Thoughts on the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

Boeing Stearman trainer in Building One

Every year for a number of years my wife and her family would spend a week at Pensacola beach. For years I have resisted in going, not because I wasn't interested, but I was waiting for the National Naval Air Museum to reopen, which it finally did in 2024. Last October my wife and I did a trip that incorporated several historical sites, such as Forts Blakely, Gaines, Morgan, and Pickens, along with American Rev War sites around Pensacola, and yes, the Naval Air Museum, which I featured in a previous post. On our return drive back to Ohio we stopped at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, about 40 minutes east of Montgomery, Alabama. To be clear, this site is located on the grounds of Moton Field, the initial training area for the airmen that would become known as the Tuskegee Airmen - the main airfield is not yet part of the preservation.

View from the path from the upper parking lot. Building One in the foreground with Building Two to the rear.

Getting to the site from I-85 is very easy, but what wasn't easy, or perhaps I should say what wasn't clear, was where to park. See, there is a large parking area on high ground above the field, but then also parking nearer the two buildings that make up the site. We parked in the upper area and walked down the hill. Luckily, while it was humid and warm, it was also overcast. I can't imagine the typical American family walking from the upper parking lot down the hill in July in a full sun!

It wasn't very clear on where to go once we came into the heart of the facility. There are interpretive panels around the grounds, but no system or map to indicate where to start. We were able to find the "main" entrance into the first main building, which was filled with displays, and a BT-19 trainer. The building was "odd," the main hanger (no air-conditioning so you have been warned) had several small offices with closed doors that indicated to go inside and view. These offices interpreted various aspects of the functions that were needed to build the Tuskegee program (and they WERE air-conditioned). One office had to be reached by going outside first. Strange layout.

P-51D in Building Two

We walked across the open space that separated the two main buildings. Ah, here we go, more like a visitor's center with rangers and volunteers there to greet us (we had yet to see an NPS employee up to that point). Modern displays, a fairly well done film, air-conditioning, and a P-51D suspended from the roof. One could also walk up to the original tower, even though several warnings of wasps graced the climb (we did not encounter a single one). The gift shop was also located in the second building. 

View from the tower, sans wasps. Look, another parking lot!

While there we only saw four other visitors, two of whom had to be transported back up the hill on a golf cart. 

It is a "strange" National Park Service site. From where to park, where to start, the confusion offices in building one, warnings of wasps, and the lack of visitation made it feel "forgotten." What was cool was the sounds of Moton Field being used by civilian prop planes - it provided the feeling of activity as it might have been in the 1940s. What would have been cool would have been active World War II aircraft using the field. Also, more displays of the different fighter aircraft that the 332nd used would have been a nice touch. But really clear instructions on where to park and where to start would have been ideal.

I do recommend a visit, but be prepared to be a little confused!