The Monument is in the western part of the state, close to Roanoke. The Monument is sixteen miles northeast of Rocky Mount via Highway VA 122N; Twenty-one miles south of Bedford via Route 122; Twenty miles southeast of Roanoke via Highway VA 116S.
WHEN TO VISIT
Open year round. Peak visitor month is August. Climate: Winter, 32 to 52 degrees F, mild with a few light snowfalls; Summer, 80 to 88 degrees F, warm to hot.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was born a slave. This site was the birthplace and early childhood home of the famous black leader and educator. After the slaves were freed in 1865, Washington's family moved to Malden, West Virginia, where he worked salt furnaces and in coal mines. In 1872, he attended the Hampton Institute, an industrial school for Blacks. He became a teacher at the institute in 1879. In 1881, Washington founded and became head of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, a vocational school for blacks in Tuskegee, Alabama. Under Washington's leadership, Tuskegee Institute became famous as a model of industrial education.
Audiovisual programs, conducted tours, and craft demonstrations are available from mid-June through Labor Day. Walking and nature trails lead visitors through the 223-acre site. Food, supplies, and overnight accommodations are available in Roanoke, Rocky Mount, and Bedford. Close by are Blue Ridge Parkway, Fairy Stone State Park, and Smith Mountain Lake.
