Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 22, 1990 TAG: 9006230357
SECTION: SMITH MOUNTAIN TIMES PAGE: SMT-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA A. SAMUELS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Booker T. Washington, the famous educator and leader, was born in Franklin County. He spent the first nine years of his life, 1856 to 1865, as a slave on a tobacco plantation owned by James Burroughs.
Washington went on to establish what is now Tuskegee University in Alabama. He was an adviser to three presidents and was a powerful political force in his own right.
Burroughs, his wife, Elizabeth, 10 of their 14 children and the 10 or so slaves all lived on the plantation and the park is built on the original site. "We provide the sights, sounds and smells of Booker T. Washington's childhood," said Joseph Finan, acting park superintendent.
The park includes buildings appropriate to the era, such as the slave quarters, smokehouse, blacksmith shed and tobacco barn.
There is also livestock that would be seen at a typical tobacco farm, such as horses, sheep, pigs and ducks; gardens, a tobacco field and a flax field.
The Burroughs plantation was almost entirely self-sustaining, Finan said. The family and slaves grew their own fruits and vegetables and made their own soap, candles, shingles, baskets and other necessities of farm life.
The vegetable and herb gardens include "heirloom" plants, which are plants like the ones grown in the 19th century, rather than today's disease-resistant hybrids.
The plantation grew flax to make linen for clothing the slaves. One of Washington's earliest memories was of the painfully itchy flax shirts he had to wear.
"I can scarcely imagine any torture, except, perhaps, the pulling of a tooth, that is equal to that caused by putting on a new flax shirt for the first time," wrote Washington in his autobiography, "Up From Slavery."
Tobacco took up most of the land of the plantation and required almost all of the attention of the farmers. Any insects on the plant were picked off by hand, and the top leaves had to be removed, also by hand, so the bottom leaves would grow larger. The plantation grew dark tobacco, used primarily for chewing and making cigars.
The park's tobacco barn is being restored with the use of tools and equipment similar to those available in the 19th century, right down to the handmade nails. Some of the logs are from other old buildings in the area, thus preserving the look of the barn.
"This is as much a preservation project as it is a restoration," Finan said.
The plantation was a small operation. The Burroughs family worked alongside their slaves. But although life was hard for the Burroughs family, Finan said, "They weren't owned or treated like a piece of property." Washington was expected to work on the farm by the time he could walk, and he did.
He wrote about that work ethic in his autobiography. "There was no period of my life that was devoted to play." The young Washington carried water, tended the livestock, and hauled grain to the mill.
The park has costumed craftworkers who show visitors how the candles, baskets, nails and other farm tools were made. There are also tours, guided and unguided. The guided tours are usually on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
For nature lovers, the park also includes the 1 1/2-mile Jack-O-Lantern Branch Trail. The trail is named after a plant that glows orange in the dark near the trail.
The Booker T. Washington National Memorial is open year-round from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The costumed demonstrations usually begin about 10 a.m. Admission is $1 for one person and $3 for a family group. People 62 and older are admitted free.
by CNB