2
1 ARLINGTON HOUSE, THE
ROBERT E. LEE MEMORIAL
Arlington, Virginia
703-235-1530; nps.gov/arho
While Arlington House was the home of
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who fled the
house when he joined the Confederate Army
at the onset of the Civil War, it has recently
undergone a multimillion-dollar restoration
to provide a new narrative showcasing the
lives of the more than 100 enslaved individuals
who built the plantation house and lived and
worked here. The interpretive exhibits don’t
shy away from challenging questions, leaving
much to discuss later at the family dinner table.

Two surviving quarters of enslaved people
Harriet Tubman
are out back. Several artifacts of African
American history are on display for the first
time, including the bust of James Parks, who
toiled on the plantation until 1861. He’s the
only person born on the property who is
buried at the cemetery. Exhibits, including
family photos, letters and books, relate to the
Syphaxes, Norrises and other enslaved families.

As of press time, no tickets are needed to
enter the plantation house, enslaved quarters
or museum. All are free and open daily from
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parking for Arlington
House is available at the Arlington National
Cemetery Visitor Center.

20 Washington FAMILY FEBRUARY 2022
NPS.GOV/ARTICLES/AMERICAN-LIBERTY-AND-SLAVERY-IN-THE-CHESAPEAKE.HTM Gray family quarters
Eastern Shore, Maryland
harriettubmanbyway.org, nps.gov/hatu,
adkinsarboretum.org After escaping to freedom from the Maryland
Eastern Shore plantation where she was
born, legendary freedom fighter Harriet
Tubman—who celebrates her 200th birthday
this year—risked her life time and again to
return, freeing dozens of enslaved people
along the Underground Railroad. Many of
the sites relating to this daring history remain
throughout the Eastern Shore, and they have
been linked on a 125-mile route from Cambridge
to the Delaware border—a fun family outing
with plenty to think about along the way.

Visit Church Creek, Maryland, site of the
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor
Center (stop 13), where kids can see where
Tubman lived and worked and learn about her
life through multimedia exhibits. Walking trails
and a memorial garden are also there. Another
important site is Bucktown General Store (stop
17), where young Harriet received a near-death
blow in the head when she defied authority
to protect an enslaved boy. At the Adkins
Arboretum (stop 34), trails wander through
woodland and marshland very much resembling
the terrain through which Tubman journeyed.

Illustration of Charles Ball,
slave and sailor, War of 1812
COURTESY OF HARRIETTUBMANBYWAY.ORG
COURTESY OF ARLINGTON HOUSE
James Parks bust
HARRIET TUBMAN
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
BYWAY 3
JEFFERSON PATTERSON
PARK & MUSEUM
10515 Mackall Road
St. Leonard, MD 20685
410-586-8501; jefpat.maryland.gov
The Battle of St. Leonard Creek unfolded during
the War of 1812 on these present-day parklands
overlooking the Patuxent River. Families can
listen to the various tales via cell phone (call
410-246-1966) and read interpretive markers
along the 1.8-mile “War of 1812” driving and
walking trail. Different perspectives are
shared, including that of Charles Ball, an
enslaved man who had fled north to freedom.

During the war, he enlisted under Commodore
Joshua Barney as a free man, serving as a
seaman and cook for the Chesapeake flotilla.

Be sure to ask at the visitor center for access
to the War of 1812 exhibit in the Exhibit Barn.

The park also has miles of trails along
St. Leonard Creek (where the War of 1812
battle occurred) and woodlands, and through
the former lands of a Woodland Indian village.

The park and grounds are open daily from
7:30 a.m. to dusk; admission is free.