Hampton National Historic Site

06/01/2026

Join us, Sunday June 21 from 1-3 p.m., for a special Juneteenth weekend performance! Space is limited, so registration is required.

Step back in time at Hampton National Historic Site as remarkable women from history are brought to life through first-person storytelling and authentic costumes by Ms. Story (Shemika Renee). Follow her through the historic rooms of the Hampton Mansion as she presents her interpretation of women such as Nancy Davis and Ida Cummings.

While there, you will also learn directly from staff about the latest discoveries and preservation efforts taking place at Hampton. Get the behind-the-scenes scoop about everything from the construction happening on site to archeological discoveries and rare 18th century objects recently added to the museum collections.

Space is limited, so registration is required. To register go to our events page on our website:
https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=5D7AEEA7-ECD0-48CB-D4A1B7EAC8BF6C42

Learn more about Ida R. Cummings:
https://www.nps.gov/people/ida-r-cummings.htm

Learn more about Nancy Davis:
https://www.nps.gov/hamp/learn/historyculture/nancy-davis.htm

Learn more about the Legacy Restoration Fund Project:
https://www.nps.gov/hamp/learn/legacy-restoration-fund-project.htm

📸NPS

05/28/2026

If you’ll lend us an ear, we’re talking corn 🌽

Our a-maize-ing crew has been working hard to plant the small cornfield here at Hampton National Historic Site and their excitement is corn-tagious!
Here’s how they do it:

First, the plow mixes nutrients and aerates the soil to prepare for planting. We add compost and turn under last year’s material to help it decompose.
Next, the disk attachment helps to further smooth and mix the soil.

Finally, the planter attachment is set up and filled with corn seed. As the tractor moves forward, the attachment opens the soil, drops in the seed at the correct depth, then covers and presses the soil back into place.

In just a few months, these rows will be looking stalk-tacular.

Shoutout to our garden team, including the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) interns, for all of your hard work (and this corny content). You guys are truly se-corn-d to none!

📸 NPS

05/25/2026

Today we remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country throughout history to the present day. Memorial Day emerged from the widespread destruction during the Civil War and how different communities memorialized fallen soldiers.

The loss in human life--625,000 people across the nation--left Americans with a profound sense of grief. Not only did the nation have to confront how to rebuild itself for those Americans still living, but it also needed to decide how to memorialize those who were lost.

Today, we remember the life of one person who fought in the Civil War and never made it home. Franklin Johnson (1823-1864), listed as a servant in the 1860 census at Hampton, enlisted as a Union soldier in the U.S. Colored Troops (39th US Colored Infantry) in the spring of 1864. Tragically, Franklin Johnson died in service to the Union during his regiment’s very active role in the Overland Campaign.

During the Siege of Petersburg National Battlefield, he survived the horrific mine explosion and subsequent atrocities at the Battle of the Crater in late July, only to die from disease on September 24 at a Philadelphia hospital. By the end of the Civil War, 175 United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiments included 178,000 soldiers, approximately 10% of the Union Army. The mortality rate for these units was exceedingly high. One of every five Black soldiers in the conflict died, a rate 35% higher than other troops.

In late 1864 Johnson's wife, Hester, applied for a widow’s pension in order to help support herself and their four children. Hester subsequently moved to West Baltimore to earn a living post-Emancipation working as a laundress.

Learn more: https://nps.gov/hamp/learn/historyculture/the-civil-war.htm

📷 U.S. Army
Illustrated recruitment flyer for the U.S. Colored Troops during the American Civil War.

05/21/2026

A summer tradition of refreshening the mansion for the hotter season requires a team of people. This past week we pulled the whole team together to give the mansion exhibits a facelift.

Volunteers, TTAP interns, the curatorial team and Rangers Jeff and Joe all worked together to complete seasonal changes in the mansion. Volunteers and staff did so much, from changing the chintz bed curtains to tambour hand embroidery and putting slip covers on furniture.

The use of slipcovers, summer bed hangings, etc., dates well back into the 1700s. We know the Ridgelys followed this tradition because we have many surviving slipcovers and summer curtains in the museum collection. They would also roll up the wool carpets and store them in the “Carpet Cellar.”

The six-string guitar is an example of an early Baltimore-made guitar. It has a bone handle control bar and mother of pearl hearts. It was made for and sold by Caruso’s Piano Forte Music Store in Baltimore, Maryland circa 1870. You, too, can see it in person on a tour of the mansion. It's located in the Music Room.

To go on a tour of the mansion, you will need a ticket. Tours run Thursdays through Sundays. To learn more: https://www.nps.gov/hamp/planyourvisit/ranger-programs.htm

📸 NPS

05/20/2026

🗳️ 🎉 Imagine standing in a massive crowd of 20,000 people, cheering for a brand-new kind of freedom!

In 1870, the 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote. The first place in Maryland where they cast these historic ballots was Towsontown, now known as East Towson. In May 1870, over 20,000 people gathered in nearby Baltimore for a historic parade to celebrate, showing how much this step forward meant to the community.

This milestone connects directly to Hampton National Historic Site. After gaining freedom, several men once enslaved at Hampton plantation settled in Towsontown. Some likely stood in the line to vote.

As we reflect on the nation’s 250th anniversary, we remember that American history is a continuous journey toward making freedom a reality for everyone.

Next time you’re at Hampton, in Towson, remember the brave individuals who created new lives in freedom.




📸 1) A detailed 1870 lithograph titled ‘The Fifteenth Amendment’ depicting a central parade scene with soldiers, citizens, and flags. All surrounded by illustrations of African American men voting, portraits of key figures, and symbolic imagery celebrating the amendment granting voting rights regardless of race. Library of Congress
2) A Baltimore Sun newspaper article highlighting the historic first vote in Maryland under the Fifteenth Amendment and how it happened in Towsontown Newspapers.com

05/17/2026

ATTENTION: All Photographers! 📸

Looking to hold sessions at Hampton National Historic Site this year? We've updated and simplified our website to clarify all regulations, policies, and laws surrounding still photography within the park!

Our hope is to better manage increased photography traffic within the park and more easily communicate with visitors about best practices when holding photography sessions at the park. Please review this webpage before holding photography sessions at Hampton National Historic Site.

Photography Quick guide link: https://www.nps.gov/hamp/learn/management/photography.htm

📷 NPS/Tim Ervin
Caption: Hampton mansion and cedar in fog.

05/13/2026

Life can be so crazy it can be difficult to find time to slow down just to breathe. Hampton NHS is proud to provide a green space for people to improve their emotional and mental well-being by nurturing with nature. Caring for your mental health can help you cope with stress and improve your quality of life.

From a stroll through our park to a day spent hiking in the wilderness, exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, and more. These benefits can also stem from feeling connected to nature, regardless of how much time is actually spent outdoors- even a few moments outside can boost your physical and psychological well­being!

Remember to make time for yourself this (and every month!) to enjoy the beautiful parts of life and remember it's okay to ask for help.



📸NPS/Tim Ervin

05/10/2026

She’s not mad… she’s just making sure you understand the nest perimeter policy. 🪶

Red-shouldered hawks have a reputation for defending their nests fiercely. Even a quick stick placement is serious business when you’re raising the next generation. And yes, they will glare at intruders to make their point. Talk about a look that could kill.

Here’s to all the moms who balance building, protecting and loving: happy !

📸Red Shouldered Hawk building nests and protecting her little ones NPS/Ervin

05/08/2026

Our team members have been busy as bees planting the gardens on the parterres. 🐝

The gardens were first created around 1790. Paid gardeners supervised planting and maintenance, carried out by both enslaved people and paid laborers.

Today, it still takes a team to keep the gardens looking beautiful. A HUGE shoutout 📣to our horticulturalists, gardeners, Traditional Trade Advancement Program (TTAP) interns and more!

Here are the flowers and then the specific varieties they planted:
Coleus- Wasabi, Ruby Slipper and Marble mania
Vinca- Cora Red, Cora White
Lantana- Bloomify White, Dallas Red
Pentas- Bee Bright Red, Bee Bright White
Canna- Cannova Yellow

Now that the gardens are planted, take a stroll around the grounds at Hampton to see the beauty and learn the stories of those that lived and labored here.

To learn more about visiting the park and about the people of Hampton: https://www.nps.gov/hamp/index.htm

National Park Service Youth & Young Adult Programs, American Conservation Experience, Student Conservation Association, National Park Service

05/06/2026

Seatbelts everyone 🚌

We all have a teacher that we remember, from Miss Frizzle to your favorite 👏 make sure to thank them

“Learning is an adventure best taken together!” – Ms. Frizzle

A big thanks to all teachers and educators for your hard work, dedication, and passion in inspiring students and shaping brighter futures! Teachers and national parks go hand in hand. Often called America’s largest classrooms, our parks offer exciting educational experiences and hands-on learning opportunities. From in-person and virtual programs with rangers to classroom materials, loan resources, and field trips, there’s a wealth of ways to bring the outdoors into learning.

Explore the many park resources available to teachers at: www.nps.gov/teachers



Image: School buses heading toward Hampton NHS visitor center. NPS/Tim Ervin