TALE OF TWO CITIES: WINSTON, NC AND SALEM, NC
In 1913, two towns that are one mile apart merged to create the city we now know as Winston-Salem. Winston, the other half of the city is named after Major Joseph Winston, a hero in the Revolutionary War, in the year 1851. It was established as the county’s seat in the year 1849. “Salem”, on the other hand, is a variant of the Hebrew word shalom, which means “peace.” These two towns, individually, have their own fascinating stories. Their merger just intensified it even more.
Winston, NC
The Salem assembly offered the land in the north of Salem to the newly established Forsyth County for a county seat. Before it was named after Joseph Winston, the town was called “the county town” or Salem. Winston was a quiet town for two decades until businessmen started to connect the town to North Carolina Railroad creating jobs for the town people. In 1868, Thomas Jethro Brown, inaugurate the first tobacco warehouse in town. In the same year, Pleasant Henderson Hanes founded his own tobacco factory near Brown’s factory. By the year 1880, Winston was already occupied by 40 tobacco factories.
Salem, NC
Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg, acted on behalf of the Moravian Church in choosing a settlement site in the three forks of Muddy Creek in January 1753, hence the beginning of the town of Salem, the other half of the twin city.
The first residents of the town arrived on November 17, 1753. Even though the town developed and grew fast, some settlers still moved to a nearby settlement, Bethania in 1759. To finally select among suitable sites for the location of the new town, they decided to draw lots.
The town chosen for the location was named Salem from the name “Shalom” meaning “Peace”. Salem was a good representation of what a Moravian settlement is, with the congregation huddled around the central square, which is now known as the Salem Square. The Moravians are regarded as hardworking and peace-seeking people and the church served as the overseer of every spectrum of their life. The settlement was exclusive for the members of the Moravian Church for some years until the American Civil War.
The first residents of the town arrived on November 17, 1753. Even though the town developed and grew fast, some settlers still moved to a nearby settlement, Bethania in 1759. To finally select among suitable sites for the location of the new town, they decided to draw lots.
The town chosen for the location was named Salem from the name “Shalom” meaning “Peace”. Salem was a good representation of what a Moravian settlement is, with the congregation huddled around the central square, which is now known as the Salem Square. The Moravians are regarded as hardworking and peace-seeking people and the church served as the overseer of every spectrum of their life. The settlement was exclusive for the members of the Moravian Church for some years until the American Civil War.
Winston-Salem, NC Today
It was during 1889 that Winston and Salem’s post offices were consolidated. It was also that year when the city started to be referred to as “Winston-Salem”. In the year 1913, the towns were officially united as Winston-Salem. If there is one family that played a big role in the history of Winston-Salem, it is the Reynolds family. Sixty percent of the town’s laborers were employed by the Reynolds. Further, it is safe to say that Winston-Salem owed tobacco and its industry a lot. The city is full of stories of success, and the most notable example is the 22-story Reynolds building that was a model for the luxurious Empire State Building in New York City. However, just like any other businesses, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company faced its gradual downfall- from 16,000 jobs to just 4,000 today. Since then, the tobacco business has really changed a lot in Winston-Salem.
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