Surfing around on the slow lane of the information superhighway recently, I learned that the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's culture changing novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, not only still stands, but is a short drive from the District in Maryland. Interestingly, I did not know that what inspired Stowe to write the book, was, in fact, another book: Josiah Henson's autobiography. The land has been saved from gentrification and the plan is to turn it into a museum by 2012. It's not currently open to the public, but I found directions from my new favorite website and we traipsed off to check it out. I wasn't able to find a lot of history about the site, but what I did you can read here. If you can't wait until 2012 (which I realize, is only three years away, but for some reason because it's over the decade mark, seems like science fiction to me at this point), here are some pictures:

The main house.


The cabin, which later served as a kitchen in the early 20th century, attached to the main house.


Detail of the construction.


Front door of the cabin.


Bell at the front door of the manor house.


Bell at the back door of the manor house.

Looking up from the side.