Photograph of before and after renovations of the Tucker House. Ollie Tucker built the little red house in 1914 and raised nine children there. In 2004, members of the family and family friends began work to restore the home, which had sat empty for decades. The family set it up as their
grandparents had maintained it and opened it for tours in November 2005, showing life for a typical black farming family in the mid-1900s. It has been on the Christmas Tour of Homes as well. Though it is not currently open for tours, some family members are hoping to have it ready for visitors again soon.
Photograph of Charlie and Ollie Tucker. Charlie Tucker was born in 1866, just after slavery ended. His young bride, Ollie Grogan, was born in 1875 and the couple married in 1894 about the time this picture was made. They farmed the land and did other odd jobs to raise their family. Charlie sold snacks in Dobson on court day, worked for a Mount Airy merchant driving goods in a wagon to Winston-Salem for sale, and occasionally traveled to West Virginia to work in the coal mines. Ollie took in
washing. They also diligently bought up every little parcel they could afford, accumulating a sizable piece of land which is still home to several members of the family as well as the family cemetery.
