Commemorating the life of the first African-American colonel Charles Young, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is a great RV destination for the history buffs. Located in the southwest of Wilberforce, Ohio, the house ties in to the history of this influential person.
Charles Young was born into slavery in Kentucky in 1864 before his father earned his family their freedom by fighting in the American Civil War. Mr Young was the only African American at Ripley and he graduated in 1880 at the top of his class. After graduation and before joining the military he taught for several years in the new black high school that opened in the area.
Young was one of the very first African-Americans to attend and graduate from the West Point Military School. He later served in the military for 28 years in the the Ninth U.S. Cavalry and the Tenth U.S. Cavalry and was the first black U.S. national park superintendent, first black military attaché and the first black man to achieve the rank of colonel.
The Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is a house that he built while teaching military science at Wilberforce University. He called it "Youngsholm" and it is a uniquely styled two and a half story brick building that has a gabled roof with deeply overhanging eaves.
President Barack Obama designated the house as the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in March of 2013 under the Antiquities Act. The house is available for tours and viewing by appointment. If you are looking for RV camping there is none available on the grounds of the monument but you can camp at the nearby Ceasar Creek State Park.
Please DO NOT attempt to access or park a vehicle at the Charles Young house site. It is an active construction zone closed to visitors. There are no areas for visitors to park any vehicles and/or walk on the grounds. Proceed to the temp. visitor center.
Consistent with CDC guidance regarding areas of substantial or high transmission, visitors to Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask inside all park buildings.
As of 10/31/2021, all visitor services are now operating from the Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom Memorial Library on the Payne Theological Seminary campus due to the 15-month long renovation of the Young house. House tours will NOT be available for the duration
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is located on the outskirts of Wilberforce, Ohio and is located directly off the US-42. This makes the monument very easily accessible and you can actually see the house from the road.
Due to the location of Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in eastern Ohio there are many areas where you can pick up supplies and amenities needed to enjoy your trip. These include Wilberforce (around a mile away), Xenia (around three miles away) and Cedarville (around five and a half miles away). The closest major city to to Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is Dayton, which is around 19 miles to the west.
Due to the location of the monument directly off the US-42 you shouldn't encounter any problems when driving to the area as the road is very well maintained and relatively flat. If you are driving south you can also access the park from Brush Row Road (which eventually will take you to the US-42). Since Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument is only open via appointment you must call ahead to make sure that it will be open for you to enjoy.
There is a small parking lot at Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument.
There are no public transport options that will take you to Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument.
While there is no campground available at the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument there is an impressive facility available just 23 miles away.
The campground at Caesar Creek State Park is fantastic and features over 200 sites that are spread across seven different loops. The campground sites are known for being very large, flat and they will suit most RV campers. There are lots of shady sites that have the benefit of tall trees blocking out the sun.
The majority of sites have 30 amp electric hookup and 18 are also completely full service with water and 50 amp electricity. Even if your site doesn't have water there are water collection points available throughout the campground .
Caesar Creek State Park Campground has some fantastic amenities, including showers, a toilet block, dump station and picnic area. The campground is also pet friendly and you should be able to get cell phone reception on all of the major providers.
The campground is a mix between reservation sites and others being available on a first come, first served basis.
Since Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument has become an official monument, it is now available to see via a guided tour. The tours are made by appointment only so you must organize in advance before you arrive at the monument. During the tour, park staff will educate you on the history of Charles Young and the house itself contains some great historical features that make the monument special. For more information on the guided tour of Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument check out their park website.
If you have not booked a tour of the monument but you are in the area you can learn more about it and other historical places in Wilberforce thanks to the Cell Phone Tour. The Cell Phone Tour allows visitors to take a self-guided audio tour and visitors can choose any of the six stop in any order to accommodate their visit and travel plans. The stops include the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Wilberforce University & W.E.B. DuBois National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Central State University & Hallie Q. Brown, Payne Theological Seminary & Daniel Payne and the Paul Laurence Dunbar House in Dayton.
After checking out the monument or doing the cell phone tour we recommend that you head down to Caesar Creek State Park. Here you will be able to enjoy many recreational activities, including archery, swimming, boating, fishing and hiking. The park also has a great nature center that is the best way to find out more information about the park and the critters of south-west Ohio. For more information on Caesar Creek State Park check out the park website.
During your trip to Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument you should make the most of being in Wilberforce and check out the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center. The museum (which was founded in 1987) is located next to Central State University and was opened to highlight the rich and varied experiences of African Americans. It is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. For more information about the museum you can check out their website.
Located in Dayton (around 19 miles to the west of the park) is the fantastic National Museum of the US Air Force. The museum was opened in 1923 and is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world thanks to the 360 different aircraft and missiles on display. It is one of Ohio's top tourist destinations and attracts around one million visitors a year. There are numerous exhibits and collections on display, including several presidential aircrafts. The National Museum of the US Air Force is open 9AM to 5PM seven days a week besides Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
If you are looking to learn more about the history of Dayton there is no better place to do so than at Carillon Historical Park. The park contains many historic buildings and exhibits that detail the history of technology, residents and Dayton in general from 1796 to present day. If you love planes you will be very happy to know that within the park is the Wright Brothers Aviation Center. Here you will find the 1905 Wright Flyer III that is known to be the world's first practical airplane. The park is open all year round excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
