Seneca Falls and Harriet Tubman NHPs

Seneca Falls was the site of a convention in which Elizabeth Cady Stanton read her Declaration of Sentiments, which stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal.” Sad that this took place in 1858, but it was another 62 years before women could vote. It was upsetting to be reminded of how few rights women used to have, and how recent that actually was. I mean, I was just listening to a podcast about the history of women wearing pants, and it wasn’t until 1969 that the first woman wore pants in the House of Representatives. 

There honestly wasn’t too much to see in this spot, but I enjoyed the informative film and the town itself is adorable. There is also the Women’s Hall of Fame in town, which I didn’t go to because they charge an admission and I was running short on time. 

(The church where the convention took place)

(Mural and fountain)

Harriet Tubman NHP was acquired by the park service in 2017, but the park service still isn’t providing any funding. I sat through a talk given by Paul, and he was phenomenal. So knowledgeable and a gifted speaker. When he said he’d been working there for 28 years and has contributed to the research on Harriet Tubman, I got all fan girl and thought for sure he was one of those celebrity rangers. But he’s not even an official ranger. I know the park service is strapped for cash, but get that guy a hat and make him official! Especially since he’s working there by himself! 

Besides fangirling over Paul, I learned some more interesting facts about Harriet Tubman. Her life fascinates me; she did so much. She just never quit. That journey that she took people on to freedom in Canada was 450 miles, and she made that trip multiple times on foot. Other things I learned: 

She had a head injury from an overseer that caused her to have temporal epilepsy. She would just collapse with no warning. This actually worked to her advantage, because then no one wanted to buy her and she could stay with her family. She also said that it was during these times that she received revelation from God as to where she should go and when. 

During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse, a spy, and she led soldiers in raids. None of her men were killed. On the way home from the war, she was riding in a luxury car on the train. The conductor tried to make her move to the smoking car (where people of color had to sit). She refused to move, so he called in three other workers and they literally threw her off the train; she had broken bones from this incident. This just hurt my heart (thrown off the train on the way home from serving her country!), but I was glad to hear she was buried with full military honors when she passed away at age 91. 

After the war, she moved to upstate New York and purchased this property for $1200. The owner was a guy named Seward, the same person who was Secretary of State and purchased the Alaska Territory! She only had to make payments of $10/quarter, and eventually, the Sewards just forgave the remainder of the loan. 

She had this nursing home on her property since the one in town wouldn’t admit people of color. 

And she lived in this house, which was also a boarding house.

When she was 46, she married one of the men living here. He was at least 20 years younger than her. All right, Harriet! 

One final important thing I learned at this site- never refer to someone as a slave. They were enslaved. Slavery wasn’t an identity they chose; it was done to them. 

In conclusion- can we please hurry up and put this woman on the $20 bill?