Auburn, part two

Thanks for coming back for part two. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you might want to go back and read my post from last week first. You can find it here.

Auburn is a charming town with a lot of fantastic architecture on display. We should have spent the night in order to explore the town more fully. As an ardent lover of all things art, the Willard Memorial Chapel was definitely on my list. As it says on their website, “…it is the only complete and unaltered Tiffany chapel known to exist.” As you might imagine, I was expecting to find some gorgeous stained glass, and we did. But, it’s all that and more. We discovered that the entire chapel was designed by Tiffany in the Romanesque style. From the windows to the walls to the pews, it is gorgeous. It’s a calm and peaceful place to visit and includes an engaging and informative tour.

Our final stop was a visit to an extremely well preserved old house. It’s now one of my favorite old houses ever, and I’ve visited more than my share when traveling throughout the U.S. and abroad. But, the Seward House Museum is special. First of all, everything inside it belonged to the Seward family. For those of you who haven’t frequented many historic houses, that’s pretty much unheard of. Usually they have to search out period pieces to replace the ones that disappeared over time. And this one has some spectacular finds.

But, for me, what was even more impressive, was that after just connecting so vividly to Harriet Tubman, I wasn’t expecting to do so again with another vibrant character from America’s history. I guess it was simply my lucky day.

William Henry Seward is perhaps best remembered for orchestrating the purchase of Alaska from Russia for the bargain basement price of $7,000,000. However, it would be a serious understatement to end our discussion there. In addition to being a state senator, governor and senator, he was also a lawyer. Not just any lawyer, but one willing to offer his services pro bono for defendants no one else was willing to defend. In addition, he was critical of slavery and later in life considered himself to be an abolitionist, like his wife.

In 1860 he ran against Abraham Lincoln for the Republican spot in the upcoming presidential election. When he lost, he threw himself behind Lincoln and campaigned for his former opponent. Lincoln then tapped him to be Secretary of State. On the evening of Lincoln’s assassination, Lewis Powell, a co-conspirator of John Wilkes Booth, entered Seward’s home and stabbed him five times. He survived, and went back to work as Secretary of State under Andrew Johnson, which is when we acquired Alaska.

His home is fabulous and offers a substantial contrast to Harriet Tubman’s. The opulent furnishings and decorations are fantastic in their own right, but to see them set out as if Seward and his family were still in residence is something memorable. His round-the-world travels, both during his career and after retirement, afforded him the opportunity to collect unique souvenirs along the way and to display them in his home.

But, even with all of the examples of art, architecture and beauty surrounding us, our favorite part of the Seward House was not something there for decoration. Not the bust from Pompeii, not the graceful, curving, Manzanita staircase, not the library filled with a book-lovers paradise. Not even his blood stained clothing and impressive collection of memorabilia from the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination, although it is fascinating. No. The thing that intrigued us the most was down a narrow stairway that led us to an old, basement kitchen. But this wasn’t just any old kitchen; it was special. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad. And we got to visit with it for a few shining minutes.

We started our day with Harriet Tubman and a lesson on the Underground Railroad. We ended our day in that kitchen, knowing that we stood in the very footprints of the runaway slaves who had sheltered there on their perilous journey to freedom, knowing that the family living above had risked everything to host complete strangers. And, that they chose to do this for the same reason that Harriet Tubman became a conductor on the Underground Railroad and a nurse, scout and spy for the Union Army. It was the right thing to do.

As we wrap up our Auburn adventure, I’d like to add a couple of notes to my story. First, Seward and Tubman certainly knew one another. He sold her the property that later became the Home for the Aged. In addition, it is likely that they had some sort of friendship. There are many accounts of their mutual respect for one another. Second, there is an interesting article on npr.com about Harriet Tubman and another from Syracuse University about the truths behind the myths of Ms. Tubman. Both are well worth a read. Third, if you want to see more photos from inside the Seward House Museum, check out their profile on Facebook. There are even interesting facts posted about some of the decor, including the bust from Pompeii. Fourth, there are a couple of interesting articles about Seward that you might enjoy. One about his house and the other about his commitment to aiding runaway slaves.

And, finally, I’m ecstatic to report that on January 10, 2017, the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park was officially established. The property we visited will get some much needed, and well deserved, funding so that the legacy of this magnificent American woman can be preserved for future generations.

Now, get out there and explore your own backyards! While you’re at it, make sure you send me tips for places you think I might like to visit in the future. I’m always on the lookout for my next interesting and unexpected adventure.