AUGUSTA GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Inside the Manse Where Woodrow Wilson Took His First Lessons in Leadership
A one-hour guided visit to the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson that traces Civil War-era family life and the formative events that shaped the 28th president.
Inside the Manse Where Woodrow Wilson Took His First Lessons in Leadership.
Set inside the restored Boyhood Home in Augusta, this guided tour moves through a single hour of concentrated history: the domestic realities of a Southern family with Northern roots in the 1860s and the events—secession, scarcity, sectional division and reunion—that would shape Woodrow Wilson’s convictions and public life.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Civil War Homefront Narratives
Guides recount the household’s experiences of secession, preparations for war, and the shortages and sacrifices that defined daily life in the 1860s—stories that place Wilson’s childhood against the turmoil of a divided nation.
Formative Years of a Future President
Visitors hear how defeat, reunion and religious life in the manse helped shape Wilson’s leadership, his drive for education and the Christian faith that influenced his public service.
A Reopened Boyhood Manse
Historic Augusta, Inc. has reopened the Boyhood Home, offering an intimate look at the rooms and stories where Wilson first learned the skills and principles that later guided him as Commander in Chief.
What the day feels like
What the Visit Feels Like
The experience is a focused, interpretive walk through a single historic house: a guide-led hour that layers personal anecdotes with social and political context from the 1860s, connecting household details to the larger arc of Woodrow Wilson’s development.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this hour-long house tour.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The tour runs approximately one hour.
No special equipment is listed for the visit; plan for a short, indoor guided tour.
Historic Augusta, Inc. operates the site and has reopened the Boyhood Home to visitors.
Tours are recommended for ages 5 and up; children under 5 are permitted but not recommended.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the tour?
The guided visit lasts approximately one hour.
Are children allowed on the tour?
Children are permitted, but tours are not recommended for those aged 5 and under.
What topics does the tour cover?
Guides discuss secession, wartime preparations, shortages and sacrifices, defeat and reunion, and how these experiences shaped Woodrow Wilson’s leadership, education and faith.
Who runs the Boyhood Home tours?
Historic Augusta, Inc. operates the Boyhood Home and has reopened it for guided visits.
Is the Boyhood Home open to the public?
Yes — Historic Augusta, Inc. has reopened the doors of the Boyhood Home for guided tours.