The main crop on the plantation where Booker T. Washington was born was tobacco. This photograph shows a man with draft horses preparing to plow a field. NPS Photo/ VIP Bill Tucker
Overview
Booker T. Washington was born a slave in April 1856 on the 207-acre farm of James Burroughs. After the Civil War, Washington became the first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later as an adviser, author and orator, his past would influence his philosophies as the most influential African American of his era. Come explore his birthplace.
Begin your visit at the Booker T. Washington Visitor Center. Pick up a park brochure and stamp your Passport to Your National Parks. Children can pick up a Junior Ranger activity book. Ask the information desk staff for help planning your visit. Explore exhibits on Booker T. Washington's early life, from his birth into enslavement to his emancipation at age nine. Watch the 13-minute film highlighting life on a mid-19th-century Virginia plantation.
Explore Exhibits on Booker T. Washington’s Early Life
Free
Description
The Booker T. Washington Visitor Center offers an in-depth look at life on a small tobacco plantation in Piedmont, Virginia. Two large circular exhibits immerse visitors in the experiences of Booker T. Washington, who was born into slavery in 1856, during the years leading up to and including the American Civil War, on James Burroughs' 207-acre tobacco farm.
Booker T. Washington and his family were among the four million enslaved individuals emancipated in Virginia in 1865, following the arrival of Union troops at the Burroughs Plantation in Hale’s Ford, Franklin County. Although historical records do not confirm whether Union troops or formerly enslaved individuals rang the bell, Booker T. Washington National Monument recognizes it as a symbolic marker of freedom for the Washington family and others on the plantation.
Enjoy a Picnic at Booker T. Washington National Monument
Free
Description
The picnic area at Booker T. Washington National Monument sits on a shaded hillside next to the visitor center parking lot, offering a comfortable outdoor space for visitors to rest and eat. The picnic area is part of the monument’s grounds, which include a visitor center, a historical core, and walking trails. This location offers a convenient option for visitors who want to combine sightseeing with a meal.
Bring Your Dog for a Walk to Booker T. Washington NM
Free
Description
Booker T. Washington National Monument in Hardy, Virginia, is dog-friendly and welcomes leashed dogs on the grounds and the Jack-O’-Lantern Branch Heritage Trail. The park offers a pleasant, low-traffic environment for walking dogs, with short, accessible trails and a mix of historical and natural features. Please adhere to the six-foot leash rule at all times and clean up after your dog to ensure responsible park use.
Take a Tour of the Historic Core on the Plantation Trail
Free
Description
Explore Booker T. Washington’s early life at the site of the former Burroughs Plantation. The historic core includes points of interest and reconstructed mid-19th-century buildings. The Plantation Trail forms a 0.55-mile loop, passing structures such as a horse barn, kitchen cabin, smokehouse, blacksmith shop, and a historic tobacco barn accessible to visitors along the trail.
Tobacco field being plowed by man with two draft horsesBack side of kitchen cabin and smokehouse in snow with blue sky and treesFour people dressed as enslaved people in front of the fireplace in cabinReconstructed kitchen cabin where Booker T. Washington was bornTwo re-enactors portraying enslaved people sitting in front of fire inside kitchen cabinVisitor CenterExhibits on outside of visitor center bathroomsBooker T. Washington Elementary School (Park Headquarters)Park trail and part of pastureHorse in barnWagon coming up trail to farm with people
