Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

One of the reasons we had gone by Richmond on this trip was so that Amy and I could attend the homeschool convention, the same one where we had met eight years previously.

One day while we were downtown we took the time to walk over to the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site.  I had been seeing signs for it for years, ever since I drove Amy to work (or picked her up) several times while we were dating/engaged.  However, the time had never been right to visit.  Finally when we'd be downtown for several days we realized it was a great opportunity to stop by and see the park.

Maggie Lena Walker devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African Americans and women. As a bank president, newspaper editor, and fraternal leader, Walker served as an inspiration of pride and progress. Today, Walker’s home is preserved as a tribute to her enduring legacy of vision, courage, and determination.
--from Maggie L Walker NHS website

As you approach the site you see this sign on the corner.

However, to begin your visit you need to turn to the right and follow the signs into the courtyard in the center of the buildings.

The courtyard is decorated with a number of plants, and one of the buildings has been appropriated to serve as the small visitor center/gift shop.

I'll admit that I didn't know anything about Maggie Walker before I visited the site, but what we learned there was quite fascinating.  She was an impressive person that definitely deserves to be remembered and celebrated.  She not only started a newspaper (the St. Luke Herald) but was also very active in civic groups and she founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank.

Inside the visitor center you'll find a few signs explaining some about Maggie Walker's life and a short film.  This is also where the guided tours of the house begin.

We first walked down the street towards the front of the house.

We started on the porch where our guide started to explain about Miss Walker's life before he unlocked the front door to let us into the house.

This was Maggie Walker's wheelchair.  At first I didn't recognize it for what it was since it looks much more like a regular armchair.

 All of the furnishings around the house are original to the family who owned the house until 1979 when it was sold to the National Park Service.

Of course I loved the look of her bookshelves.

The central heating was added to the house after the Walkers bought the house in 1904.

The table in the dining room was set as if for a meal.

The kitchen had bottles of soda because someone really liked it, but I can't remember who that was--maybe one of her sons?

This elevator was installed in the late 20s and they did a really good job camouflaging it.  Until our guide opened the door it was impossible to see anything more than doors that looked like they might open onto a closet or other room.

Because of various additions not all parts of the second story were at the same level as was quite apparent in the hallway at the top of the stairs.

The tour ended at the rear of the house where we exited into the courtyard once more.

 I thought these blocks were very clever.  We saw similar ones at a number of National Park sites on our trip, customized for buildings at each site.

If you are unfamiliar with her story I would definitely suggest reading more about Maggie L Walker.  All of the photos above and a few more are in this album.

~Matt