Booker T. Washington National Monument
Also known as: Burroughs Plantation
Why it's listed
Booker T. Washington National Monument occupies about 224 acres in Franklin County, Virginia, on the former Burroughs tobacco plantation where Washington was born into slavery in 1856. James and Elizabeth Burroughs bought the land in 1850 and 1854, growing tobacco, corn and wheat with ten enslaved people, including Washington's mother, Jane, who cooked in the kitchen cabin where he was born. Later owners altered or removed most buildings, and the main house burned in 1950. Today the site operates as a living historical farm with replica cabins, barns and pens, along with a museum, trails, a visitor center and cemeteries. Only the Burroughs and Sparks cemeteries and traces of two historic roads date from Washington's years here. The listing rests on the property's role as the birthplace and boyhood home of Washington, a leading educator and the founder of Tuskegee Institute and the National Negro Business League.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site matters because it was the birthplace and boyhood home of Booker T. Washington, not because of the Burroughs ownership. Washington was an unrivaled figure in Black education, race relations, politics and business, and founded Tuskegee Institute and the National Negro Business League. Only the cemeteries and two historic road traces survive from his period.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000834, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 15 mi. E of Rocky Mount on VA 122, Rocky Mount |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin (city and county) |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000834 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Vernacular log construction |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Black, Education, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a museum and living historical farm. Most buildings are interpretive replicas; the original Burroughs house burned in 1950. |
| Acreage | 198.8 |
| Coordinates | 37.11383, -79.73335 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000834.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q628746
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.