DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md. — Archaeologists with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced the discovery of significant artifacts at the site of Ben Ross’ home, where Harriet Tubman’s father lived and where the renowned abolitionist spent her teenage years. The findings, unearthed over four years in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, are now showcased in a new virtual museum launched in March 2025, coinciding with Harriet Tubman Day and Women’s History Month. The site offers public access to the history of Tubman’s family and pre-contact Native American artifacts.
MDOT’s team excavated hundreds of artifacts from the wetlands, including pieces of plates, pitchers, bowls, and other household items that provide insight into the Ross family’s life 200 years ago. “Pieces of plates, pitchers, bowls, and more found at the site of Harriet Tubman’s father’s home give us more insight to how the family lived two hundred years ago,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to highlight the state’s untold stories from Ben Ross’ home and share these artifacts with the world through our new virtual museum.”
The virtual museum, accessible online, features photographs, 3D models, and detailed descriptions of the artifacts, including pre-contact stone tools and pottery sherds linked to the Nanticoke Indians, evidencing 2,000-year-old campsites. “This virtual museum is an interactive and educational tool that teaches the public about the archaeological discoveries from Ben Ross’ homeplace,” said Dr. Julie Schablitsky, MDOT’s Chief Archaeologist. “The webpage is very visual and accessible, and would make an excellent addition to school curricula.”
The site’s discovery in 2021 followed an intensive search, with archaeologists digging 1,000 test holes along a historic road in Dorchester County. An 1808 coin and 19th-century ceramic sherds led to further excavation, uncovering bricks, window glass, and nails, confirming the location as Ben Ross’ home. Ross, enslaved until 1840, worked as a timber foreman, and Tubman lived with him during her teenage years, later working alongside him. She self-liberated in 1849 and returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore about 13 times, leading roughly 70 enslaved people to freedom. Tubman also brought her parents north when Ben faced suspicion for aiding the Underground Railroad.
Located deep in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, the site is inaccessible to the public due to its remote wetland setting, which faces permanent inundation from sea level rise in the coming years. The virtual museum ensures broader access, developed in collaboration with Tubman descendants and the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians. The launch on Harriet Tubman Day, marking the anniversary of her death in 1913, honors her legacy as a freedom fighter, aligning with Women’s History Month’s focus on women’s contributions.
The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, spanning 28,000 acres, protects critical marshland but faces significant climate challenges, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service projecting a 60% habitat loss by 2100 due to rising waters. MDOT’s efforts preserve history against these threats, offering a window into Tubman’s early life and the region’s Indigenous past. The virtual museum is available for public exploration, providing an educational resource for schools and history enthusiasts.
