Welcome to the Woodlawn History Trail

Walk Through History

Explore this trail to discover how the people who lived and worked here shaped the landscape you see today.

Along this trail, you will meet wealthy plantation owners, enslaved people, tenant farmers, sharecroppers, and conservationists. Each left their mark on the environment.

Today, scientists, including archaeologists, are studying the evidence people left behind. By understanding how people impacted the environment in the past, we can better understand our own impact on the environment today.

Meet the SEAL Team
Much of what we know about the history of the surrounding landscape comes from the Smithsonian Environmental Archaeology Lab (SEAL) team. These dedicated volunteer scientists explore SERC’s campus, asking and answering questions about the past.

Visit serc.si.edu to learn how you can get involved.

Woodlawn History Trail Map, with stops
S Security Kiosk
1 Woodlawn History Center Parking - YOU ARE HERE
2 Woodlawn House - Explore Woodlawn House, the oldest building in the Smithsonian’s collection still in its original location. [Symbols] Restrooms and information
3 Conservation-  Learn about SERC’s conservation work and explore Woodlawn’s tree collection.
4 Summer Kitchen - Visit the site of the summer kitchen, where enslaved people lived and worked.
5 A Changing Landscape - Discover how people have shaped the surrounding landscape over the centuries.
6 Working the Land - Learn about the people who worked the land.
7 Shaw’s Folly - Visit the site of Shaw’s Folly, a plantation dating back to the 1650s.
8 Brown Family House - Learn about the lives of African American tenant farmers and sharecroppers at the site of the Brown family’s house. 
9 Cemetery - Discover how SERC is using the latest techniques to investigate historic cemeteries on its campus.
10 Sellman Family Cemetery - Visit the site of the Sellman family’s cemetery.
11 Sellman Tenant House - Visit a tenant farmer’s house built in the 1800s with materials recycled from older buildings.

Detailed Map of Woodlawn History Center & Parking Lot
1 Woodlawn History Center Parking - YOU ARE HERE

Map Symbols:
Trail
Interpretive Stop
Parking
Security Kiosk
Historic Building

Stay Safe!

Please stay on the trail and use caution when crossing the road.

Please mind your children at all times.

Watch out for uneven terrain, poison ivy, and ticks.

Please keep a safe distance from wildlife.

Please respect archaeological sites and burial sites. Leave artifacts where you find them.

Dive Deeper
Along the trail, you will find QR codes linking to additional content on SERC’s website. To access this content, scan the QR codes with your smartphone or visit serc.si.edu.