Scuff Marks, Signatures, and Serendipity: Visiting Woodrow Wilson’s Augusta Boyhood Home

Serendipity at Woodrow Wilson Home, meeting author and director, Erick Montgomery

 

In February, we stumbled into a bit of historical serendipity. We had planned our tour of Woodrow Wilson’s boyhood home in Georgia weeks in advance, but what we didn’t plan on was a personal museum tour and an unexpected encounter with Erick Montgomery, Executive Director of Historic Augusta and author of Thomas Woodrow Wilson: Family Ties and Southern Perspectives. He happened to be on the grounds tending to administrative tasks. I had just purchased his book in the gift shop when our docent pointed out the gentleman walking along the side of the house. I made a beeline for the exit, stopping just short of an ambush introduction. Montgomery was gracious and good‑humored, signing my books and posing for a photo.

That delightful surprise was the icing on the cake, but the museum tour alone was well worth the visit. We were immersed in the early influences that shaped the young boy who would become the 28th President of the United States.

Exterior of fully restored boyhood home of Woodrow Wilson

Although born in Virginia, Woodrow Wilson spent his formative years in Georgia, living in the Augusta manse provided by the First Presbyterian Church, where his father served as pastor. Wilson lived in the home from 1860 to 1870, and after a full restoration, it opened to the public in 2001. Twenty‑five years later, we arrived—marking our thirteenth presidential home or library on our ever‑growing quest to visit as many POTUS historic sites as possible.

Born in 1858, Wilson was the first Southern president elected after the Civil War and the only Democrat to serve during the Progressive Era. He is best remembered for his role in the League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles following World War I. Less widely known are the childhood experiences that shaped his worldview—insights the Augusta museum brings vividly to life.

Wilson's bedroom which he later shared with his younger brother.

Wilson’s given name was Thomas Woodrow Wilson, though he was known as “Tommy” as a child. He moved to Augusta manse before his second birthday and lived there for a decade. His father’s position came with both a residence and a generous salary for the time. The family’s first Augusta abode soon proved too small for the growing household, and a larger, newly constructed home was purchased. Considered modern for its era, it boasted gas lighting and was plumbed for indoor water service, though the latter wasn’t fully installed until later.

Dining room table used by the Wilson family. Wilson recognized his scuff marks.

Because the home belonged to the church, meticulous records were kept of its furnishings, which aided greatly in the restoration. While many pieces in the museum are period-appropriate, several belonged to the Wilson family. When President Wilson visited in 1911, he reportedly recognized the dining room table by the scuff marks he had made on its base as a boy.

"Tommy" can still be seen today on the front parlor window (right).

His youthful mischief wasn’t limited to just the furniture. Legend has it that he used his mother’s ring to etch his name into a front parlor window. Today, visitors can still make out the faint inscription—“Tommy”—on the glass.

He also poured his energy into baseball, then a relatively new sport. The museum displays his careful notes on team members and positions. One of his teammates—and next‑door neighbor—was Joseph Lamar, who would later become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Quite the neighborhood roster.

At BTS, we like to say serendipi-tea took place in Augusta, GA.

Perspectives on Wilson’s legacy continue to evolve, and his achievements are debated and reexamined. But he left a permanent mark not only on American history, but also—quite literally—on a parlor window in his boyhood home.

Exploring the early life of a future president was fascinating in its own right. The unexpected brush with a local historian made it all the more memorable.

For more information on this historic presidential site, see The Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson.