Maggie L Walker National Historic Site

"Let us have a bank that takes nickels and turns them into dollars." These were the words of Maggie Walker in a speech to the Board of what is now the oldest surviving black-operated bank in the United States, Consolidated Bank and Trust. This remarkable woman was its founder and was also the developer of a successful insurance company that worked to ensure proper health care and burials for African-Americans. Ms. Walker was the daughter of a former slave and a white abolitionist. The 22-room house built in 1883, where she lived for 30 years, is now open to the public for tours. Admission is free.Winter hours: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., November 1 through February 28.Summer hours: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 1 through October 31.