2025 Summer Camp information coming soon!
Camps
Education
Homeschool Groups
All of Oatlands education programs can be adjusted to accommodate the range of ages in home school groups.
The Mountain Gap Schoolhouse
Learn about the two different one-room schoolhouses built for Black and White children and used during the late 1800s and early 1900s. One building still exists and can be visited as an immersive experience. Students will compare the differences between now and then and learn about the people in the community that worked to ensure children received an education.
Reclaim Your Story
Program Description (1.5) – During the time of slavery, African Americans were stripped of their names, ancestral histories, and family connections. This program seeks to reclaim and honor the stories of the men, women, and children enslaved at Oatlands. Students will learn about the history of Oatlands and the people that labored to build and maintain it. Included are discussions about Africa before enslavement, acts of resistance and resilience during slavery, and community-building during slavery and after emancipation.
Time And Technology Travelers
Program Description (1.5) – Students explore the mansion and other buildings to learn how technology changed over time for the people who lived there. Students will look for clues and learn about the technology added to Oatlands by both the Carter and Eustis families. They will explore the mansion and be asked to think about where bathrooms are located, how the rooms were heated and how the mansion was lit at night. Students get to use their imagination to go back in time to see the inner workings of Oatlands past and present. After the tour, students create a technology timeline to take home or participate in an instructor lead group timeline lesson.
Chores, Games, and Toys
Program Description (1.5 hours) -The program introduces the concepts of work and play through chores, games and toys from the perspective of the children (property owners, the enslaved and farmers) who lived and worked at Oatlands during the 1800s and 1900s. The program facilitates the application of history and social science skills to understand what makes communities unique by sharing the stories of the people associated with Oatlands and the surrounding communities such as Gleedsville.
The Life of a Strawberry
Pick strawberries, learn about what was grown at Oatlands, and explore the gardens. In partnership with Wegmeyer Farms.
The program is recommended for Pre-K through 5th grade but can be adjusted to accommodate other grade levels.
