Old Salem facts for kids
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Old Salem Historic District
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Winkler Bakery at Old Salem
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| Location | Between Race Street, Old Salem Road, Horse Street and Brookstone Avenue and including parts of God's Acre and buildings along the east side of Church Street, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
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| Built | 1766 |
| Architectural style | Germanic in early years, slowly shows English/American influence (i.e., Federal and Greek Revival period architecture) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000591 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | November 13, 1966 |
Old Salem is a special historic area in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. It was first settled in 1766 by a group of people called the Moravians. Today, Old Salem is like a living-history museum. It shows what life was like in a Moravian community long ago.
A non-profit group started working to restore Old Salem in 1950. Some people had already restored buildings before that. In 1966, Old Salem was named a National Historic Landmark (NHL), which means it's a very important historical place. It was made even bigger fifty years later. The district helps visitors understand the Moravian way of life in North Carolina during the 1700s and 1800s. You can see their old buildings, churches, homes, and shops.
Two buildings in Old Salem are especially famous: the Salem Tavern and the Single Brothers' House. Other buildings have also been added to the National Register of Historic Places to make the historic area larger. Different groups, like Old Salem, Inc., and Salem College, own the buildings and land in the district.
Contents
Discovering Historic Salem
Salem was founded by members of the Moravian Church. This Christian group started in 1457 in what is now the Czech Republic. After facing challenges, many Moravians found a safe home in Germany in 1722.
They first came to North America in Savannah, Georgia, in 1735. Later, they moved to Pennsylvania in 1740, where they built towns like Bethlehem. As these areas grew busy, the Moravians looked for a new, quieter place to build their church communities.
In 1753, they bought a large piece of land, about 98,985 acres (400 square kilometers), in North Carolina. Groups from Bethlehem came to start building. They first settled in Bethabara in 1753, which means "House of Passage." This was the first planned Moravian community in North Carolina.
Salem was planned to be the main town for this large area, which they called Wachovia. Construction began in 1766. Salem was designed to be the center for business, religion, and government for the Moravian settlements. The smaller towns around Salem focused more on farming.
For a long time, the church controlled Salem. It owned all the property and only rented land for people to build on. Everyone living in these towns had to be a church member. If someone didn't follow the community's rules, they could be asked to leave. The leaders kept very detailed records of everything. These records have helped historians accurately restore and understand Old Salem today.
- In 1849, Forsyth County was created. Salem didn't want to be the county's main town, so it sold land to the north for a new courthouse town. This new town became Winston, which quickly grew into a busy industrial city.
- In 1857, the church gave up control of Salem, allowing residents to buy their own property. Salem then became a regular town.
- In 1913, Salem joined with Winston, and they became one city known as Winston-Salem.
In 1948, a special rule was made to protect Salem's historic buildings. This was one of the first rules of its kind in North Carolina. Then, in 1950, Old Salem Inc. was created. This non-profit group works to protect old buildings, restore the town, and run parts of it as a museum.
Old Salem Museums and Gardens
In Old Salem, many buildings have been restored or rebuilt. Inside, you'll find people dressed in old-fashioned clothes who act as "interpreters." They show visitors what Moravian life was like in the 1700s and 1800s. You can see skilled workers like tinsmiths, blacksmiths, cobblers, gunsmiths, bakers, and carpenters. They practice their trades and talk with visitors. About 70% of the buildings in the historic area are the original ones.
Places to Explore
The heart of Old Salem is Salem Square. This square is surrounded by important buildings. Salem College is one of the main buildings overlooking the square.
Some of the interesting places you can visit include:
- The Salem Tavern, where George Washington stayed for two nights in 1791 during his "Southern Tour."
- The Single Brothers' House, where single men of the community lived and worked.
- The Boys' School, where young boys received their education.
- The C. Winkler Bakery, famous for its delicious Moravian cookies and bread.
- Many other restored homes and shops, like the Timothy Vogler Gunsmith Shop.
A very important site is the St. Philips Moravian Church complex. This area includes God's Acre, an old graveyard from the 1700s. An old church, called the 'Negro Church,' was rebuilt here. It was built in 1823 after a decision to have separate worship for African-Americans, following North Carolina law at the time. Before this, African-Americans who joined the Moravian church attended Home Moravian Church.
In 1861, St. Philip's Church was built. It was made for the enslaved and free African-Americans in the community. This church, completed just before the Civil War, is the oldest surviving African-American church built for this purpose in North Carolina. The Emancipation Proclamation was read to the church members here in 1865. The church is now restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Part of the Salem College and Academy campus is also in the Old Salem historic district. You can see buildings like Main Hall and the Single Sisters' House.
Home Moravian Church is still an active church today. While it's not part of the official Old Salem tour, visitors can often go inside during certain hours. Salem Square, in the center of the district, hosts many special events all year long.
Salem is known as the "Easter City." Since 1772, the traditional Moravian Easter sunrise service has been held here every year. Thousands of people gather in Salem Square and the Moravian graveyard for this special event. In early December, the Candle Tea is held in the Single Brothers' House. This event raises money for local charities.
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The Market–Fire Engine House was built in 1803 (and rebuilt in 1955). One half was used as a market for fresh meat. The other half stored fire fighting equipment. The town had used this equipment since 1785, after the Salem Tavern burned down. Salem's fire company is believed to be the first of its kind in North Carolina.
At the north end of the historic district, you might spot a large Coffee Pot. This was once a sign for a tin shop. It was moved here when Interstate 40 was built nearby.
Visitor Center
Old Salem's Visitor Center opened in 2003. It's the main place where museum visitors buy tickets. The building has a large area with displays that explain the history of Wachovia and Salem. It also has food service, gift shops, and an auditorium. The James A. Gray Jr. Auditorium is home to a special 1800 Tannenberg Organ.
The old visitor center from 1964 was taken down. This allowed parts of the 18th-century Single Brothers' Garden to be rebuilt.
Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA)
The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) is part of Old Salem Museums & Gardens. It's in a modern building within the historic district. MESDA focuses on showing and studying decorative arts from the early South. It opened in 1965.
MESDA was started by Frank L. Horton and his mother, Theodosia “Theo” L. Taliaferro. They were antique dealers who wanted to share their love for objects made in the southern United States. In its galleries, MESDA displays furniture, paintings, textiles, ceramics, silver, and other metal items. These items were made and used in states like Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee up to the early 1800s. Most of MESDA's collection can be seen online.
Notable People from Old Salem
Many interesting people lived and worked in Old Salem, including:
- Gottfried Aust, a potter
- Rudolph Christ, another potter
- Johann Gottlob Krause, a stonemason
- Elisabeth Oesterlein, an educator
- Melchior Rasp, a stonemason
- Christian Triebl, a carpenter
- Christian Winkler, a baker
The Hidden Town Project
Since 2016, a special project called the "Hidden Town Project" has been researching the history of African-Americans in Salem. The Moravians taught enslaved members of their community skills like reading and writing, and even professional trades. This project is helping us understand the lives and culture of African-Americans in Salem much better. It has found new places where enslaved people lived and updated how many enslaved people lived in Salem from 1790 to 1860.
The goals of this project are:
- To find where enslaved people lived throughout the historic district.
- To study these sites using archaeology.
- To fully include the stories of enslaved people in what visitors learn at Old Salem.
- To connect with the descendants of the enslaved people of Salem. They help guide the project's future plans.
- To share these stories through art, discussions, and public gatherings.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Forsyth County, North Carolina
Images for kids
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Boys' School, Academy Street
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The Single Brothers' House, Main Street
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The Vorsteher's House, Main Street
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The John Siewers House, Main Street
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The Salem Tavern, Main Street
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God's Acre Moravian Cemetery
