What’s up Fam! In honor of Women’s History Month and Harriet Tubman Day, I’m sharing our trip to the Finger Lakes region of New York during Memorial Day Weekend 2024. We visited the area as part of our annual Harriet Tubman trek but encountered so much more. To read about our first two trips, you can check them out here and here.

Day 1

Our first stop was the Southern Tier Welcome Center. If you’re traveling to Auburn via I-81, you have to stop at this welcome center. The parking area has an Instagram worthy I Love New York sculpture and a race car, a play area for kids and pets. Inside, there are restrooms of course (with waterless toilets!), snack area with products from NY, tourist kiosks and a seating area with amazing views. Make sure you look up when you enter the center to see the sculpture from the Corning Museum of Glass.

Our next stop was the Seward House Museum, home of William H. Seward, former New York state senator and governor. He also ran against Abraham Lincoln in the presidential primary and later served in his administration. We chose to visit this museum because the website indicated that it had an exhibit exploring the ties between Harriet Tubman and the Seward family. The tour, led by a very knowledgeable docent, took us through each room of the home, including a room dedicated to Seward’s involvement in the purchase of Alaska from Russia and a room highlighting his close relationship with Former President Lincoln. The docent also discussed Seward’s opposition to slavery and the influence from his progressive wife. But when the tour ended, there was no mention of Harriet Tubman or her connection to the family. Another guest asked if there were other areas of the house we could visit. The docent waved in the general direction of a few stairwells. That’s when we saw the sign indicating the Seward-Tubman exhibit was located in the basement. Sigh. I get it. The home belonged to the Sewards and that’s all he was obligated to discuss. And he did that rather well. But I felt he could have mentioned that the Tubman exhibit existed. Particularly in light of what we learned there.

The exhibit, Forged in Freedom: The Bond of the Seward – Tubman Families, discussed the close ties between Harriet Tubman and the Sewards. We learned that Harriet rescued a young girl named Margaret Stewart from slavery on the Eastern Shore and left her in the care of the Sewards. Margaret was raised by Frances Miller Seward, William Seward’s wife, and she grew up with Fanny Seward, the Sewards’ only daughter. The exhibit speculated on the exact nature of Margaret’s relationship with Harriet Tubman, erroneously concluding that she was Tubman’s daughter (more on that later). The exhibit also mentioned that Harriet bought a 7-acre farm from the Seward family, which became her home. Based on their obvious affection for each other, the docent should have at least mentioned the exhibit at the end of the tour. 

The Seward Museum is worth a visit, particularly if you love historic homes, have an interest in Civil War history or want to learn a bit more about this little known part of Harriet Tubman’s life. The tour is $17.85. You can buy tickets by visiting the museum website linked above.

Pro Tip: The entrance to the museum is located in the back of the building.

Our next stop was at the Harriet Tubman Home. The Harriet Tubman Home is owned and operated by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Her home, the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged and the visitor’s center together form the Harriet Tubman National Historic Park (HTNHP). HTNHP is run solely by energetic site manager, educator and historian, the Rev. Paul Gordon Carter.  Rev. Carter is quite the character and is very knowledgeable about the life of Harriet Tubman. If he looks familiar, it’s because he was one of the presenters in the PBS special, Harriet Tubman Visions of Freedom.  In the visitor center, he gave a lively presentation of Harriet’s life, guaranteeing that we would learn at least one new fact about Harriet. I actually learned a few things that I didn’t know. For instance, I learned that Harriet started a pie and root beer business during the Civil War. And I learned that while taking a train home after the war, she was physically assaulted, kicked out of the passenger car and forced into the baggage car.

After the presentation, Rev. Carter took us outside, gave us more information about the grounds and a tour of Harriet’s Home for the Aged. He addressed the confusion regarding the site being named a National Historic Park. As he explained it, the National Park Service (NPS) was going to put a park on the site but due to some contractual complications, those plans fell through. Without the support and funding from NPS, the HTNHP does not have the funds to complete renovation of Tubman’s residence or to hire more staff to host additional tours. To defray costs, HTNHP receives surcharges from the sale of the Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coins. If you are interested, you can buy them by visiting Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin | US Mint. Also, if there are any grant writers out there with experience in this sector, I’m sure Rev. Carter would love to work with you.

After the tour ended, we talked a bit with Rev. Carter and shared our experience at the Seward House Museum. He had taken the tour when it was first created and expressed surprise that the docents were still not mentioning the Forged in Freedom exhibit. He also emphatically asserted that Margaret Stewart was not Harriet’s daughter but her niece, the daughter of one of Harriet’s brothers. In the future, it would be great if all the organizations that support Harriet Tubman’s work and legacy would come together and share information. It’s what she would have wanted. The HTNHP is a must see for scholars of Harriet Tubman. Tours are $7 for adults, $3 for youth. Please visit the website for the information you need to provide to schedule your tour.

Day 2

We started day 2 with a stop at Fort Hill Cemetery to visit Harriet Tubman’s grave. The Fort Hill Cemetery has been active for 170 years. Interned here are many notable people including Civil War veterans, members of the Seward family and many of Auburn’s former mayors. The cemetery was less than 5 minutes from our hotel, so visiting was a no brainer. We visited in the morning while it was still and quiet. By using the roster and map found on the website, we were able to drive right up to the section where her grave was located. Harriet Tubman’s final resting place on earth is peaceful, perfectly situated under a large shady tree and shared with one of her brothers and his family. Before we left, I took a few minutes to express my gratitude for her life and the example she has set for us.

Pro Tip: Fort Hill Cemetery is an active cemetery. Please be respectful of the other mourners who may be present by keeping your volume low and being careful not to trod any graves under foot where possible.  

Our next stop was the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls. The park consists of the Wesleyan Chapel, the visitor’s center and the homes of Mary Ann McClintock, Jane Hunt and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Each building has tours and exhibits that teach the history of the first women’s rights convention that took place in July 1848. At the visitor’s center, we checked out an exhibit that indicated that the pillars of women’s rights were founded on principles already in action in the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Territory. Next we took a ranger led tour to visit Declaration Park and the Waterwall just outside of the center. Here the ranger discussed the historical events that led up to the convention and some of the major players, including Elizabeth Stanton Cady and Frederick Douglas. From there we went next door to visit the Wesleyan Chapel where the convention occurred. PHOTOS: STREET SIGN, CHAPEL, MUSEUM SHOTS?

Pro Tip: You are allowed to get on the podium at the Wesleyan Chapel. Be sure to get a shot of you addressing the crowd!

Our third stop for the day was the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum. If you are a fan of the movie, you have to stop in for a visit. The museum is being expanded so your visit will take place in the temporary location at 76 Fall Street. For just $5, you can take a walk down memory lane and reflect on the movie’s message. It’s been several years since I last watched this movie so a lot of the memorabilia was lost on me but the roadie LOVES this movie so she was in heaven! The museum is jam packed with tons of autographed photos, letters and artifacts from the set including the bank vault door! There is a gift shop next door where you can shop for everything from Christmas tree ornaments to calendars while the movie plays on a TV up front.  If you head all the way to the back of the store, you can take a photo in front of a Bedford Falls backdrop. While you’re there, chat with the staff as they love to explain why they believe Bedford Falls was based on Seneca Falls. FRANK CAPRA SAYING, BEDFORD FALLS, BLACK COMEDIAN

We had lunch at the Prison City Pub & Brewery. The pub is housed in an old Civil War armory and is furnished with some memorabilia. The food was good, particularly the mac and cheese. The staff was friendly and it had a good vibe. Definitely grab seats outside on the patio if the weather is nice as the inside is a bit dark but I highly recommend it.

Our final stop for the day was at The New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center, a short walk from the Prison City Pub. As Auburn’s visitor center, this should be your first stop when visiting the city. It is filled with brochures and interactive displays of all the things to see and do in Auburn. The staff here were friendly and willing to offer recommendations on activities of interest in their city. Be sure to get a selfie with the statue of a young Harriet Tubman in their courtyard!

Day 3

Our last day coincided with the grand reopening of the National Women’s Hall of Fame.  Located in the historic Seneca Knitting Mill, the museum highlights the contributions and achievements of American women. I loved the inclusiveness of the museum. They featured African American women and Native American women. No one is left out. I also loved that there were Girl Scout troops there to witness the centering of women’s stories. The museum sits on prime real estate right on the canal so you can make a day of your visit here. You can bring a packed lunch and eat it on the grounds, walk or bike on the trails and even get on the water.  Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under.

For this trip, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn. This hotel was perfectly situated in the center of Auburn and within walking distance of several attractions. Our room was comfortable and the staff was great. We had both breakfast and dinner at the hotel and the options were tasty and reasonably priced. The NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series took place during our visit and the staff was pleasant and accommodating despite the large influx of guests.  The gem of this hotel is the outdoor seating area with the fire pit. It’s perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing.

The Finger Lakes region is teeming with history, restaurants and so many fun things to do. There really is something for everyone here. I wish that we were able to stay longer but it gives us a reason to go back! I recommend adding the Finger Lakes region to your itinerary for your next road trip.