction to people of moral conviction from all eras through their words, videos and listening stations. The primary exhibit is "Seeing Equal Rights in NYS". 

Springside Inn is situated on the western shore of Owasco Lake and it is believed that Tubman secreted fugitives in the forested area on Galpin Hill near the inn and the 1851 inn itself may have been an UGRR station. Today the terrain looks much the same. The inn offers luxurious accommodations featuring a host of amenities including continental breakfast.



Harriet settled in Canada but it was a letter from Seward that induced her to return to her “own country”. She returned in 1857 and the Seward’s sold her a $1200 ($39,000) property upon which to build a home. The complex currently consists of a visitor center, her home and the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged of the Colored Race. Orientation is given in the Visitor Center and tours of the Home for the Aged are offered. The Home features a bed used by Harriet. There are also family donated furnishings.

After the war black people made the trip to Auburn in hopes of receiving help from Harriet. She was nearly penniless but always found a way to assist them. She met Nelson Davis, a black ex-Union soldier and married him in 1869. Westminster Presbyterian Church was the site of their marriage. The congregation at the time was abolitionist. He was 22-years her junior and was a brick maker. He died in 1888 and she collected his monthly $8.00 ($240) pension.


Harriet died of pneumonia in 1913 surrounded by her loved ones in her Home for the Aged. She was buried in Auburn’s Fort Hill Cemetery with full military honors. The Seward family plot is also located in Fort Hill as is the gravesite of Margaret Stewart who may have been Harriet’s daughter.



A short drive to Aurora, NY will take you to the 1837 cobblestone Howland Store. Emily Howland, Harriet’s friend, lived here. The museum store is rife with artifacts and memorabilia but two items from the store are unique. Showcased on a counter is an original, handwritten UGRR pass, the only one I have ever seen. The “new” photograph of a young Harriet was recently located in Emily Howland’s photo album.

Harriet Tubman Bicentennial events are scheduled to launch in February and continue through September. Visitors are encouraged to follow the Harriet Tubman Lantern Trail to visit all the sites connected with her life as a free woman in Auburn.

The menu of events and activities is ever evolving and current information can be found at



Iconic figures can fall short of our personal expectations. Visit Auburn, NY and be infused with Tubman’s spirit and better understand the life of one whose daily life reflected a dedication to a life of service.