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Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Applaud the Addition of Five Maryland Historical Sites to the National Underground Railroad Network

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Andy Harris, and Sarah Elfreth (all Md.) applauded the addition of five historical sites in Maryland as new listings to the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. The new listings join over 800 sites, facilities, and programs already in the Network that provide insight into the experiences of those who bravely escaped slavery and those who assisted them, including 92 others located here in Maryland.

“During the darkest days of our history, the Underground Railroad – and the men and women who operated it – provided hope and safety to those seeking freedom. The addition of these sites in our state to the National Underground Railroad Network honors the courage and resilience of those who took great personal risk in the fight against slavery – and further solidifies Maryland’s important role in the fight for freedom. Shining a light on these stories ensures future generations can learn from our history – the good and the bad – and inspires us to work toward a more just future for our nation,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“By adding five historical sites here in Maryland to the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, we are honoring the legacy and lives of the courageous men and women who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad. At a time when this Administration is actively trying to erase American history, we in Maryland will never back down from this simple truth: our history makes us stronger, more resilient, and more prepared to never let the evils of our past repeat,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“Maryland was integral to the Underground Railroad, and the Underground Railroad remains integral to Maryland's history. I'm pleased the National Park Service is helping us pay tribute to the courageous Black Americans whose path to freedom ran through Maryland. At a time when so many try to whitewash our history, we ought to take pride in what past generations overcame and reflect on how far our nation has come and still has to go,” said Congressman Hoyer.

“I commend the preservation efforts of the National Underground Railroad Network. Three of the new historic sites - Isaac Mason Escape Site, St. Augustine Church and Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal - are located in the First Congressional District. The addition of these sites preserve the legacy and bravery of Marylanders who sacrificed their safety for the freedom of others,” said Congressman Harris.

“The Underground Railroad was a glimmer of resistance and hope during one of the darkest periods of our nation’s history. In the fight ahead for true justice and equality, we must begin with the preservation of our history here at home; this includes the courage and strength of the men and women who escaped slavery in Maryland. Goshen Farm in Maryland’s Third District, along with the four Maryland additions to the National Underground Railroad Network, will honor the legacies of families within our community and educate generations to come,” said Congresswoman Elfreth.

The new historical sites being added to the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program in Maryland are:

  • Goshen Farm, located in Annapolis – this farm provided crucial escape routes and refuge for enslaved individuals.
  • Isaac Mason Escape Site, located in Chestertown – in 1846, Isaac Mason escaped his enslavement from this 1830s house, which belonged to the Mansfield family. Mason shared his powerful story of escape on the Underground Railroad in his memoir, Life of Isaac Mason as a Slave.
  • St. Augustine Church, located in Chesapeake – from here several enslaved human beings escaped during the British occupation of 1777. Marked on period battle maps, the area was known as a place for freedom seekers, encouraged by British proclamations, fled their enslavers on the patriot side of the Revolution.
  • Rich Hill, located in Bel Alton – this plantation in Charles County, Maryland, was both a site of bondage and resistance. Enslaved individuals escaped from Rich Hill and into freedom intermittently throughout the 1700s and 1800s.
  • Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal, Susquehanna State Park, located in Havre de Grace – this segment of the Susquehanna and Tidewater (S&T) Canal, now administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, highlights three stories that suggest that enslaved persons used the S&T Canal as a pathway from Maryland to freedom in Pennsylvania.

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom serves to honor, preserve, and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. The Network currently represents over 800 locations in 41 states, plus Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. Through its mission, the Network to Freedom helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.