the oaks - home of booker t. washington

It is amazing the amount of American history (not just black history) that you can find in little Tuskegee, Alabama. Another gem is the US Park Service Tuskegee Historic site, which includes many buildings on the Tuskegee University campus, including The Oaks.Having visited the Booker T. Washington Historical Monument in Virginia (the plantation where Booker T. lived until emancipated), my love for history was pleased to visit The Oaks, the house Washington lived in during his service as founder/president of this Historically Black College. To take a tour of the house, you must go to to the Dr. George Washington Carver Museum on the main "side" of the campus (just across the street). The Museum is par of the Tuskegee Historic site as well and interesting in and of itself given the contributions Dr. Carver made to science.As an FYI, both Washington and Carver are buried on campus at the Tuskegee cemetery.

I was very happy to have spent some time on the campus of Tuskegee University recently and be able to tour this beautiful home from the late 1800s... that was built entirely by students of the Institute back in the day. Literally, students even made the bricks that help keep this building standing today. I was obsessed over the fine condition of the 100+ year old wood floors and their intricate design. I loved learning about Booker T.'s wife, and how she was very small in stature (somewhere around 5 feet tall), and how the bannisters beside the stairs had to be lowered to accommodate her.It is a beautiful home and the tour guide, a college student, really shared her enthusiasm for the man, his home, and spreading the history about this time.I would definitely recommend this tour! Begin just down the street (walking distance on other side of street by main gates of campus) at the George Washington Carver Museum. See also my review I've already posted on visiting there. You can walk over to Booker T. Washington's house when it's time for the tour from there. You may want to call ahead and see when tours are scheduled for the day you are visiting. We took a 4:00 p.m. tour on a Saturday, which I believe was the last for the day. There was only me and my fiance on that tour, so it was even more fun to have a personal tour!Definitely recommend to all. Enjoy!

We rearranged our travel day to Tuskegee just so we didn't miss The Oaks. You have to be on a tour to visit it. They only have tours Tuesday-Saturday at 9, 10:30, 1, 2:30 and 4. Start at the George Washington Carver Museum on campus. The home was built of oak, harvested on campus; built by students, who also made the bricks on campus. Some of the unusual features are the hand-painted wide ceiling borders in several downstairs rooms that picture scenes from cities and countries Booker T. Washington and his wife visited (lighthouses of Norway, etc.) during their 1899 European visit. The walls are painted in the hues that George Washington Carver developed from pigments made from soil in the area. Much of the furniture was made by students. It has been decorated as it would have looked around 1905 when many wealthy men such as Carnegie and Rockefeller visited. Washington wanted the house to be a showcase of what the students were doing. The upstairs flooring is beautiful narrow strips of diagonally laid light oak with borders of intricate parquet. The house was designed by Robert R. Taylor, a graduate of MIT, who came south and designed many of the beautiful buildings on campus. Only the first floor is handicapped accessible. While on campus, visit the Carver Museum, also the beautiful statue of Washington in front of the Kellogg Center, and the contemporary chapel, which has no right angles. Be sure to see the stained glass window in the chapel's narthex which features titles of many Negro spirituals. TIP: call the NPS ranger number, 334-727-3200, to get up to date info on opening days and times. The website from nps is not accurate.

Whether it's because I missed the info or because the info wasn't listed, I didn't realize prior to arrival that one can only enter this house on an escorted tour. Here I had assumed you could opt for a tour, or just explore the house on your own. not so. I arrived at 12:50pm and found the house locked. Confused, I called the number on the sign to inquire since I had just driven nearly an hour to visit. The woman confirmed they were open, that there was a 1:00 tour. I, still confused, told her the doors were all locked and couldn't get in. only then was I informed that entry is by tour only. I was fortunate that the tour was in a mere 10 minutes (they are offered every 90 minutes, I believe).the website should really make this clear, and even the sign at the house should say this because it was really not well-explained.Though run by the NPS, our guide was a Tuskegee Univ. student. Apparently it's a partnership. I'm glad to see them participating, but the guide's knowledge was nowhere near on par with what an NPS Ranger would know. I'd say over 75% of the questions that were asked she was unable to answer, or just made a guess.Most of the house is unfurnished. The first floor is, but the 2nd floor is mostly empty and the 3rd floor is not open.If you're going to Tuskegee to see the Airmen Memorial it's fine to come here too as part of your visit, but I wouldn't make the trip just to see this house, I was unimpressed.Also, fyi, there is no bathroom facility here.

We had the children and we learned alot about life back in the early 20th century. Also how great Booker T. Washington was and what he did. This was a fantastic tour!

When you visit the Oaks on the campus of Tuskegee University, you are not just getting a brief tour of the house where one of America's most formidable leader once lived. As you are lead from room to room the tour guide tells the story of Mr. Washington's beliefs, habits, travels, and love, passion and dedication for the school and its students.

First home in community built with indoor plumbing. Hand built by students attending Tuskegee Institute now Tuskegee University.

I visited the Oaks house during tuskegee's homecoming weekend and it was definitely the highlight of my trip. I did not attend the university and this was my first visit so it was delight to tour the house and learn more about Booker T. Washington and America's history. Our guide - Levester, I believe, was a recent Tuskegee grad and a local. He was fantastic! Very passionate and informed about the history of the home and the history of the era. I could have talked to him all day. What a joy to find a Park Ranger who is so passionate about sharing our history.

Our tour of The Oaks was awesome as our Ranger guide was a graduate of Tuskegee University and very knowledgeable of not only The Oaks, but the University, and the area in general. You must meet your guide at the Carver Museum. If you wait at The Oaks the rangers has no way of knowing you are there. Large groups must make reservations as they have a limit of 15 participants per group. Our homeschool family visited as an extension of our study of Historical Black College and Universities. We began with a walk from the campus over to the Oaks. The ranger answered questions and gave us a brief history of how the University began and briefed us on its current developments. From there the ranger took us through the home explaining the details of each room, its construction and purpose. The home is filled with historic artifacts that carry you on a journey back into a time of vision, innovation, and perseverance. We found the tour to be inspiring as we took what we learned there and applied it to our lives.

Very beautiful as well as interesting. Educational!

Am so glad I visited while on a business trip. Worthwhile & educational. Check out the interesting sauna in a 2d floor bathroom.

We loved the infromation provided by the National Park Service about the history Booker T. Washington!