Mitchelville Freedom Park honors the first self-governed town of formerly enslaved people, established in 1862. None of the original buildings still remain, but there are some informational plaques and reconstructed buildings.
There is a nice shaded path through the spanish-moss draped trees that provides access to the beach, a remote stretch of shoreline populated with fiddler crabs and water birds.
The fiddler crabs support a large part of the ecosystem, providing a veritable feast, provided the hunter is fast enough to catch them.
Snowy egrets and a blue heron were hunting the waterways, snatching up fish as the opportunity presented itself.
An adorable sandpiper, one of my favorite beach birds. I love how their legs move in a nearly invisible blur as they race along the waves.
I wish that Mitchelville had more information about the settlement, but it is still a beautiful place to reflect upon the history which has led us to this point in time. I hope that as awareness, funds and interest build, this site will continue to grow and memorialize our important past.
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