Central North Carolina was a vibrant, bustling place during the Colonial period of American History. It was the site of a Revolutionary War battle that led to the defeat of British general, Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and represented early Moravian settlements characterized by a deep sense of spirituality, order, and music. George Washington visited Salem in May 1791, dined at the tavern, and attended church services. People can still walk the lines of battle of March 15, 1781, enjoy lunch and dinner at the Old Salem Tavern, and see where the Moravians first settled in Bethabara, North Carolina.
The Road to Yorktown Wound through Guilford College
The savagery and importance of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse is best characterized by the reports of British General Charles O’Hara: “There could be no doubt that the enemy must be very well informed of our loss, and, whatever their loss might be, their numbers were still so great as to make them very formidable.” Guilford Courthouse was a pyrrhic victory; the British won but at a very heavy cost.
Guilford Courthouse dramatically weakened Cornwallis, forcing him to request supplies and troops from Sir Henry Clinton. The inept North American commander, however, vacillated, sending contradictory replies and dooming Cornwallis to defeat at Yorktown in October 1781. Had it not been for Patriot efforts in central North Carolina, however, history might have been different.
Guilford Courthouse Battleground Park is part of Greensboro today. Surrounded by condominiums and high-end apartment complexes, the park is suited for joggers as well as “history buffs” perusing old moss-covered monuments or standing atop the hill where the disciplined final line of Continentals held back the British onslaught until withdrawal was ordered.
The park is maintained by the National Parks Service. Battle artifacts complement the film “Another Such Victory” and a map room that utilizes technology to demonstrate military movements. The small complex also features a well-stocked shop.
Old Salem in Winston Salem
Old Salem is less than thirty miles from Guilford Battleground Park. The Moravian village was settled in the Colonial era when Moravians moved from Historic Bethabara, also in Winston Salem, after migrating from Pennsylvania. When George Washington visited the village, he noted its cleanliness. That is still part of the Old Salem charm.
Old Salem takes on a special luster in autumn and during Christmas. The Old Salem “Ghost tour,” for example, is only offered in the days prior to Halloween. Old Salem has its Colonial ghosts – people like the Charleston merchant Samuel McClary or the “Little Red Man” who died in the Single Brothers House.
Moravians are known for their brass music, something still practiced, especially during the Easter morning sunrise service or during a “love feast” at Home Moravian church. Thousands of visitors attend the sunrise service on Easter morning, many arriving in the early hours for the eventual walk to God’s Acre, the cemetery dating to the Colonial era.
Old Salem is a microcosm of colonial life in Central North Carolina. Food history takes center stage at the Winkler Bakery, selling favorites like Moravian cookies and sugar cake but also offering a variety of breads like the popular garlic and rosemary loaf. Gardens at both Old Salem and Bethabara detail the diversity of colonial era agriculture and herbal use.
Preserving the Past in the Piedmont Triad
North Carolina was not as populated as other colonies; most of the people were farmers with a keen sense of independence from outside interference in their simple but productive lives. These were the men that comprised the first line of defense at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
Old Salem presents a different perspective on the colonial period yet one of equal importance. Like the soldiers at Guilford College, the Moravians were of independent spirit, determined to create an enduring community in which they could practice their faith and way of life without interference. That attribute was a chief characteristic of colonial life and the transformation from colony to an independent nation.
References:
- Lawrence E. Babits and Joshua B. Howard, Long, Obstinate, and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse (University of North Carolina Press, 2009)
- Burt Calloway and Jennifer FitzSimons, Triad Hauntings (Bandit Books, 1990)
- Christopher Hibbert, Redcoats and Rebels (Avon books, 1990)
- National Parks Service, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Old Salem Museum and Gardens
Join the Conversation