Josiah Henson Museum & Park — Attraction in Maryland

I went home with the kids to Maryland to visit my folks and my sister and her family for several days earlier this month. My Dad recommended a small, new museum he had visited, one that had just opened a few miles away in our town called the Josiah Henson house.

I had never heard this name, never known of the vast plantation where he was enslaved so close to my home, even though the day camp where I spent several summers sits on this land. Growing up in the DC suburbs of Maryland, I knew we were a slave state, but there was a tendency to view ourselves as Northern, definitely not Southern, and visiting this museum with my mom and kids really brought home that sometimes you don't know what you don't know until you know it.

At any rate, for anyone visiting DC, I recommend a visit to this little museum. The educators who presented to us are Black, it's an active archaeological site, and the story of Josiah Hensen, abolitionist who lived to 96, and who's slave narrative was the inspiration for Uncle Tom's Cabin, is totally...

A historical gem in Montgomery County. The house and grounds are only open on some weekends and special occassions. Visit the park's website for the schedule. The home belonged to a plantation owner who owned slaves including Josiah Henson. Rev. Henson was later able to escape with his family and he wrote about his experiences. Harriet Beecher Stowe based her famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin, heavily on Rev. Henson's autobiography. A visit is a unique opportunity to see elements of the history of slavery, the underground railroad and a great figure from America's past who helped create tremendous...

This place is a hidden gem! Wonderfully put together, and the staff was very knowledgeable and eager to answer questions, while also allowing you to explore on your own. It is fairly small, but packed with information and great historical significance, and decent sized grounds to explore. It makes for a nice break from DC’s larger museums, which while full of wonderful artifacts, can be overwhelming and unable to explore any one story in any detail. This museum gets you away from the crowds and lets you take your time to steep in...