Information
Landmark: Old Salem Museums & GardensCity: Winston Salem
Country: USA North Carolina
Continent: North America
Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston Salem, USA North Carolina, North America
Overview
In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Old Salem Museums & Gardens brings the 18th- and 19th-century world of Moravian settlers to life, with cobblestone streets, preserved architecture, and immersive exhibits that share their culture, craft, and everyday routines.It’s one of the country’s top heritage sites, where visitors wander past weathered brick buildings, stroll through fragrant gardens, watch skilled artisans at work, and explore curated collections that capture the Moravian community’s distinctive traditions and lasting contributions.Old Salem traces its roots back to 1766, when Moravian settlers-Protestants from Central Europe-laid out a carefully planned town where faith shaped daily life and neighbors shared work, meals, and purpose.These settlers shaped the early growth of the Southern United States, and in colonial North Carolina, Salem thrived as a bustling hub where traders’ carts rattled over cobblestone streets.The Moravians prized craftsmanship, education, and a tight-knit community-values you can still see in the museum’s polished woodwork and carefully kept exhibits.In 1950, Old Salem Museums & Gardens officially opened with a mission to protect the town’s historic fabric and share the story of Moravian heritage and early Southern life, from the scent of fresh-baked bread in the old kitchens to the creak of worn wooden floors.Over the years, it’s expanded into a vast institution that embraces the old brick buildings, the quiet gardens scented with roses, and museums that delve into the wider story of early American history and culture.Old Salem’s historic district covers about 90 acres, with more than 30 buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries carefully restored or rebuilt-whitewashed brick, creaking wooden doors, and all.These buildings give you a glimpse of Moravian architecture and town planning, where carved wooden trim meets clever, practical layouts.Visitors wander along uneven cobblestone streets, duck into weathered old buildings, and catch a glimpse of how early settlers once lived.Among the key buildings is the Single Brothers’ House, built in 1769-a sprawling communal home where unmarried Moravian men once shared meals and stories by the fire.Today, it serves as a museum that brings the town’s social fabric to life, with restored living quarters, bustling workshops, and worn tools once used by the “Single Brothers.” Just down the street, Salem Tavern-built in 1784-welcomed travelers and townsfolk alike, even hosting George Washington during his Southern Tour in 1791.The building now looks much as it did in the 18th century, with creaking pine floors, furniture from the era, and exhibits that explain its history.The letter C sat bold and curved, like a small crescent moon on the page.Winkler Bakery, founded in 1799, still fills the air with the smell of fresh bread-and holds the title of the oldest bakery in America that’s never stopped baking.They’re known for traditional Moravian baked goods-like crisp, spiced Moravian cookies-that visitors can taste warm from the oven and take home.Built in 1861, St. Philips Moravian Church stands as North Carolina’s oldest surviving African American church, its weathered brick walls still holding the warmth of a century and a half of sunlight.It reflects the faith and grit of the African American Moravian community, with exhibits that spotlight how African Americans shaped Salem’s past - from church pews polished by generations to voices that once filled the town square.Falkiner House, Dr.Samuel Pleasant House, and several others show how early Salem’s families lived, traded goods, and gathered for services, from a busy corner shop to a warm kitchen fire.In Old Salem, rows of brick walls and weathered wooden beams rise beneath steep roofs, their balanced lines showing European roots shaped by the American climate and whatever materials the settlers could find.Spread across nearly 90 acres, Old Salem’s grounds hold nine unique family gardens, each telling the story of how people tended the soil from the 18th to the 19th century-down to the neat rows of heirloom herbs and flowers.The gardens brim with heirloom plants-tomatoes, rosemary, bright marigolds-all carefully tended, just as the Moravians once grew them.The gardens pull double duty, showing off period-accurate planting methods, seasonal blooms, and careful crop rotations-offering a glimpse into how Moravian settlers fed themselves and kept their horticultural traditions alive.The gardens teach sustainable ways to grow, favoring native and heirloom plants-sun-warmed tomatoes and wildflowers among them-and connecting traditions from the past with today’s ecological mindset.Aesthetic and Recreational: Visitors can wander through peaceful gardens, pause to learn, and take in the vivid blooms and manicured paths set against a backdrop of history.The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, or MESDA, is a cornerstone of Old Salem Museums & Gardens, set within the brick-lined halls of the Frank L. The Horton Museum Center sits in the heart of the historic district, just down a brick-lined street.MESDA is famous for its vast collection of early Southern decorative arts-more than 12,000 pieces, from carved walnut chairs to delicate silver spoons.The collection features finely crafted furniture-chairs with smooth, curved arms, sturdy tables, polished cabinets, and carved chests-made by Southern artisans in the 18th and early 19th centuries.Ceramics-pottery glazed in deep blues, fine porcelain, and sturdy earthenware-show the South’s material culture and the trade routes that shaped it.Textiles-quilts tucked with bright stitching, worn clothing, and hand‑woven fabrics-capture moments of daily life, reflect local customs, and showcase artisanal skill.Paintings and silver-portraits, rustic folk art, and gleaming silver pieces that showcase rich traditions while revealing the prestige their owners once held.MESDA hosts rotating exhibitions, runs engaging educational programs, and conducts in‑depth research-all designed to bring Southern art and history into sharper focus, like the brushstrokes on a well‑worn canvas.At Old Salem, you’ll find one of its most striking features: the lively reenactments of history, from blacksmiths hammering at the forge to weavers at their looms.Dressed in period costumes, interpreters bring Moravian residents, artisans, and tradespeople to life, drawing visitors in with hands-on demonstrations and stories told beside the scent of fresh wood shavings.Using tools and techniques from the era, interpreters recreate trades like blacksmithing, pottery, shoemaking, baking, carpentry, candle making, and tailoring.You might hear a hammer ring against hot iron or catch the scent of fresh bread, as this hands-on approach lets visitors see the skill and effort behind everyday work, forging a real connection to the past.Old Salem comes alive each year with festivals, workshops, and gatherings that honor Moravian and Southern traditions, from candlelit Christmas tours to lively summer craft fairs.One highlight is the Candle Tea, held each Christmas season, where visitors share in Moravian traditions with music, spiced cookies, and warm candlelit tours.Freedom Day marks May 21, 1865, when the news of emancipation reached enslaved African Americans, and in Salem it’s a time to celebrate their heritage and history, from the sound of drumbeats to stories passed down through generations.Limited-time exhibitions
