Tookes House, Historic house in Tallahassee, Florida.

Tookes House is an eleven-bedroom home at 412 West Virginia Street in Tallahassee, Florida. It grew in stages: four rooms were added in 1948, two in the early 1950s and three in 1971. The building is also known as the Tookes Hotel or Tookes Villa.

The house began operations in 1948 when Dorothy Nash Tookes opened it as a boarding house to serve Black visitors facing segregation policies. This venture addressed the urgent need for safe lodging in a period when public establishments refused service based on race.

The house reflects how Black travelers navigated segregated Tallahassee by finding shelter within private homes of trusted community members. It demonstrates the practical ways families created welcoming spaces when public accommodations were closed to them.

The house stands at 412 West Virginia Street, west of downtown Tallahassee, not at a street corner. It is a private residence and not open on a regular basis; exterior viewing is possible from the public street. Occasional events and tours are the only way inside.

Dorothy Nash Tookes was Leon County's first certified teacher who channeled her professional standing into providing shelter for displaced travelers. Her dual role as educator and proprietor shows how Black professionals used their status to serve their community.