12130 Booker T Washington Hwy, Hardy, VA 24101
Phone: 540-721-2094
Fax: 540-721-8311
Open All Year
Overview. Booker T. Washington rose above his difficult beginnings as a slave to found the Tuskegee Institute, one of the most famous colleges in the South. He was a self-made man whose life's work was dedicated to helping African Americans become educated and self-sufficient. He was born on this Virginia tobacco farm in 1856. Nine years later, after the Civil War ended, slavery was abolished and Washington was emancipated. Enduring poverty and hardship, he taught himself the alphabet and eventually went on to attend the Hampton Institute in Virginia, one of the few institutions in the nation that allowed African Americans to enter. His hard work at Hampton won him recognition by peers and faculty, and in 1881 he was recommended to head the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Washington literally built the school from the ground up: it began as a single classroom in an abandoned church, and part of the students' curriculum was to help build other buildings and to grow all of the food for their meals. Today, Tuskegee is an accredited institution with 3,500 students and a $2 million endowment. The 224-acre site has been reconstructed to look as it did in the mid-19th century. The focal point is Washington's birthplace: a rebuilt kitchen cabin. The cabin was reconstructed according to Washington's own description in his autobiography Up from Slavery. Six additional buildings have been reconstructed: a blacksmith's shed, two barns, a smokehouse, and the "corn crib." What to see and do. Two walking trails can guide you around the site. Plantation Trail is a quarter-mile loop around the historic area of the park, including the rebuilt farm. Jack-O-Lantern Branch Trail is a 1-1/2 mile long heritage trail. Rangers recommend that you dress for the weather: hot, humid temperatures in summer and rainy, chilly days during the winter months. Wear comfortable hiking shoes. The park is at its peak in the spring when dogwood, redbud, and wildflowers are in full bloom. Bring a camera; you won't want to miss the activities of rabbit, fox, or deer. A picnic area is also available. Park rangers conduct tours of the site daily that focus on Booker T. Washington, slavery, and Reconstruction. Special activities include commemorations of Washington's birthday and an annual winter event called "Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters." Park staff in period costume periodically present living history presentations and demonstrations of 19th-century farm life. Call the monument for specific times and dates. A variety of items can be purchased at the visitor center. A picnic area is also available. The Monument is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, and is located 20 miles southeast of Roanoke. Leashed pets are permitted.
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