Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged
Also known as: Harriet Tubman Museum
Why it's listed
Located on South Street in Auburn, New York, this two-story frame house with a lateral gable roof was built around 1860. It is a plain balloon-frame building with clapboard siding and a porch along the south and west sides. Harriet Tubman bought the surrounding parcel in 1896 and used the house to shelter elderly and poor African Americans, extending care she had long provided in her own home nearby. In 1903 she deeded the property to the A.M.E. Zion Church, which ran the Home for years after her death in 1913. She herself was admitted to the Home in 1911 and died there. The building later fell into disrepair, and the church restored it in 1953 as a memorial to her life and work. Little of the original interior survives. The site also holds three modern buildings and the cellar hole of a brick house that was part of the Home. It draws visitors and hosts an annual church pilgrimage.
Significance in brief: The home is tied to Harriet Tubman's charitable work in Auburn. She bought the land in 1896 and opened the house to the aged and poor, then deeded it to the A.M.E. Zion Church in 1903. She lived there from 1911 until her death in 1913. It is described as the remaining physical evidence of her efforts to continue the Home after she was gone.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74001222, listed May 30, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 180-182 South St., Auburn |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | May 30, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001222 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 - 1913 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 30, 1974 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1953 after falling into serious disrepair in the 1930s and 1940s; now used as a museum and single dwelling, with a memorial library, multipurpose building and garage on the site. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.91297, -76.56475 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74001222.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5664354
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.