CAMBRIDGE, MD - A life-size mural depicting a pivotal moment in local history is taking shape in downtown Cambridge, as a dedicated artist breathes life into the Bucktown Store, an integral part of Harriet Tubman's transformative journey.
Local artist Michael Rosato has been meticulously painting the mural, capturing the essence of the original Bucktown General Store—a significant site in Tubman's life. Inside those walls, Tubman suffered a life-changing incident when the store owner struck her on the head, sparking the visions that would eventually lead her to become a legendary figure in the fight against slavery.
Rosato, immersed in the details of the mural, explains, "Over here, there was a weight—you know, Harriet Tubman came in, and the owner of the store threw the weight at the little boy. This is what the painting is: the little boy running out, and it's Harriet Tubman putting her hand up as if she is about to get hit by the weight."
The artist installed the final section of the mural inside the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center in downtown Cambridge. Having meticulously worked on the piece, Rosato aims to evoke a genuine sense of the past for visitors.
"Whenever you go into the Bucktown Store, the actual one, you really get a sense of a time—a period of time where the surrounding fields were worked by enslaved people, and you really feel that. So when you walk in here, I want you to have that feeling that you're walking into the past," Rosato states.
On the other side of the building where Harriet Tubman is painted, visitors will encounter the famous 'Take My Hand' mural, adding another layer to the historical narrative. This complementary artwork celebrates Tubman's legacy and invites patrons to reflect on her enduring impact.
Once the exhibit opens to the public, the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center plans to offer a comprehensive experience. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the painted Bucktown Store, as the museum narrates Tubman's story through music, providing a profound connection to the historical context.
"We have the original Bucktown General Store. But we want folks to come here; we'll tell the story. We get to tell the story, we do it to music, and then we can take people to the original store, and then it will really sink in," explains Linda Harris the director of events for the museum.
President of the museum, William Jarmon added why the museum needed the installation. He says, "Well, it's one of the main stories that we definitely tell when we do the tours through Dorchester County because it's one of the venues that we can get out, we can touch it, we can go inside. And then there are times when it's not open."
The painted tableau of this historical moment is set to come alive at the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, with the Bucktown Store mural expected to be open to the public by January in Cambridge. It promises to be a powerful and immersive tribute to Harriet Tubman and her enduring impact on the fight for freedom.
