A Relic from the Past that Presently Provides for the Future
DIAMOND, MO. – George Washington Carver National Monument marks the birthplace and childhood home of the historically well-known Midwest scientist, naturalist, and humanitarian, George Washington Carver. This National Park was established in 1943 and will celebrate its 82nd Birthday this July 2025.
George Carver attended school with another George Carver, so in efforts to distinguish between the two young men, he gifted himself the middle name, ‘Washington’. Another interesting fact is that George was born into slavery and therefore, no record of his birth date was ever recorded. Carver never knew the exact year and date in which he made an entrance to this world. Though, he assuredly spent every single day making a positive impact on the world in which he lived.
George Washington Carver National Monument possesses a wealth of local Ozarks’ history. This was the first national park dedicated to a citizen of African American descent. While preserving his birthplace and childhood home, the park further serves to memorialize Carver’s rich life, legacy, and valuable scientific and humanitarian contribution to the Midwest, our country, and the entire global face of humanity.
This National Park, located on the outskirts of Diamond, Missouri, is comprised of 240 acres, which includes the visitor center, interactive museum, science laboratory/classroom, gift shop, the Carver family cemetery, the original 1881 Carver family home, complete with beautiful trails meandering throughout the park for visitors to gain a full-fledged perspective of where and how George’s young life originated. George Washington Carver National Monument is managed by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior. The daily tours are offered free of charge.
There are two guided tours each day, seven days a week, with the exception of Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. According to the Supervisory Park Ranger, there were 39,000 visitors in 2024, including approximately 100 guided tours for the general public and nearly 400 school tours.
The size of tours varies, depending on the weather and time of year. Tours can range from one family to a larger group of 15 or more. The busiest season is the sweltering Missouri month of July. The busiest month of school tours is October, followed closely by April and then May. According to park staff, when school is out for the summer, guests arrive from all over the United States and international countries as well. The park staff kindly references the height of field trips during the 12 weeks in fall and spring as Field Trip Season.
The park offers special events throughout the year, including Carver Day in July and Prairie Day in September. Each day offers special programming for guests of this national monument. The outdoor tour combines a history of George Washington Carver’s life, complete with a stop at the family cemetery, plant and animal identification, and hands-on laboratory lessons on the weekends. The website, found at: https://home.nps.gov/gwca/index.htm, is updated to reflect the upcoming special programming offered at George Washington Carver National Monument. “The park also has a dynamic social media presence.”, says the staff.
A guided tour lasts around an hour and 15 minutes and covers an outdoor 1-mile, ADA accessible, multi-surface trail, which highlights the birth site of George Washington Carver, a boyhood statue, ponds, creeks, bridges, and the Carver Family Cemetery. The majority of visitors are self-guided and go at their own pace. Near the end of the educational loop, one can see the famous bust of George Washington Carver and listen to a recording of his voice, as he reads a meaningful poem. Not only does this park contain a plethora of historical information, but it is a great place to enjoy nature, as this was a pleasure George Washington Carver often enjoyed.
Located in the Visitor Center is a state-of-the-art, hands-on museum and interactive learning space. The indoor theatre seats 50 and shows the park feature film, Struggle and Triumph: The Legacy of George Washington Carver. There are two classroom spaces which include a science lab, constructed to resemble Carver’s own laboratory, and a classroom built to resemble a historic one-room schoolhouse.
Many visitors to this national historic treasure are children and young adults.
“Our younger guests love the lab, because it provides hands-on learning. We combine tactile learning with information for the younger audience to retain; the kids truly love that.”, says park staff.
The science lab, fashioned similar to Carver’s own working lab, is a draw for adults. This is where George Washington Carver’s work is fully explained to all interested visitors. While the peanut plant is what made Carver famous and world renowned, there is an activity provided in the lab which focuses on sharecroppers, the depletion of soils, the nitrogen cycle, and how to make milk from a peanut.
“Our employees”, says Diane Eilenstein, George Washington Carver National Monument Supervisory Park Ranger, “love working for the National Park Service. This is a beautiful location with both tallgrass prairie and woodlands. It is a natural preserve, and we are proud to present it to the public. Working for a conservation agency allows us to steward the story of George Washington Carver. Everyone who works here takes part in this important mission. We work for the American public and value each guest that desires to learn about the legacy left by such a great man.”
