AUGUSTA, Ga. — While many influential figures have called Augusta, Georgia, home, few are as notable as President Woodrow Wilson. Known for his leadership during World War I and his role in shaping global politics, Wilson’s childhood years spent in Augusta played a crucial role in shaping the man who would later lead the nation.

Wilson was born in December 1856 in Virginia, the son of Joseph R. Wilson, a Presbyterian minister, and Janet E. Woodrow, a British woman also from a Presbyterian family. Just months after his birth, Wilson’s father accepted a pastorate at Augusta’s First Presbyterian Church, a place that would become a key location in Wilson’s early life. The family relocated to the church’s manse, where they lived for several years before moving to a new home in 1860. This new residence, located at the corner of 7th and Telfair Streets, became the house where Wilson spent the majority of his childhood and where he would develop some of the qualities that defined his leadership later in life.

Keith Watson, a docent at the Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home, explained that the Wilson family’s move was driven by a desire for better living conditions. “When they first came to Augusta, they lived in a house over on Green Street. Well, that home no longer stands today. But after living in that home a few years, Reverend Wilson felt that that was not a very nice home for his family. And he asked the church if they would purchase another home for his family,” Watson said. In 1860, the church purchased the home on 7th and Telfair Streets, which would be Wilson’s home until 1870.

Wilson’s time in Augusta was not without its challenges. In 1866, he began attending the Derry School, led by Dr. Joseph T. Derry. While Wilson was a determined student, he faced difficulties that hindered his academic performance. Historians believe that Wilson struggled with what was likely developmental dyslexia, a condition that made reading difficult for him. “Well, of course, they didn’t know what it was back then. But later, medical historians decided he had what they called developmental dyslexia,” said Erick Montgomery, Executive Director of Historic Augusta. Despite his struggles with reading, Wilson’s intellectual curiosity and perseverance allowed him to absorb and retain the information he read. “He was a very deliberate, slow reader, but he absorbed everything that he read,” Montgomery added.

This determination eventually paid off, as Wilson would go on to become the only U.S. president with an earned Ph.D., which he obtained from Johns Hopkins University. His academic achievements and dedication to learning were foundational to his later success in public service and politics.

Today, the Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home stands as a testament to the early years of one of America’s most significant presidents. Visitors to the site can explore the house and gain insight into the life of a young Wilson, whose experiences in Augusta undoubtedly shaped the man who would go on to lead the nation through some of its most challenging moments.

As Augusta continues to celebrate its rich history, the legacy of Woodrow Wilson remains an integral part of the city’s story, reminding us that even the world’s most influential figures began as children, facing their own struggles and triumphs.