Col. Charles Young House | |
 Front and side of the house | |
   | |
| Location | Columbus Pike between Clifton and Stevenson Rds.,Wilberforce, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°42′26″N83°53′25″W / 39.707252°N 83.890227°W /39.707252; -83.890227 |
| Area | 59.65 acres (24.14 ha)[1] |
| Built | 1839 (1839) |
| Website | Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001506 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1974[2] |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974[3] |
TheCharles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, aNational Monument of the United States, commemorates the life ofCharles Young (1864–1922), an escaped slave who rose to become aBuffalo Soldier in theUnited States Army and its first African-American colonel. It is located onUnited States Route 42 inWilberforce, Ohio, in a house purchased by Young in 1907 that was designated aNational Historic Landmark in 1974. The monument is administered by theNational Park Service; the house is open by appointment for tours.
The Charles Young House is located in a rural setting southwest of Wilberforce, on the north side of US 42 between Clifton and Stevenson Roads. The house is an eclectically styled2+1⁄2-story brick building, with a gabled roof that has deeply overhanging eaves. A T-shaped porch extends across the middle three bays of the five-bay front facade, supported by square posts. A series of ells extend to the rear, giving the building a T shape.[4]
Charles Young was born intoslavery in Kentucky in 1864. He was the thirdAfrican American graduate ofWest Point, the first black U.S.national park superintendent, the firstAfrican American militaryattaché, and the highest ranking black officer in theUnited States Army until his death in 1922. He also taught military science atWilberforce University, during which time he purchased this house, which he called "Youngsholm."[5][6] The house was built in 1832, and is reported to have served as a way station on theUnderground Railroad.[7]
On March 25, 2013, under theAntiquities Act, PresidentBarack Obama designated the house as the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, a unit of theNational Park Service.[1][8] Thehouse museum has exhibits about Young and the Buffalo Soldiers. A 15-month renovation began in October 2021 to restore the home to its state when Young lived there.[9]
