Greensboro’s earliest buildings rarely soared to dizzying heights due to low market demand and frugal financial capital. Traditional building materials such as wood and brick generally limited construction height to three stories, except for an occasional courthouse cupola or church spire. Early images of Greensboro’s skyline show structures peeking around treetops, with rare architectural features…
DetailsArchitectural Salvage of Greensboro (ASG) was founded in 1993 as a project of Preservation Greensboro. The purpose of the venture is to rescue and recycle materials from historic structures when they are remodeled or demolished. In 2018, the initiative celebrates its 25th anniversary! The idea for a salvage program was discussed in Greensboro in the…
DetailsOne hundred years ago, it was a center of Greensboro’s social scene, but today the rustic Edgewood Estate sits empty after a period of neglect. It stands ready for a new owner to restore the formerly rural retreat to its next chapter in history. Located in the middle of a suburban block at 111 Arden…
DetailsHillside is a grand home in Fisher Park in Greensboro built by insurance executive and philanthropist Julian Price. Preservation Greensboro staff and supporters opened the Tudor-style home as a Designer Showhouse as a culmination of its restoration in April 2018. This event served as Preservation Greensboro’s premiere fundraiser for the year, placeholding for the annual Tour of…
DetailsMany of the region’s great gardens began as private rural estates that were away from the distractions and distresses of city life. Reynolda House for the Reynolds family of Winston Salem NC (1917), Cason and Virginia Callaway’s garden in Pine Mountain GA (1952), and Lewis Ginter’s Botanical Garden in Richmond VA (1984) are all examples…
DetailsTen years ago, the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund found new footing. Since that time, the Fund has been involved in a series of notable projects ranging from relocating bungalows, rescuing fire-damaged houses, and reviving a nineteenth century saloon. In doing so, it has forged creative partnerships with neighborhoods, local governments, private foundations, businesses, individuals, and…
DetailsGreensboro’s preservation community gathered on February 7th 2018 to celebrate the past year, and to hear insights on history and architecture by O.Henry Editor Jim Dodson. The group met in a new historical venue – Color Works Meeting Space at Revolution Mill. The meeting was the 52nd Annual Meeting of Preservation Greensboro Incorporated. During a…
DetailsAlthough Greensboro was a small southern village in the mid-nineteenth century, it enjoyed strong associations with northern cities through its architecture. Alongside the work of Alexander Jackson Davis, Greensboro features residences by unknown but creative designers within its architectural history. One such example is the home of Dr. David Weir, a native of Ireland who arrived in…
DetailsFrom time to time, historic places can find reinvention through adaptive reuse that extends their utility into new capacities. Greensboro’s Cultural Center is an excellent example of this “new wine in an old bottle” model of community conservation. Formerly the home of the Greensboro Daily News at 200 North Davie Street, the reincarnated building rivals the…
DetailsVigilant denizens and fans of Fisher Park have noticed the unthinkable in their neighborhood. An historic Eugene Street cottage was razed and is being replaced with new construction…without any design review through the Historic Preservation Commission. What’s going on here? Fisher Park is thought to be one of the most restrictive communities in the city…
DetailsNew investigations made possible by digitized media and web resources such as newspapers.com have revised the historical record of three buildings along South Elm Street. These revelations have uncovered historical narratives that have been long forgotten but now can be used to enhance more appreciation of downtown Greensboro’s historical built environment. Much of our knowledge…
DetailsThe Sellars House at 917 North Elm Street in the Fisher Park neighborhood is among Greensboro’s best examples of Craftsman architecture. It stands along a section of North Elm Street once reckoned to be Greensboro’s Gold Coast, and also features an interesting link to African American heritage. The house was built in 1913-14 for Carl…
Details
