Charlie and Ollie Tucker Homeplace -
Charlie and Ollie Tucker, a rural black couple in the farming community of Pine Ridge, both were children of slaves. Married in the early 20th century, they worked hard to save their money to purchase 10 acres of land for $70 and build this home in 1914. Charlie Tucker worked in the coal mines in West Virginia and sent home money to his family. Ollie boarded teacher s and also grew fruit and vegetables, selling them in Mount Airy. She repaired shoes for children and ran a cider mill. They stayed right here in Pine Ridge rather than going north for better jobs and eventually they bought small parcels of land from area families soon acquiring 85 acres along Tucker Road where three generations of their family have continued to live.
Vacant for over 30 years, the home was renovated beginning in 2004 and finishing 14 months later. The interior of the home is decorated with furniture and tools as it would have been in the early 1900s. An annual Heritage Day is held in the spring which brings back memories of community gatherings such as barn raisings, corn shuckings and even hog killings. The history and heritage of the Tucker family and surrounding community has successfully been preserved for future generations.
This site, a part of the “Geocaching for History” program, was researched and placed by the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina Foundation and the North Carolina Humanities Council. The goal of this program is to encourage physical activity and exploration of the history of our community.
Charlie and Ollie Tucker
Charlie Tucker May 1, 1866 - February 2, 1953
Ollie Grogan Tucker March 1, 1875 - March 18, 1961
Charlie Tucker Ollie Tucker