Booker T. Washington National Monument in Virginia is an Important Black History Site

Located 25 miles southeast of Roanoke in Franklin County, Virginia, the Booker T. Washington National Monument was established in 1956 in order to preserve portions of the farm on which the former slave and educator grew up. The 207-acre James Burroughs tobacco farm near the community of Hardy is where Washington was born into slavery 100 years before the site became a nationally-designated monument. Washington's mother served as a cook for the Burroughs family, who had relocated to this farm from one in the southwestern portion of the state.

According to the National Park Service, which maintains the monument, approximately 20,000 visitors enter this park each year to learn more about Booker T. Washington, who eventually went on to establish The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School, later known as the Tuskegee Institute and now Tuskegee University.

A tour of the site generally begins with a stop at the Visitor Center, where guests can view an audio-visual presentation profiling the life of this influential African American. Park rangers and volunteers are also located at the center to answer questions about Washington or to guide visitors to other park attractions. Also located in the Visitor Center is a book store/gift shop that includes a large selection of books and other items pertaining to Booker T. Washington and to African American history in general.

Visitors may choose to travel the Plantation Trail, a short .25-mile interpretive walk that winds through this historic area. Reconstructions of the 19th century buildings that occupied the Burroughs Farm while Washington lived here are open for exploration. An informative park brochure provides information on each of the buildings.

For a longer walk, visitors can hike along the Jack-O-Lantern Branch Trail, a 1.5-mile walk that allows guests to explore the natural side of the farm as it winds through the fields and forests surrounding the monument. Printed guides that offer information about the trail can be picked up at the Visitor Center.

The Garden Area of the farm lets visitors explore techniques used by farmers and their slaves during the 19th century. The garden grows items that were typical of what would have been found on a farm in the piedmont region of Virginia during that era.

The Booker T. Washington National Monument and its accompanying reproduction farm is also home to a number of farm animals including pigs, horses, sheep, and chickens. Rangers educate visitors as to what breeds of animals would have typically been found on a 19th century Virginia farm and how the animals were used for both work and leisure.

Guests can tour the entire Booker T. Washington National Monument on their own or may take advantage of occasional ranger-led tours. Tour schedules change according to the time of year and reservations are not required unless traveling with a large group. Rest rooms are provided in the Visitor Center and a picnic area is also available for public use.