Guide to Winston-Salem

LRBRealEstate.com brings our expertise to you in our guide to the Winston-Salem.  Let "Local Agents with Local Knowledge" introduce you to our area.

City of the Arts.
Conveniently located between New York and Miami.
Boasts a wealth of cultural offerings, history, and charm.
And at the heart of the city,
               A locally owned real estate company with a home town focus.

Winston-Salem is located in central North Carolina's Piedmont region offering easy access to both the mountains and the beautiful N.C. coast. It is considered North Carolina's City of the Arts and boasts a wealth of cultural offerings, history, business opportunities and charm.

Winston-Salem is in Forsyth County, and is the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina. The fourth-largest city in the state. It is often referred to as the "Twin City" for its dual heritage, although "Camel City" is another popular nickname, referring to the city's prominent tobacco industry (after Camel cigarettes).

The Old Salem district and related Historic Bethabara sites are the city's oldest historical attractions. Also of historical interest is Reynolda Village (which includes Reynolda Gardens and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art). Other sites of interest include the Horne Creek Historic Farm, Tanglewood Park, the SciWorks educational facility, Reynolda Village (which includes Reynolda Gardens and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.)and SECCA, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art.

It's home to the nation's first Arts Council, the world-renowned North Carolina School of the Arts, and the National Black Theatre Festival, the Trade Street Arts District,  as well as local galleries and museums that offer impressive exhibits and stimulating programming.

History
The origin of the town of Salem dates back to January 1753, when Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg, on behalf of the Moravian church, selected a settlement site in the three forks of Muddy Creek. He called this area "die Wachau" (Latin form: Wachovia) named after the Austrian estate of Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. The first settlers arrived at what would later become the town of Bethabara. This town, despite its rapid growth, was not designed to be the primary settlement on the tract. 

On 6 January, 1766, the first tree was felled on the chosen site for the building of Salem. Salem was a typical Moravian settlement congregation with the public buildings of the congregation grouped around a central square, today Salem Square. These included the Church, a Brethren's House and a Sisters' House for the unmarried members of the Congregation, which owned all the property in town. For many years only members of the Moravian Church were permitted to live in the settlement. This practice had ended by the American Civil War. Many of the original buildings in the settlement have been restored or rebuilt and are now part of Old Salem.

In 1849 the town of Winston was founded, named after a local hero of the Revolutionary War, Joseph Winston, who was well-known in the town of Salem. Shortly thereafter both Winston and Salem were incorporated into the newly formed Forsyth County. It thrived as an industrial town, producing tobacco products, furniture and textiles. In 1851 Winston was designated the county seat, and, with plans to connect the cities of Winston and Salem, the county courthouse square was placed just one mile north
of Salem's square.

In 1889, the United States Post Office Department combined the mail offices for the two towns, and the towns were officially joined as "Winston-Salem" in 1913.

The Downtown Arts District at Sixth and Trade Streets is a growing community of eclectic galleries and craft shops.  The Downtown area bustles with energy until late in the evening during the Gallery Hops which take place on the first Friday of each month.  There are also weekly outdoor concert events from May to October with Alive after Five on Thursdays, Fourth Street Jazz and Blues on Fridays, and Summer on Trade on Saturday.

In 2002, the RiverRun International Film Festival chose to relocate to the facilities offered in Winston-Salem by the North Carolina School of the Arts.  By 2004, there were over one hundred movies shown throughout Winston-Salem with nearly one-quarter of the entries from international film makers.  The festival includes huge parties as well as forums and panels with experienced filmmakers as well as lively social events.