Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument Highpoint Trip Report

Date: December 30, 2013
Author: Fred Lobdell

This is a recently created national monument, and it appears that almost nothing is in place. I stopped at the visitor's center in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, which is supposed to have information about the monument, yet found very little. I spoke with an older gentleman (possibly almost as old as me!) who had some literature about Ms. Tubman and her services to escaping slaves, but there was nothing at all about the monument itself.

What is needed is a detailed and accurate map showing the tracts that are part of the monument; and the tracts that are inholdings. For those who may wish to visit in the future, I offer the following details of my reconnaissance.

Mileages -

0.0   Intersection of US 50 and westbound (going south here) MD 16 on the
        east side of Cambridge. Take MD 16 (Church Creek Road) west and south.
7.3   Hamlet of Church Creek. Turn left (southeast) on MD 335 (I think this is Golden Hill Road.)

11.2   Turn left (east) on Key Wallace Road.
12.3   Visitor's Center for Blackwater NWR
14.9   Turn left (north) on Maple Dam Road.
15.3   Turn right (east) on Greenbrier Road.
17.8   Arrive at the hamlet of Bucktown. Turn right (southeast) at the stop sign
          onto Bestpitch Ferry Road. A sign informed me that the road was closed.
18.2   Bestpitch Ferry Road makes a sharp right here.

There are a couple of farm roads going straight ahead and a two-track heading toward the obvious high ground, exactly where the topographic map shows it to be. The rise is several feet above the farm field and is partly wooded. It would probably be a matter of 5 to 10 minutes to drive the two-track back to the high area and dance around on top for a bit, but I let myself be deterred by several negative signs in the area. If anyone had been outdoors I would have inquired about ownership and the possibility of getting permission for a brief visit, but no one was in evidence, and I wanted to get to Ocean City and claim my motel reservation before dark.

It appeared to me that the high ground was part of the farm field near the woods marking the field's northern border, but of course I can't be sure. If it is not possible to get accurate information as to ownership from the National Park Service, it might be possible to find out something from the Register of Deeds for Dorchester County at the county offices in Cambridge. We can hope that the next visitor will find more information available.