Aspen Hill in Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Matthew Henson
A Lifetime of Exploration
August 8, 1866 - Born in Charles County, Maryland.
1877-1879 - At the age of 12, leaves home to live in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.
1879-1884 - Joins the crew of the ship "Katie Hines" as a cabin boy and explores the world. Learns to read, write, and navigate.
1887 - Joins Robert E. Peary to assist in the survey of Nicaragua for a possible canal.
1889 - Moves to Philadelphia and works as a messenger at the League Island Navy Yard.
1891 - Goes to the Greenland Expedition with Peary and lives with the Inuit for over a year.
1895 - Returns from the north to work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
1908 - Leaves on the USS Roosevelt for a last attempt at reaching the North Pole.
1909 - Reaches the North Pole with Peary and plants the American flag.
1913-1936 - Clerks in the federal customs house in New York.
1944 - Congress awards him the Peary Polar Medal.
1954 - Honored by President Eisenhower at the White House with his wife Lucy Henson.
March 9, 1955 - Dies at the age of 88.
Erected by Montgomery Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans
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Location. 39° 4.593′ N, 77° 4.082′ W. Marker is in Silver Spring, Maryland, in Montgomery County. It is in Aspen Hill. Marker is on Matthew Henson Trail south of Hewitt Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13319 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20906, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Old Glory (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Matthew Henson (approx. 1.2 miles away); Conservation Landscaping (approx. 1.4 miles away); Cisterns (approx. 1.4 miles away); Reforestation (approx. 1.6 miles away); Shorefield (approx. 2 miles away); Regional Parks (approx. 2 miles away); Azalea Garden (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Silver Spring.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. An identical marker is also along the trail a little over a mile away.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 143 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 11, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
