The Oaks at Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

The Oaks at the turn of the 20th Century

This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division. ID det.4a13440.

The Oaks, 2016

Current view of the landscape at The Oaks, home of Booker T. Washington 1899-1915.

WLA staff are currently developing a Cultural Landscape Report for The Oaks at Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. The Oaks is the historic Queen Anne residence of Dr. Booker T. Washington, the first president of Tuskegee Institute. Constructed in 1899, Dr. Washington resided there until his death in 1915. This beautiful home embodies the educational philosophy of Dr. Washington since the buildings consist of locally-sourced materials manufactured by students of the Institute as part of their vocational training. During his tenure as president of Tuskegee Institute, The Oaks received many influential visitors and patrons of the school including numerous prominent businessmen, politicians, and twice, the President of the United States. Team members Madie Fischetti and Mary Fenwick Parish spent the past few months conducting fieldwork and archival research at the site. The final report will include analysis of and treatment recommendations for the grounds surrounding The Oaks.