Welcome to the history page of the Librarian's Guide to Guilford County, NC!
This is a region rich in history. We have beautiful old homes, museums, battlefields, libraries and special collections for research, just all sorts of stuff to keep you busy if history is your thing. Whether you're planning your first visit or have long made this region your home, we hope this page of links will prove useful.
Please feel free to share your comments and suggestions.
Historic Homes and Buildings
Historic Blandwood, a beautiful Italinate style villa which served as the residence of former North Carolina governor John Motley Morehead, is open Tues.-Sat., 11AM-2PM, Feb.-Dec.
This old gold mill, located near Jamestown and established in the early 1830s, is open to the public.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
Celebrate African-American history at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, located in Sedalia, N.C., between Greensboro and Burlington. It is located on the grounds of the Palmer Memorial Institute, a rural African-American school founded by Ms. Brown in 1902.
Rev. David Caldwell (1725-1824) was long pastor of the Buffalo Presbyterian Church. The park, located in Greensboro, includes a new period-style visitor center.
Settled in 1752, historic Jamestown includes many fine old homes and buildings.
This historic Quaker home, built in 1811, is open Tues.-Fri. 11-3, Sat. 1-4, and Sun. 2-4, and includes a small museum.
Battlefields and Military History
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Here, in 1781, militia and regulars under command of Gen. Nathaniel Greene bravely fought the redcoats of Cornwallis and, though defeated, helped to exhaust British hopes of quashing the Rebellion.
Guilford County Veterans Memorial
This monument, located at Country Park and adjacent to the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, honors the lives of Guilford County men who fought from the Spanish-American War to the War in Bosnia.
Company B of the 27th NC Regiment, this is the best known of locally mustered units to fight in the Civil War.
John & Isabelle Murphy Confederate Longarms Collection
This collection, a permanent exhibit at the Greensboro Historical Museum, is a must for the Civil War enthusiast.
Railroad History
This line, which operated during the first half of the 20th century, ran southeast to northwest across Guilford County.
Carolina Model Railroaders, Inc.
Though this organization is not dedicated specifically to the preservation of railroad history, many of its members are nonetheless very interested in and knowledgeable of Greensboro's railroad past.
The recently restored train depot is located at 100 West High Street in the heart of downtown High Point.
This depot is in service for Amtrak and is a stop for the Carolinian, Crescent, and Piedmont daily trains.
National Railway Historical Society--Greensboro, NC Chapter
Greensboro Chapter meets at REA Express building at the Depot
3rd Mon 7:00pm
Galyon Transportation Center
234-B East Washington St
Greensboro, NC Washington Street
Construction began on this line in Greensboro in 1851.
Greensboro Southern Railway Depot
Built in 1927, this station is considered to be one of North Carolina's finest. It has recently been completely renovated.
Historic Churches
Alamance Presbyterian was formed by Scots-Irish and German immigrants in 1762.
Buffalo Presbyterian was the congregation of the venerable Rev. David Caldwell, an important figure in the early history of Guilford County.
Excerpt from History of Buffalo Presbyterian
This is a brief excerpt from an important work on the early history of Guilford County, written by former Buffalo Presbyterian minister, Samuel M. Rankin.
This German Reformed Church (in German, "De Klapp Kirche") was founded in 1770.
One of the many Quaker meetings in the region, Deep River Friends can trace its history to the 1750s.
This Quaker Meeting was established at present-day Guilford College in 1754.
Museums
The Brock Historical Museum of Greensboro College
This museum documents the history of Greensboro College, founded in 1838.
Established in 1925, the Greensboro Historical Museum includes permanent exhibits on subjects such as O. Henry, civil rights, and Confederate long guns, as well as touring exhibits. It is located in downtown Greensboro, next to Central Library.
The High Point Museum has permanent exhibits on the City of High Point's history, Jamestown rifles, and furniture production, for which the city is well-known.
International Civil Rights Museum
Though not yet open to the public, the International Civil Rights Museum will perform a vital role in highlighting Greensboro's contribution to the sit-in movement in 1960.
Local Events for the History Buff
Greensboro Bicentennial Commission
Greensboro's Bicentennial Commission, formed in 2005, is planning a whole host of events for Greensboro's 200th anniversary in 2008.
Check out events listed in the Museum's June newsletter.
This calendar chiefly lists events at Blandwood Plantation.
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Click above to link to the schedule of events at the Guilford Courthouse battleground.
Historic Preservation
City of High Point's Historic Preservation Commission
An overview of the Commission and its responsibilities.
Greensboro Historic District Manual and Guidelines
A good place to start if you're considering the purchase of an historic property in Greensboro.
Historic Preservation in Greensboro
A brief overview of historic preservation in Greensboro, which marks its beginning with the formation of the Guilford Courthouse Battleground Company in 1887.
Founded in 1966, Preservation Greensboro provides grants, educational programs, awards and more, to foster the preservation of historic properties.
State Historic Preservation Office
This page on the State of North Carolina's Historic Preservation Office website gives an overview of preservation efforts in Greensboro and Guilford County.
Textile Industry History
Ceasar Cone (1859-1917), a giant in the history of Greensboro textiles, established Proximity Manufacturing Company and White Oak Mills ca. 1900.
A Brief History of Proximity Cotton Mills
An overview of the Cones and area mill history with an emphasis upon the Proximity and Printworks Plants.
A More Detailed History of Cone Mills LLC
An in-depth history of Cone Mills from its inception.
Though not focused exclusively on Greensboro, this is a useful guide to some of the valuable information on North Carolina mill life available to researchers in the NC Collection at Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.
Famous People
John Coltrane (1926-1967), an iconic American jazz saxophonist and composer, was born in Hamlet and grew up in High Point. Coltrane developed what is known as “sheets of sound” in improvisation, a method of playing multiple notes at one time.
Greensboro is named after Gen. Nathaniel Greene (1742-1786), who commanded the patriots at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.
Born William Sydney Porter at place called Polecat Creek in Guilford County, O. Henry (1862-1910) is Greensboro's best known literary personality.
Greensboro Public Library's O. Henry Portal
Greensboro Public Library has created a website of archival materials relating to O. Henry which can be linked above.
A well-known poet and literary critic, Jarrell (1914-1965) taught for many years at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (then known as the Women's College of the University of North Carolina).
Grave of Randall Jarrell at New Garden Meeting
You can see Randall Jarrell's grave at the New Garden Meeting House cemetery off New Garden Road in Greensboro.
Dolly Madison (1768-1849), wife of James Madison, fourth president of the United States, and one of our best known first ladies, was born in the New Garden community.
Like O. Henry, this immortal of broadcasting history, Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965), was also born near Polecat Creek. His family left Greensboro when he was very young.
Preddy, a Greensboro native, was the top p-51 Mustang ace of World War II. He was tragically killed by friendly fire in 1944.
Historic Cemeteries
Buffalo Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Buffalo Prsbyterian Church Cemetery is the resting place of David Caldwell, as well as many of Guilford's early Scots-Irish families.
First Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Former North Carolina governor John Motley Morehead is buried here, along with veterans of the Revolutionary War and Civil War. The cemetery is located behind the Greensboro Historical Museum.
Many prominent Greensboro figures from the late 19th century are buried here, including: Charles Duncan Mc Iver, Robert P. Dick, Cyrus P. Mendenhall, Dr. D.W.C. Benbow, David Schenck, Peter Daub, Dr. Samuel B. Turrentine, Alfred M. Scales, A.W. Mc Alister, John A. Gilmer and many others. The cemetery was established in 1887.
Map of Green Hill Cemetery, Greensboro
This map to Green Hill may prove useful if you know the section you're looking for.
Several Greensboro cemeteries, including Green Hill, are managed by the City of Greensboro. Others include Forest Lawn, Maplewood and Union cemeteries.
Union is an historic African-American cemetery located on S. Elm St. in Greensboro.
Genealogy and Historical Research
Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society
PO Box 36254
Greensboro, NC 27416
The Friends Historical Collection at Hege Library, Guilford College
5800 W. Friendly Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27410
(336) 316-2264
Greensboro Historical Museum Archives
130 Summit Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 373-2043
Guilford County Genealogical Society
PO Box 9693
Greensboro, NC 27429
Guilford County Register of Deeds
201 S. Eugene St.
PO Box 3427
Greensboro, NC 27402
901 N. Main St.
High Point, NC 27261
(336) 883-3637
The Jamestown Historical Society
603 West Main Street
Jamestown
(336) 454-3819
LDS Family History Center
3719 Pinetop Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27410
(336) 288-0321
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