Trails named in honor of Anna Murray Douglass and Sandtown community
Guests tour the newly renamed Sandtown Trail after its Nov. 1 dedication. Photo by Rachael Pacella, Maryland DNR.
The Maryland Park Service today marked the 50th anniversary of Tuckahoe State Park and celebrated the contributions of abolitionist Anna Murray Douglass and the Sandtown community, dedicating more than five miles of trail inside Tuckahoe State Park to these cornerstones of Black Maryland history.
As the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reflects on a half-century at Tuckahoe, Maryland leaders are recognizing and acknowledging individuals and communities that may have been overlooked in the past. A 3.07-mile trail, initially built in 2016, will now be known as Anna’s Trail, and a 2.82-mile trail that opened earlier this year is named for the former Sandtown community, a free Black community that began in the late 19th century.
“Today we celebrate an iconic park of the Eastern Shore and honor those who shaped this area’s history,” said DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. “We remember Anna Douglass’ legacy as an abolitionist and major influence on her husband, Frederick. We also commemorate the Sandtown community, whose descendants lived on land that became Tuckahoe State Park. We hope these trails will encourage others to walk in the courageous footsteps of these pioneering Marylanders.”
Kurtz thanked the families and farmers who sold or contributed the land to the park. The park is 4,000 acres today.
A sign for Anna’s Trail is unveiled. Maryland DNR
Anna Murray Douglass was a courageous free Black woman born around 1813 in nearby Denton. Douglass played a pivotal role in her husband Frederick Douglass’s self-emancipation and in building a home that became a refuge for freedom-seekers and abolitionists alike. Her legacy of quiet strength, resilience, and love helped shape one of the most influential figures in American history.
Anna’s Trail features a wide gravel path that is suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. The path takes you past meadows, freshwater wetlands, and a pine forest in the park.
A sign marking the Sandtown Trail is unveiled . Maryland DNR photo.
Sandtown was a Black community built on the southern shore of Tuckahoe Creek, one of a few Black communities located within the 4,000 acres that now comprise Tuckahoe State Park. Enslaved people initially made their homes there. After emancipation, during a time when widespread racism and discrimination forced many African Americans to live as sharecroppers, the residents of Sandtown owned their own land, built homes, and raised families. Scattered foundations, a still-standing tenant farmer’s house and a nearby graveyard provide a glimpse at this former community. The Maryland Park Service continues to learn more about Sandtown.
The Sandtown Trail traverses a mature hardwood forest with a sweeping view of Tuckahoe Creek below.
“Conservation and cultural heritage are inseparable, they preserve the spirit of place for future generations,” Tuckahoe State Park Ranger Jessica Conley said. “These stories are as integral to the park’s landscape as Tuckahoe Creek.”
Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw explained that the renaming of the trails was not re-writing history, but completing the record.
“It is my hope that these trails remind us that the path towards justice and understanding is one that we must keep walking together,” Crenshaw said.
Ken Morris speaks during an event Nov. 1 at Tuckahoe State Park.
Kenneth B. Morris Jr., the great-great-great grandson of Anna Murray Douglass, was on hand for the dedication, offering remarks on his family history and the importance of Anna and Frederick’s lives and work.
“Anna Douglass did not work behind Frederick,” Morris said. “She worked alongside him. She was his equal partner in the struggle of reaching freedom.”
The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the trail names earlier this year. Gov. Wes Moore said trail users will improve their mental health, physical health, and now, their awareness of Maryland’s remarkable history.
