Artifacts with ties to Harriet Tubman found

HANOVER, Md. – Archaeologists with the Maryland Department of Transportation announced the discovery of artifacts with ties to Harriet Tubman.

The artifacts were found at the site of Ben Ross’ home in Dorchester County where Tubman’s father lived and where she spent her teenage years.

The artifacts include, buttons, spoons, dishes and even remains of what they ate.

Archaeologists have spent the last four years combing through the site which is located deep in the wetlands of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and largely inaccessible to the modern public.

“Their stories are not written in history books and really their stories are barely told, so for archaeologists to be able to go in and try and resurrect their stories from what we’re finding in the ground really gives Marylanders and the public a glimpse into what it would’ve been like to live back then and what sort of things were available to them,” said Dr. Julie Schablitsky, Chief Archaeologist with MDOT.

A virtual museum has been set up to view the artifacts and learn more about Harriet Tubman and her father.