Where did the city of Winston-Salem get its hyphenated name?
Salem, meaning "peace," was given its name in 1766 by the early Moravian settlers. Winston was named in 1849 in honor of a war hero and legislator, Colonel Joseph Winston. The two towns became one city in 1913.





What is the large coffee pot at the north end of Old Salem?
It was originally the advertising sign for a tinsmith in Old Salem, but now is the symbol of hospitality for the city. It is located where South Main Street, Brookstown Avenue and Old Salem Road join.





What is the population and elevation of Winston-Salem?
As of September 30, 2006 the population is 227,727. The elevation is about 1,000 feet above sea level.





What is the Piedmont Triad?
The triad is a three-city area comprised of Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The population of this area, based on the 2000 census, exceeds 1,000,000.





Describe the reason for the city's designation as the "City of the Arts."
Moravians are credited with influencing the Piedmont crafts movement. As potters and cabinet makers, they helped lay the foundation for the furniture manufacturing industry in this region.

Moravians formed the first community orchestras and chamber music ensembles, and built the first organs. America's oldest continually performing brass band, Salem Band, began performing here in 1778 and continues today with performances in Old Salem's square during the summer.

Industries such as Reynolds Tobacco and the Hanes companies also shaped Winston-Salem by bringing remarkable wealth to the city and endowing it with an impressive list of institutions and foundations. The Reynolds' former home is an American art museum. The Hanes family, in particular, played a significant role in cultivating the arts community. The Tudor-style home and former estate of James G. Hanes, with the addition of spacious, modern galleries, houses the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA).

R. Philip Hanes was among the leaders who established the nation's first arts council, as well as the arts council movement in the United States, here in 1949. In 1960, he helped found the organization now known as Americans for the Arts. Hanes also spearheaded a fundraising effort in the early 1960s to create the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem. Within 48 hours, he and other community leaders pledged the funds necessary for this state university. His thumbprint is on many art projects ranging from festivals to the avant-garde events at the The Werehouse.

Piedmont Craftsmen, with more than 340 members, is located in Winston-Salem's Downtown Arts District. Its gallery showcases many of its members' work in fine craft.

Today in Winston-Salem, the arts continue to be a focal point of the city through the Arts Council, the North Carolina School of the Arts, the Downtown Arts District and institutions such as Winston-Salem State University, Salem Academy and College and Wake Forest University.





Who are the Moravians?

Moravians are a very early Protestant denomination. They were followers of Jan Hus, a priest from the Czech Republic and a martyred reformer. For generations, they lived in exile in Germany, and then came to the United States at Savannah, Georgia in l735.

From Savannah, they moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and from Bethlehem a group of them followed the Great Wagon Road to North Carolina and established "Wachovia," present day Forsyth County.

According to the Moravian Church of America, the 21st century Moravians are very much like other mainline Protestant denominations. There are 700,000 Moravians world-wide, with 47,000 in the United States. Of those 47,000, approximately 20,000 live in Forsyth County.





What makes Moravian cookies special?

They are delicate, hand-rolled cookies that are a Moravian specialty. About 100 cookies can be made from one pound of dough.

Flavors available through several local cookiemakers include ginger, sugar, lemon, chocolate, butterscotch and black walnut. Stop by the Winston-Salem Visitor Center at 200 Brookstown Avenue in the historic Brookstown Mill area, just south of downtown and sample Moravian cookies for yourself.

Moravian cookies are available for purchase at our Visitor Center and at various bakeries and stores throughout Winston-Salem.





In tracing "family roots," where should I go?
Genealogists will find family history and other useful information in the Moravian Archives in Old Salem, at 459 South Church Street, and the main branch of the Forsyth County Public Library on 660 West Fifth Street.





Are the Salem witches here?
No, witches are associated with Salem, Massachusetts.





Where would I find live music venues?
These are located in Historic West End, along Burke Street and Fourth Street; near the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial (LJVM) Complex on Deacon Boulevard and Baity Street; on Fourth Street and Liberty Street in downtown Winston-Salem and in the Downtown Arts District, near Sixth and Trade Streets.

For more information, click here.





Where are hiking or climbing areas?
Recreational opportunities can be found at the local Winston-Salem and Forsyth County parks, as well as at Hanging Rock State Park, just north of Winston-Salem near Danbury and at Pilot Mountain State Park, also located north of Winston-Salem on U.S. Highway 52.





What is Winston-Salem's largest employer?
The largest is Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center with 10,000 employees.





Who is Lawrence Joel?

Joel, who grew up in East Winston, was cited for conspicuous gallantry in 1965. His division, the Army's 173rd Airborne, was ambushed by a group of Viet Cong that greatly outnumbered his division. He distinguished himself as a medic by saving the lives of at least 13 men. President Johnson awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1967. He is the first living African American and Winston-Salem's only recipient of this award. Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1989, is named after Joel.





What is the tall building in the downtown Winston-Salem skyline with the granite dome?
It is the regional banking headquarters of Wachovia Corporation and is 30 stories tall. The dome of the building replicates an architectural element, an archway above doors, unique to the Moravian culture.





What doughnut company is located in Winston-Salem?
We are proud to be the home of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation. A retail location is located at 259 South Stratford Road. Try to get there when the "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign is flashing and you can watch as these sugary delights come off the line. Glazed, cream-filled or with sprinkles—a dozen please!





Who was Simon Green Atkins?
Although Simon Green Atkins was not the first principal of Depot Street School, during his tenure (1890-1895) he impressed upon the emerging African American community its responsibility to "add to the moral and intellectual power of the race." He conceived institutions of higher learning that would support this goal. He founded Slater Industrial Academy in 1892 and Columbian Heights Graded School in 1905. Atkins High School, the city's first high school for blacks was named after him in 1931, and today Winston-Salem State University, the ultimate legacy of the Slater project, enrolls more than 3,500 students.





Who was George Black?
George Black came to Winston-Salem at the age of 12, mastered the craft of handmade bricks, and opened his own brickyard in the 1920s. His craftsmanship can be seen at Salem College Library, North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Old Salem, Wachovia banks and homes in Winston-Salem. Mr. Black received a Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedom Foundation for teaching his bricklaying craft to villagers in Guyana through the U.S. Agency for International Development. Black became a celebrity in 1971, when he appeared in the CBS “On the Road” series. A statue of Mr. Black is displayed in front of the Forsyth County office building on Church Street.





How did Wake Forest University come to be located in Winston-Salem?

Wake Forest University was founded in 1834 in Wake Forest, North Carolina as a Baptist college. Following World War II, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and named after R.J. and Katharine Smith Reynolds' son, proposed that up to $350,000 a year from the foundation be given to Wake Forest College, providing that it relocate to Winston-Salem.

In 1946, the proposal was accepted. The late Charles H. and Mary Reynolds Babcock provided a 320-acre campus site situated adjacent to the family home, now Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, on property between University Parkway and Reynolda Road.

On October 15, 1951, more than 20,000 people watched as President Harry S. Truman broke ground for construction at the site. Today, this private, liberal arts university serves more than 6,300 students.





What is there to do on Sundays in Winston-Salem?
Many restaurants are open for Sunday brunch. Consult our brochures, the Winston-Salem Restaurant Guide, as well as Your Weekend's Not Over Yet, A Guide to Sundays in Winston-Salem, for more details.

Stroll through Reynolda Gardens adjacent to Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, then later have brunch at the Village Tavern in Reynolda Village, comprised of the barn and cottages of the once working Reynolds estate that has since been converted to boutique shops and restaurants.

Attend Sunday services at Home Moravian Church in Old Salem Historic District. Salem was established in 1766 and by 1771 there were enough people in Salem to organize them into a separate congregation from Bethabara. On November 13, 1771 the gemeinhaus (congregation house) was consecrated and the Salem Congregation was formed. The gemeinhaus served as the place of worship until 1800 when the saal (present day sanctuary) was consecrated. The sanctuary has been in continuous use, except during times of renovation, since 1800. Or, meditate in God's Acre, the adjacent Moravian burial ground with rolling hills before brunch at Salem Tavern, also in the historic district.

Go to Tanglewood Park, formerly Tanglewood Farms, the home of William Neal and Kate Reynolds, located in nearby Clemmons. Play a round of golf on the Championship or Reynolds Courses; stroll through the arboretum and award-winning rose garden located near the Manor House; go horseback riding; or take a spin around Mallard Lake on a paddle boat.

Discover the wetlands at Historic Bethabara Park and take a stroll along the trails before having a picnic in the reconstructed palisade fort. Bethabara is the site where the first Moravians in North Carolina settled 250 years ago (2003 marks the 250th anniversary) on a 100,000-acre tract of land. The wetlands are the home of geese, woodchucks, beavers and more.

Take an architectural or walking tour of Historic West End. This historic neighborhood, just west of downtown, was designed in 1890 and was the home to upper-management of local companies including R.J. Reynolds. Its curvy streets and terraced lawns blend beautifully with its Queen Anne, colonial revival, craftsmen and Victorian style homes. Growth from the late 1800s through the 1920s is reflected in the unique and substantial residences. Originally traveled by streetcar, motorized trolleys run in the neighborhood during weekdays. Stop by our Visitor Center for a copy of the walking tour.

Go for a walk in Hanes Mall, one of the largest malls in the region. Located between Interstate 40, Silas Creek Parkway and Stratford Road, the mall has more than 200 stores and eateries on two levels providing ample space for indoor walking. Don't forget to pack your walking shoes.

Read a book, browse through the stacks or savor a cup of java at Border's Book Store at Thruway Shopping Center, located just off Business I-40 at Stratford Road, or Barnes and Nobles Booksellers on Hanes Mall Boulevard.

Looking for a bargain, something unusual or just a great find? Shop at Flea Country USA and Cooks flea markets, both on Patterson Avenue, just off of Highway 52 North in Winston-Salem.

Jog the track in Hanes Park, named after the Hanes family whose claim to fame is intimate apparel — OK, underwear. Hanes Park is located in the Historic West End and the park is a popular location for families and sporting events.

Take a walking tour of the downtown murals.
-The Chronicle Building, 617 North Liberty Street, "History of the Black Press"
-Trade and Fourth Streets, "Thomas Edison Visits Winston-Salem"
-Sixth and Trade Streets
-Winston-Salem Transit Center, Fifth and Trade Streets, "Sky Sculpture"
-Winston Square Park, just north of the Sawtooth Center on 226 North Marshall Street, " Fountain Mosaic"

Watch Krispy Kreme Doughnuts being made at this hometown location: 259 South Stratford Road. Try to get there when the "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign is flashing and you can watch as these sugary delights come off the line. Glazed, cream-filled or with sprinkles — a dozen please!

Take a driving tour of the college campuses — Wake Forest University, located on what was the Reynolds' estate and today situated between Reynolda Road and University Parkway south of Polo Road; Winston-Salem State University, founded as Slater Industrial Academy in 1892 and the first historically black college in the nation to award a bachelor's degree in elementary education; Salem College, the 13th oldest college in the nation and the first dedicated to women; and University of North Carolina School of the Arts, an arts conservatory of international renown and the first state-supported school of its kind in the nation.

Drive to Kernersville to tour Körner's Folly and shop for antiques. The Folly, on the National Register of Historic Places, has seven levels with ceiling heights ranging from six to 25 feet.

Drive through the Buena Vista neighborhood. Many followed the R.J. Reynolds family into the country between 1920 and 1970 to develop neighborhoods. Buena Vista still means “beautiful view,” but it's pronounced with classic southern style. Ask any local.

For the adventuresome, there's Hanging Rock State Park, located just north of Winston-Salem near Danbury. It's approximately 6,450 acres in the Sauratown Mountains with 18 miles of hiking trails. An easy adventure for smaller children is Upper Cascade Falls. Older children will find their efforts rewarded with two beautiful waterfalls, Window Falls and Hidden Falls, within a short distance of each other. Just off Highway 52 near Pinnacle is Pilot Mountain with picnic tables, hiking trails and rock climbing. On a clear day, this unique formation can be seen for miles.

Drive in the Yadkin Valley Wine Country. In February 2003, the area was officially designated North Carolina's first American Viticultural Area (AVA). The AVA designation is based on a geographic region. Wines must be made from 85 percent of grapes from that region in order to have the designation on their bottles. The Yadkin Valley encompasses 1.4 million acres and includes Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties as well as portions of Stokes, Davie, Davidson and Forsyth counties. There are more than a dozen wineries and more than 400 acres devoted to vineyards in the Yadkin Valley.

Explore the bike trails of Forsyth County. Winston-Salem has miles and miles of paved greenways including Bethabara, Bowen Branch, Salem Creek plus the Salem Lake and Salem Creek Trails and the downtown strollway.





Things to Know

Driving information
City-wide speed limit is 35 mph unless otherwise posted. The cops are real. Drive on the right side of the road. The law requires drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts at all times. Children under five years of age and weighing less than 40 pounds are required to be in a child passenger restraint system. Do not pass a stopped school bus. Pull to the side of the road when approached by an emergency vehicle with siren and lights on. Don't talk on the phone while driving. Please pay attention.

Southern customs
Locally based businesses may be closed on Sundays for owners and employees to worship and to spend time with their families. Also, some galleries, restaurants and museums are closed on Mondays.

And in general, we're not in much of a hurry, so slow down and enjoy the pace.

Alcohol
You must be 21 or older to purchase or possess alcohol. Sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages are allowed between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. and after 12 noon on Sundays. Liquor (Alcoholic Beverage Control) stores sell only hard liquor and are closed on Sundays. Beer and wine are available at grocery stores every day.

Sales tax
In North Carolina, there is a 6.75 percent tax on all retail and some food items. In Forsyth County, there is a 6 percent occupancy tax for any stay at a hotel or bed and breakfast with five or more rental units.

Gratuities
The United States and North Carolina follow a standard tipping practice of 15 percent on any service provided within the restaurant industry, a 10 percent tipping practice for bartenders and food delivery service personnel. In some restaurants, gratuities for dining parties of six people or more are included; just ask your server.





North Carolina Visitor Information
For more information on visitor experiences throughout North Carolina, contact 800.VISIT.NC.


Other Resources
Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce
601 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336.728.9200

Want to talk about moving your business here? Contact:
Winston-Salem Business, Inc.
1080 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336.723.8955 or 800.220.WSBI