Greensboro Daily Photo

Greenway Fisher Park Apartments

Construction is officially underway for a downtown apartment complex in the Northwest corner of the city. The Greenway Fisher Park Apartments (GFPA) are located on 4.2 acres at the former North State Chevrolet site near the baseball stadium. It is also adjacent to the Greenway loop and historic, Fisher Park. The Jones brothers are building five, three-story brick apartment buildings that will have a clubhouse, fitness center, a saltwater pool, and more. Costing about 10 million dollars, the facility is a major investment on a piece of property that has been dormant for a long time. It will be interesting to monitor the progress of this newest addition to the skyline. At least until the empty showroom/garage across the street is developed, GFPA residents will have a great view of the ballpark and the historic Jefferson Standard Building. To further orient you, notice the Paisley Street sign. We were standing here when the photo was taken.

We love seeing the insides of buildings before they get covered up by their façades. Right now, the construction site is looking beautifully green-- especially striking when the sun is low in the sky. See media coverage of the 196 high-end apartment complex here. We're sharing this with Skywatch Friday. It would be really nice to have some of those wires, lacing through the skyline, go underground.  Have a great weekend, dear readers!

Christmas on Hubbard Street

Hubbard Street is located White Oak "New Town" community of Greensboro. White Oak, listed as on the National Register of Historic Places, is part of a mill community in northeast Greensboro. One hundred years ago, when Greensboro's textile mills were in full-steam production, White Oak Mills employed five thousand people. By the early 20th century, it was the largest denim factory in the world. Thanks to the Cone brothers, a thriving city-community surrounded the factory. This house is very typical of the mill houses in the neighborhood.

Also typical of the houses in this neighborhood is the connection to history and to community. While White Oak has changed somewhat in recent decades with the rise of rental property in the area, it is still easy to find a good old-fashioned home with great character. This little pink house on Hubbard Street, a block from Buffalo Presbyterian Church, is impeccably painted with a white picket fence and vintage, cement steps leading to a wreathed gate. This Christmas, the darling house on Hubbard reminds us that good things DO come in small packages.

Against the crisp, warm blue winter sky, the scene is heavenly and we are sharing it with Skywatch Friday.

Dr. Shubal Gardner Coffin's Jamestown Home

Today we are in Jamestown on Main Street at Dr. Shubal Gardner Coffin's house. Built in 1855, the home was constructed overlooking the railroad tracks that had recently arrived in Jamestown "to enjoy the improved access and visibility afforded by train travel." According to the nearby historic marker sign, the house features Greek revival details like board and batten siding. Dr. Coffin (1809-1881) established a medical school in Guilford County in 1840. Dr. Coffin, whose life spanned the Civil War years, was a member of the Coffin family that was involved with the Underground Railroad. Abolitionist Levi Coffin was the most well known family member. Recently, we found an internet article of the family's history (available on the internet here). 

A few years ago, when the bright yellow home had an antique store in it, one could explore all of the nooks and crannies. For sure, the residence overlooks the railroad tracks, allowing the Coffins to observe all the coming and going of rail cars. At one time, the Greensboro/Jamestown/High Point area was quite the crossroads for passengers and commerce in the south.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

"Over the river and through the wood to grandfather's house we go... we would not stop for doll or top for this is Thanksgiving Day...."  No poem evokes the memory of Thanksgiving more than Lydia Maria Child's 1844 poem about the holiday. If you have time, read it with your family (here). So many of us have fond memories of visiting our grandparents or, perhaps, being the grandparent making those memories of holiday fellowship with family. Coming together, breaking bread, and celebrating the generations is at the core of who we are as North Carolinians.

The house above peeks out beyond a make-shift dirt parking lot, waiting to be filled with the vehicles full of travelers arriving for a Thanksgiving feast. Beyond the old oak tree, you see  Early Farms  on Bethel Church Road in Gibsonville. The Earlys are fifth generation farmers; so we imagine they'll be serving up some savory, Guilford-County-grown vegetables. Who knows, living in a rural part of the county, they may have procured a wild turkey.

Tree and House; So Poetic

Once there was a tree and it was so beautiful that the owner of this house decided to remodel the house around the tree. The oak tree continues to grow tall and thrive on this Shady Lawn lot, located off Etney Ridge, in the neighborhood behind Earthfare (off Battleground). This neighborhood is very conveniently located to Bryan Boulevard and Battleground Avenue. Many people like it because it is quiet, the houses are reasonably priced and it is zoned for Grimsley High School. 

If you like houses built around trees, look at this 300 year old tree in Pasadena, CA that has a home built around it. That post reminded us of Joyce Kilmer's poem.

    I think that I shall never see

    A poem as lovely as a tree.

    A tree whose lovely mouth is prest

    Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

    A tree that looks at God all day,

    And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

    A tree that may in summer wear

    A nest of robins in her hair;

    Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

    Who intimately lives with rain.

    Poems are made by fools like me,

    But only God can make a tree.

Is there a special tree in your life? We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections.

Percy Inn: Dead and Breakfast

From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord deliver us*...from 703 Percy Street. This house in historic Aycock District is one of Greensboro's many residences where Halloween is taken seriously.  Because Halloween is on a Monday this year, most of our community events have come and gone. Since tomorrow is a school & work day, it is anticipated that crowds will be light and that the evening will come to a close rather early. Even the infamous Halloween party on Franklin Street in Chapel HIll is expecting significantly less than their record 80,000 visitor crowd. Locally, Lake Jeanette, The Aycock Historic District, Sunset Hills, Westerwood, Westridge and New Irving Park are just a few of the many areas that get inundated with trick-or-treaters from all over. If you live in one of those neighborhoods, you know what to expect.

Nationally, one of the scariest Halloweens came in 1938 when Orson Welles presented "The War of the Worlds" on the radio; listeners were terrified. If you are home alone tonight, between trick-or-treaters, you can read the H.G. Welles script here or listen to free audio here.  If you are participating in trick-or-treating, we suggest reading the safety tips published by Greensboro's FIRE DEPARTMENT.  

Finally, if you came here today to see the Ai Cemetery, stop back tomorrow. We forgot that Percy Street was already in the hopper.  

 *Scottish saying

If you need some creepy music to play when trick-or-treaters come to your door, click on the you tube video below.

 

Down Home on Rankin Place

This buttery yellow house on Rankin Place is located a stone's throw from Tate Street and Greensboro College.  The 1,500 +/- square ft. house, built in 1900, is found in historic College Hill where houses are known to have distinctive personalities. The flowers and greenery in the front are typical of late summer gardens in older neighborhoods. The plants are spindly and leaning in all directions-- a picture of wild abandon.  It is as if plants and flowers are having their last hurrah before the weather turns cold. Just beyond the camera's view, the yard has a garden of edible greens growing on the left, near the cinder blocks. The yellow paint on this home is slightly different than the yellow house on Hendrix!

Walking  around Greensboro's historic neighborhoods is a great way to get ideas for plants and foliage that look nice into autumn. Before you know it, maple trees and blueberry bushes will be putting on quite a show. Pumpkin patch and corn maze time is just around the corner.... It is hard to be patient and enjoy soaking in this last few weeks of summer knowing the delights fall will bring!

 

House on Alamance Church Road

Gargoyles, crosses, stained glass window, piles of rocks, columns of lions, bright red door, and a widow's walk are among the items featured prominently at this abode. This blue house, located beside the highway not too far from I-85 and Alamance Elementary, at 1822 Alamance Church Road, is quite an enigma. If online databases are correct, it was built in 1895, has four bedrooms, one bath, and is 6,299 square feet. That's one bedroom per appoximately 1,500 feet and only one bathroom for the whole house-- possibly a world record! In 1995, the house sold for $39,000. Surely, they have been working on it since then. If you look between lion-topped column 1 and 2, you can see a structure peeking out. Is this a private residence? Are they gearing up for an HGTV episode of "If there walls could talk?" 

We posted this house with this odd perspective and the fading lions on the right because today is theme day for the City Daily Photo community and September's theme is "perspective." Whether you define perspective as 'point of view' or 'the visual/spatial effect of something appearing to get smaller on a two-dimentional surface,' today's photo is definitely an odd perspective! Visually, it is a lot to parse! Do help us find out its story. Do head over to the City Daily Photo site to see more interesting photos from around the world.          Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Weir-Jordan House

The Weir-Jordan House, located at 223 North Edgeworth Street, was built in 1846. According to their website, the house is believed to be one of the ten original homes built in downtown Greensboro. The house is built in the two-story, traditional, double-pile style. The home was first owned by Dr. David Weir, President of the Edgeworth Female Academy, and then by John F. Jordan who was in the tobacco business. Mr. Weir went on to found the first insurance company in Greensboro and Mr. Jordan was a local sheriff and eventually served as Director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Presently, the Greensboro Woman's Club meets at the Weir-Jordan House. They have owned it since 1921. Additionally, it is available for catering events and civic organizations can arrange to hold meetings there. While the home has undergone renovations and a few modifications, it still retains its yesteryear charm. It is believed to have been designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, the architect who planned the State Capitol in Raleigh as well as the Blandwood Mansion in Greensboro. Since 1984, the house has been on the national register of historic places. It is one of those places that is easy to drive by and not notice; however, this house is worth noticing. 

Z is for Zornbrook Drive

Today is ABC Wednesday (Round 8) and we're at the END of the alphabet. For 26 weeks, our theme has been A-Z streets in Greensboro and we've made it through the alphabet (here). As for Z, Greensboro has two streets that start with Z, Zola and Zornbrook Drives. We decided to feature Zornbrook, because it is not only a street but also a neighborhood. Zornbrook is located in southeast Greensboro, off of Highway 421 and Alamance Church Road, just South of Sharpe Road. Zornbrook Drive has 17 homes, is in a limited access neighborhood and dead ends into a cul-de-sac. During the day, it is not uncommon to see people out walking children and pets-- hopefully not in the 100 degree weather we're experiencing! If you're reading, Zornbrook, we'd love to see you get a new Z on that entrance sign.

Next week starts a new round of ABC Wednesday and we hope to feature people of Greensboro (past and present). We encourage our readers to contact us and help with ideas. Please do not be shy in sharing your ideas. Greensboro Daily Photo works best when readers interact with us! In the meantime, Saturday's Coffeeology post has received 12 comments (last count) and the peach photo from yesterday was one of the most-viewed photos this summer. Ornamental cabbage remains one of the most popular searches to bring people to GDP. Regardless of how or why you land on our website, we're really grateful you are here and will try to provide features that bring you back! Have a great rest of the week.

Y is for Yanceyville Road/Street

Today is ABC Wednesday and "Y" is for Yanceyville Street. Yanceyville Street starts in southeast Greensboro at the intersection of Lindsay Street, between the Yanceyville Curb Market and War Memorial Stadium. The street heads north towards the Caswell County  town of Yanceyville. When Yanceyville crosses Pisgah Church Road, it becomes Yanceyville Road, crosses Lake Townsend, and eventually makes a 90 degree turn towards its end point at Highway 150 between Summerfield and Brown Summit. 

The house in the above photo is on the northern end of Yanceville where houses are newer, larger, and more reflective of the economic prosperity of the late 1990's and the early years of 2000. This home is estate-like, complete with a tile roof, a stucco exterior & well-maintained grapevines. While there are 16 streets in Greensboro starting with the letter "Y," Yanceyville was an easy choice for today. The street is 12 miles long from Highway 150 to Lindsay Street-- PLENTY to choose from. It passes not only the farmer's market and the stadium mentioned above, but also the Aycock Historic District, textile mills, White Oak community, Buffalo Presbyterian Church, Biscuitville's corporate headquarters, the Billy "Crash" Craddock bridge, and so much more. Keep checking back over the summer as we have many more photos from Yanceyville Street to feature. Lots of surprises on this road!

See our previous ABC Wednesday posts here! Also, stop back next week for the final installment of Round 8 of ABC Wednesday concluding with the letter "Z."

Little House by the BIG HOUSE

Here we see a little house at 220 South Eugene Street with the BIG HOUSE in its back yard. Six months ago, we featured the jail under construction (here) and the Zenke family properties that had to be moved to make room for the new facility (here). The little yellow house is actually part of the administrative complex of the Guilford County New Detention Center-- the official name for the BIG HOUSE. The yellowish building with the rounded dormers is the Office of the Sheriff. Between it and the little house is the Personnel and Training Office. If you are local you might enjoy walking around the block to view the new facility and all of the ancillary buildings. If you have children, it would be a great opportunity to explain the judicial process and the difference between a jail and a prison. If you want you can walk across the street to the court house and sit in on a court case.

For Greensboro, getting a new $85+ million dollar, new 1,032-bed detention center is bittersweet. On the one hand we need the space; on the other, it is unfortunate that we have so many crimes committed. As the News & Record points out, current budget cuts will impact this new facility. Sheriff Barnes gives a compelling argument for needing adequate staffing.

W is for Westridge Road

Today is ABC Wednesday and, by popular demand, "W" is for Westridge Road. Westridge is an east-west road between Battleground and Friendly Avenues.  To the east you have Village Tavern and to the west, Friendly Avenue Baptist Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. At the time it was constructed, Westridge really was at the western ridge of Greensboro. It crosses over Bryan Boulevard and Hobbs and the area between Westridge, Hobbs and Bryan Boulevard is known as Westridge Heights. 

The house in the above photo actually has its address on Smoketree Drive; however, this photo was taken on the Westridge side at the Bryan Boulevard West entrance ramp. When the home was built in 1996, many residents were in disbelief that someone would build so close to Bryan Boulevard. It was if the house were being built on top of this major access road through Greensboro. However, the owners did such a fabulous job of planting trees, shrubs, and perennials that today, fifteen years later, the mature plantings really do shield the property.

If you drive from one end of Westridge to the other, you will notice that it is actually very difficult to photograph the homes. They are not only set back from the highway, they are often elaborately landscaped and somewhat hidden from view. Even for this Victorian-style beauty with the stunning wrap-around porch, we had to duck under trees, as evidenced by the shadow line in the foreground.

Well, next week, we're going to have to do something creative because no street in Greensboro starts with an "X."    Suggestions? Also, if you're just joining us and you want to catch Greensboro's A-V streets, go here. Finally, click the button below if you want to see what the rest of the world dreamed up for "W" day.

                                                          

V is for Vanstory

It is ABC Wednesday and "V" is for Vanstory Street. The house above, located at 2019 Vanstory at the intersection of Murrayhill Road and near High Point Road, was selected because it looks like it is well-cared for by its owners and that it has served them well over the decades. Built in 1958, this split-level is probably as full of memories on the inside as it is on the outside. What we see from the street is a replica of a North Carolina lighthouse, outdoor seating and lighting, wind chimes, yard ornaments, perennial flowers, river rocks and much more. Can't you just imagine sitting in this yard, planning your beach vacation while watching lightning bugs rise from the cool grass? If this YARD could talk.....

Vanstory intersects Holden Road by Smith High School; it winds behind the Four Seasons Mall and Koury Convention Center and ends at High Point Road with a cemetery on the right and Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home on the left. In between, you will find businesses, apartments, churches, and private residences. We're not sure how the street got its name but Vanstory is a Greensboro name with much history. The Vanstory Clothing Company opened in downtown Greensboro in 1900. It was located in the Vernon Building (built in 1883) at the corner of Washington and Elm Streets. The LIberty Oak Restaurant is located in that building today.

We're hoping one of our readers will know the connection between Vanstory Street and the Vanstory Clothing Company. Surely there is one! See our earlier ABC streets here! Can you believe we're almost at the end of the alphabet?!

U is for Underwood Drive

Today is ABC Wednesday and U is for Underwood Drive. Underwood is located in the Friendswood neighborhood of Greensboro. Friendswood is sandwiched between Meadowood and Guilford College Road, not too far from Hamilton Lakes and about a mile from Wendover. The streets here are definitely the "woods." (Underwood, Virgilwood, Buddingwood, Friendswood, Big Tree Way, with nearby Spanish Oaks, & Sagebrush Trail).

The home above is fairly typical for the Friendswood neighborhood, in size and structure; however, unique is the ORANGE color that not even our Nikon could capture accurately! Underwood Drive, with its 22 homes, is only one of eight streets in Greensboro starting with the letter U. We're getting to the end of the alphabet for ABC Wednesday. Check out A-U here.  V-Z are still up for grabs if you have an idea or request!

T is for Tate Street

Today is ABC Wednesday and "T" is for Tate Street. Tate Street is located on the eastern edge of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and just west of Greensboro College. It has never gained the notoriety of Chapel Hill's Franklin Street as UNCG and Greensboro College, combined, don't approach the student population at Chapel Hill (approx. 17,000; 1,200; and 29,000 respectively). However, owners of businesses like Tate Street Coffee and Sisters Jewelry have worked tirelessly to bring special music events, art exhibits, and street festivals-- good, clean family fun-- to Tate Street. Weatherspoon Gallery and Aycock Auditorium also attract people from all walks of life to the area.

Tate Street is located in College Hill, a revitalized neighborhood that became an historic district in 1980. According to the city's website, the city and the College Hill residents have collaborated to refurbish and revitalize its streets (reference here). If you are interested in learning more about the College Hill Plan, read here.

We selected 309 Tate for our "T" entry today because, Greensboro Daily Photo is a member of the city daily photo community and we like to participate in the first-of-the-month theme day. For June, the theme is "under construction." 309 Tate, like College Hill, is under (re)construction. As can be seen by the ladder, the new porch ceiling boards and the paint-in-process, 309 Tate is undergoing a facelift. Speaking of "under construction" one has only to drive by South Mendenhall and Spring Garden and you will see a giant student housing compound under construction in College Hill. We only hope there will always be room for single family dwellings in this neighborhood.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants of CDP's  "Under Construction" theme day!

S is for Summit Avenue

Today is "S" day on ABC Wednesday and we've hit the "S" lottery with the symmetrical, Sigmund Sternberger house on Summit Avenue!  Sigmund Sternberger moved to Greensboro from South Carolina in 1899 when he was twelve years old. In 1926 (at the age of 39), Mr. Sternberger built the above house at 712 Summit Avenue. This green-tiled, Mediterranean-styled brick house was considered a masterpiece of construction in its day. Mr. Sternberger lived there with his sister, Rosa, and her husband, R. Mack Williams. Mrs. (Sternberger) Williams managed the home and oversaw the care of the home inside and out, including the formal and informal gardens. Still standing today, behind the house, is a brick carriage house and another small outbuilding that looks like it might have originally been a kitchen. Today, other than this landscaping visible in the front, not much remains of the original gardens. The interior woodwork is intact. Unfortunately, the furnishings do not do the house justice.

The Aycock/Summit Avenue residential neighborhood was founded in 1895 and developed by the Sternbergers, along with their textile-mill, business partners the Cones. The neighborhood was conveniently located between downtown Greensboro, the textile mills, and the thriving mill communities built for employees. Mr. Sternberger lived at 712 Summit Avenue until his death in 1964. The family did not want the house to be torn down to become office buildings or retail space, like the properties around it. To ensure that the home be preserved, it was a memorial gift to the United Arts Council of Greensboro by the Sigmund Sternberg Foundation in 1971. The home was placed on the national register of historic places in 1993. Today, it is studio and teaching space for local artists. 

The Sternberger home is well-documented (read here). If you are interested in history and biographies of Greensboro, Sigmund Sternberger was an amazing citizen whose philanthropic legacy and financial commitment to the arts continues today into the 21st century (here). School students in Greensboro would be well-served to learn about the life of Sigmund Sternberger. Even though his father and uncle (Herman and Emanuel Sternberger) founded Revolution Cotton Mill Corporation, young Sigmund worked his way up from errand boy through just about every job to treasurer and eventually to director. No job was too menial for the young Sternberger!  Also, his commitment to civic, charitable, and religious organizations was impressive. As an example, he served at treasure for Temple Emanuel for 47 years.

To see our A-R selections, go here. Also note that the house above is only about a block from the Bessemer Curb Market.

R is for Randleman Road

It is time for ABC Wednesday already and "R" is for Randleman Road!

Randleman Road begins in South-Central Greensboro, branching off from Freeman Mill Road. It merges with Elm-Eugene, and continues south through Level Cross, eventually becoming  Main Street in the community of Randleman. You may recognize Randleman, NC as the location of the Richard Petty Museum and the home of Victory Junction Camp. NASCAR's roots run deep in North Carolina and Randleman is no exception!

From stem to stern, Randleman Road is approximately 18 miles long and is listed as having almost 300 homes. The home above, still near Greensboro just down from Libby Hill Seafood, represents the Randleman Road of yesteryear. From the photo, you see the classic, immaculate "set a spell" front porch, the carport, the truck with its hood up, well-groomed shrubs, a swing, and a few out-buildings. As rural as this scene looks, were you to have a panoramic view, you would see restaurants, franchises, strip malls, signs with professional lettering and others with hand painted lettering. You would see messages written in English as well as Spanish. Much of Randleman Road is being sold for not only businesses but also for sub-divisions. New single-family homes abound in this part of the county. However, also found, are homes like the one above, where families guard the traditions of the generations before them and remember their own childhood as if it were yesterday. 

If you like today's photo, you might enjoy Greensboro's A-Q street views in the series. Stay tuned! We're driving around looking for an "S" street!

Q is for Quaker Run Drive

Today is ABC Wednesday and "Q" is for Quaker Run Drive. This house, one of 27 on the street, is located in the Quaker Run neighborhood off of Horse Pen Creek and New Garden Roads. The street names-- Meeting House Drive, Friendsview Drive, Shaker Drive-- evoke Greensboro's Quaker heritage. Throughout the 1990's, many homes in Greensboro were built in a similar architectural style with hardy board exterior like the one above. In this neighborhood, residents spend considerable effort keeping their lawns and flower beds healthy. Not everyone, however, has an attitude fit for a yellow house. Living in a yellow house, could one be anything but cheerful?

Since only 21 streets in Greensboro start with a "Q", let's dim the screen and roll them out: Quad Oak, Quail Canyon, Quail Cove, Quail, Quail Oak, Quail Ridge Ct., Quail Ridge Dr., Quaker Landing Ct., Quaker Landing Road, Quaker Run, Quate, Queen Alice, Queen Beth, Queen Victoria, Queenanne, Queens, Queensberry, Quick Silver, Quincemoor, Quincy, and Quinlan. Well, its time to grab the camera and map and start visiting "R" streets. Visit our A-P streets here and leave a comment if you have an "R" request!

One More for the Road

We just can't get yesterday's featured street, Pamlico Drive, out of our head. This photo was taken in front of the white fence in yesterday's yard across the street (here). Can you imagine being in this white house and looking out to see these flowers in all their glory? Can you imagine tending your roses and looking up to see that crisp-as-linen white house? Reciprocal beauty is the ultimate in neighborly love. You keep your home and garden beautiful for me and I'll do the same for you. 

In preparing a second post on Pamlico Drive, the play on words, "One More for the Road" came to mind. Granted, the song is a sad saloon song; however, it evokes the beauty of the voices of Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Billy Holiday. The song was originally written for the 1943 movie, The Sky's the Limit, a contemporary of this little, white house, built in 1947. Do you think maybe a soldier returning from World War II, bought this house for his new family with money loaned to him through the G.I. Bill? 

Hats off to Pamlico, and, one more for the road!

P is for Pamlico Drive

It is ABC Wednesday and "P" is for "Pamlico Drive." The Pamlico were Native American people from North Carolina who spoke Carolina Algonquain. The Pamlico lived at the the coast, along the Pamlico River. Pamlico County, one of North Carolina's 100 counties, is a bio-diverse area with hardwood and pine forests, open sound water and marshlands (reference).  

Today's featured house is at the corner of Pamlico and Whilden Place, in the Lake Daniel neighborhood. Pamlico parallels Westover Terrace. If you walked behind this home a couple of blocks, you would be at Grimsley High School. This yard may well be the blue ribbon winner on the street; however, most of the residents take their gardening seriously. While the Pamlico population was almost gone by the early 1800's, were its members to see this yard in all of its blooming glory, we're betting they would be proud of their namesake street.

If we counted on the map correctly, there are 266 streets in Greensboro starting with the letter "P." We featured Pamlico Drive today at the request of another Greensboro blogger, Abandoning Eden, who lives on the street. At present, "Q" is up for grabs for next week. Let us know if you have any ideas for a Greensboro street to feature! In the meantime, view "A-O" here.

Expression of Patriotism

How is patriotism expressed in your neighborhood? This home on Pisgah Church Road has a cement replica of the Statue of Liberty. She lights up, a patriotic beacon near Lawndale Drive. Perhaps America can enter a period of calm and lift this cloud of terrorism under which we have been living. Evoking the symbolism of Lady LIberty, we can be hopeful. Her flaming torch represents liberty. The seven rays of her spiked crown represent the seven seas and seven continents-- reminding us that humanity is a connected web of mankind. Since 1886, she has stood for freedom. Let us hope that the world is ready for calm and peace. The photo evokes this quote from a Greek immigrant:

"I saw the Statue of Liberty. And I said to myself, "Lady, you're such a beautiful! [sic] You opened your arms and you get all the foreigners here. Give me a chance to prove that I am worth it, to do something, to be someone in America." And always that statue was on my mind" (Wiki).

Pisgah Church is a road like the one we featured yesterday, changing, literally, before our eyes. America is changing before our eyes. Since this house is fairly new, Lady Liberty should be in her present location for a very long time. Let's hope that her big sister in New York, Liberty Enlightening the World,  will be around for a long time, too. Let us hope that all that she stands for will remain. 

Going, Going, Soon-to-be Gone

Across the street from yesterday's "Martha Stewart green" church/house on Horse Pen Creek Road, you see the following: an approximately 1,200 square ft. flat-roofed, square, brick house, sitting on a little over an acre of land-- prime real estate. The property recently sold and has the BIG Z in the yard. Of course the BIG Z stands for the zoning meeting that must take place to rezone this house for another purpose. We'd love to know what it will become. Properties on Horse Pen Creek are being rezoned right and left for businesses, schools, churches, apartment complexes, sports facilities, and even a fire station.

Perhaps we should go to the zoning hearing on May 9th at 5:30 pm to learn more about Case Z-11-05-002. Perhaps we should just wait and see what this duck-out-of-water will become. In the words of Doris Day, "Que será, será/whatever will be will be" which, coincidentally was first published in the year this house was built, 1956. If you've got 2 minutes, follow the link and watch Day's peppy performance, here. In the meantime, we're going to observe that glorious tree with the big hole in it and to the right of the house. Surely, at night, when traffic dies down, a raccoon family hops out to peruse the neighborhood! Anybody got a critter relocation service?

O is for Olive Street

It is ABC Wednesday and "O" is for Olive Street,  located in historic Fisher Park just east of Elm Street. The residential part of Olive Street stretches between Wendover Avenue and Isabel Street and has 22 homes. North of Wendover, near Moses Cone Hospital, Olive Street has mostly medical offices.

The houses on Olive Street and the surrounding cross streets exude the enthusiasm of the individual residents. For example, many of the Fisher Park families are wild about gardening, with azaleas and irises everywhere. The family in the above home is passionate about the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Not only do they fly a Tarheel flag, their Mercedes-Benz is painted Carolina blue! We North Carolinians take our university loyalty very seriously as exemplified by this Fisher Park family. 

Fisher Park is one of Greensboro's early 20th century neighborhoods. We've featured it several times over the last three years. See one of the neighborhood's most famous homes, here. The First Presbyterian Church is another great Fisher Park landmark. Finally, to view A-N of The Greensboro ABC Street Project visit here. Stop back next week for "P" and feel free to make suggestions for P-Z! 

 

 

M is for Morehead Avenue

ABC Wednesday has rolled around once again and "M" is for Morehead Avenue. Morehead splits near Fulton and Spring Garden Streets downtown. This well-maintained, pink, Victorian house is located in College Hill at the south side of Morehead near Fulton Street, just across from what formerly was Newman Machine Company.

The street is named for John Motley Morehead, the 29th Governor of North Carolina.  Some consider him the "father" of modern North Carolina. After his term in office, he returned to his home in Greensboro, the Blandwood Mansion, located very near Morehead Avenue. You may also recognize the name Morehead from the Morehead-Cain Scholars Program. According to The University of North Carolina's website, it is the oldest, most prestigious merit scholarship program in the United States. It was established in 1945, "inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University (and it) provides an undergraduate experience without peer." It is a four-year, four-summer, fully-funded scholarship. 

The letter "M" is popular for street names in Greensboro. Two hundred and ninety seven streets start with the letter "M" and they are spread throughout the city. Mcknight Mill Road has 239 homes; East Montcastle Drive has 274; and, if you consider East and West Market Street together, with 304, it wins for most houses. See some of our Market Street posts (near airport and West Market Street UMC). If you are new to GDP, see the A-L properties here.  Thank you for your visit to GDP today. If you are local, try to visit Morehead Avenue. If you have a child in high school, start investigating the Morehead-Cain!

Hail Mary (Ave Maria) on North Church Street

This statue of Mary is found on Church Street near Pisgah Church Road. We have driven past it for years but have never stopped to ask the homeowners about this front-yard shrine. The yard decor dates from a pre-covenant era in Greensboro when people showed more individualism in their yards. This yard is across from what we like to call the world's tiniest house (here) and very near Eternal Life Baptist Church (here). Yard decor can be very polarizing. Let's hope the Virgin Mary brings out the best in neighbors and passers-by.

Some Christian religions place more emphasis on the Virgin Mary than others.  While, likely, the keepers of this shrine are Catholic, today, we offer this Church Slavonic version of the Hail Mary (Ave Maria) prayer: "Theotokos Virgin, rejoice, Mary full of grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art though amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for though hast borne Christ the Saviour, the Deliverer of our souls" (from here). Some of the language of the prayer comes from the Gospel of Luke.

If you want to hear a fabulous version of Ave Maria, listen below to this one by eleven-year old Jackie Evancho from Pittsburgh, PA. Can you believe this perfect, angelic, mature voice comes from a young girl........ Ave Maria was inspired by the woman depicted in the simple plaster statue in the yard above.

 

L is for Lakeview Street

Today is ABC Wednesday and "L" is for Lakeview Street, a small street with only seven houses in the Westerwood neighborhood of Greensboro. Developed in the 1920's, Westerwood was one of Greensboro's first planned neighborhoods. The tree-lined streets have many charming details: sidewalks, granite curbs, and well-thought-out landscaping. Alleyways  were built to accommodate home deliveries of coal, milk, and ice. The bungalows and homes in Westerwood have unique character and architectural details like the roof in the photo above. The close proximity to Greensboro College and the downtown business district add to Westerwood's charm.

Yesterday, we were driving around Westerwood to assess the damage from the windstorm the night before. On nearby Lake Drive, a large tree was uprooted. As we continued up the hill, approaching Lakewood Street, the sun came out and the budding azaleas were glowing in the late afternoon light. It was as if this home were an untouched oasis surrounded by a sea of broken tree limbs. We just had to share its beauty with you and we hope your home was spared.

Greensboro has 224 streets starting with the letter "L."  Lawndale Drive tips the scales with 234 single family homes. However, we did not select Lawndale for this Wednesday's  "L" since we've featured it many times before (as examples: a unique home here, a business here, an artist here, the science center here, a church here, a holiday display here,). If you want to see GDP's A-K for ABC Wednesday, visit here!

K is for Kemp Road

Today is ABC Wednesday and "K" is for Kemp Road. Located in Hamilton Lakes and flanking Lake Euphemia, Kemp Road is really two roads: Kemp Road East and Kemp Road West, with 55 and 71 homes respectively. The property above, located at 302 Kemp Road West, backs up to Lake Euphemia. Today's featured property was built in the 1920's for Joseph Reece Morton, founder of Morton Chemical Company. Through several acquisitions, including one by Pfizer in 1957, Morton Chemical Company today is Greensboro's  Morflex, Inc.

The Morton house, one of the early homes in Hamilton Lakes, blends Tudor Revival and French Eclectic styles (Fripp, Greensboro Neighborhoods, Volume II, 1998, p. 109). In recent years, and under new ownership, the house has been made significantly larger. When first built, Mrs. Morton developed elaborate, formal gardens on site. Even with the expansion of the house, the landscaping remains lovely. Below, see another view and more details of the roofline. Use the bay-window-birdhouse feature on the façade as a point of orientation between photos. Finally, Greensboro has 108 streets that start with the letter "K."  Learn about Greensboro's A-J Streets here. See another house in Hamilton Lakes here.

"J" is for Jessup Grove Road

Today is ABC Wednesday and "J" is for Jessup Grove Road. The above farm, at the corner of Jessup Grove and Lewiston Roads, is how much of Guilford County looked in earlier years. It is one of 52 homes on Jessup Grove. According to the NCSU & A&T SU Cooperative Extension Service, Guilford County has the largest horse population in North Carolina. Horses account for 4.6 million dollars of income for our county-- over half of the livestock revenue. These horses on Jessup Grove live the new-rural lifestyle, meaning that they are beside several housing developments. On warm afternoons couples can be seen jogging or pushing strollers and walking their dogs past this farm. 

We featured Jessup Grove Road today because "Jessup" is a well-known name in Greensboro. Jessup Service  is a heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and refrigeration service that has been in business in Greensboro since 1950. The biggest surprise to us is that in 2001, Jessup Service Inc. was sold to Suzanne Brown. And so, a woman is behind the Jessup Service name on the softball and baseball jerseys that we will likely see again this season!

In researching the "J" streets in Greensboro, we quickly learned that there are 57 "J" streets and they are all over the map. Most locals have heard of Joyner St. near UNCG and Jefferson Road that connects Friendly Avenue to New Garden Road. However, did you know there is a J Street, a JJ Drive, a Jane Street, a Jans Court and a Justamere Farm Road? Of all the "J" streets, Julian, south of Lee Street and near Bennett College, has the most houses: 129. Stop back next week to see what "K" will bring. See GDP's previously featured streets here A-I.

Spring Place, Formerly Pomona Cotton Mill

Spring Place is located at the corner of Spring Garden Street and Meritt Drive.  Spring Place bills itself as "premier off-campus student housing" for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They cater to students through their many amenities, lease terms, Internet access and the ability to process leases remotely. For those who don't want to use the bike lane along Spring Garden Street, Spring Place has shuttle service to UNCG and NC A&T. We have photos of completed sections of the 32-acre site; however, today's photo emphasizes the fact that Greensboro still has a fair amount of new construction. The sea of exposed wood smelled of freshly cut lumber-- in spite of the rain. 

This construction represents a new era for this part of town. In order to build Spring Place, The Pomona Cotton Mill, a Greensboro landmark built in 1897, had to be demolished. The Pomona Cotton Mill was a visible reminder of Greensboro's industrial history. The life of the property as a mill spanned 110 years, ending in 1950. Once the mill closed and until 1996, the brick buildings of the former structure had been repurposed as an outlet mall. Now, Pomona Cotton Mill is a mere memory, not likely to be remembered by the new generation of tenants.

The obtuse angle/peak at the top of the photo, mimicking the rooftops, is the newspaper used to protect the camera from the rain. It points to the gray, early-spring sky and is being shared with our friends at Skywatch Friday. Happy sky, dear readers. Happy Skywatch Friday.

 

"I" is for Isaac's Place

For ABC Wednesday, "I" is for Isaac's Place, a short street with 56 houses that begins at Pisgah Church Road, across from Mt. Pisgah Church. Isaac's Place parallels Battleground (near Earthfare) and ends at Martinsville Road near Rice Toyota. This hidden gem of a street is within walking distance to Country Park and the Greenway. Houses on the street range from new construction to older homes like the above home that remind us of the days when Battleground Avenue was a little more rural. This country-looking yard has mature, budding trees and yellow forsythia blooms welcoming spring. The above property even has a raised-bed garden. By late spring, it will really be hidden from the street. This home also comes with neighbors who watched with a concerned look when we were photographing. Hurray for diligent, alert neighbors! It is hard to believe that this well-maintained, rustic retreat is one just house away from Battleground Avenue. 

As we considered "I" for our alphabet street series, we only had 36 streets to choose from. Other residential "I" streets include Independence Road (in Kirkwood) and Immanuel Road (near Hunter Elementary School) with 84 and 113 homes respectively. 

'H' is for Hobbs Road

Today is ABC Wednesday and 'H' is for Hobbs Road. The brick, colonial house in the photo is typical of the houses on Hobbs and and is actually the first house on Hobbs as it begins at Beverly Place near Friendly Center. Far from a straight line, Hobbs winds through the city; it is the road that grew and grew and now measures 4.2 miles. As Greensboro's borders changed, Hobbs got extended. Crossing over Friendly, Holden, Westridge, Jefferson, past Temple Emanuael, the American Hebrew Academy, and Kathleen Clay Library, Hobbs becomes Garden Lake Drive once it crosses New Garden. Hobbs has so much to share with the Greensboro. David Caldwell Park and Interpretive Museum, Tanger Bicentennial Garden, and The Bogg Garden are all located there.

While Hobbs is a somewhat busy road, most of its houses are placed comfortably back from the street. Of all 246 streets in Greensboro beginning with the letter 'H,' Hobbs has the most houses: 231. Last year, we featured the Easter Bunny's house on Hobbs and, if you are interested, here are our previous ABC Wednesday offerings. Thanks for reading folks; we're out of the office planning for 'I' and 'J.'

"G" is for Guilford College Road

Big old farmhouses surrounded by lots of pastures, trees, and fencing; this is the Guilford College Road of yesteryear. Today, Guilford College Road is much more commercial and some parts of it are divided four-lane highway. Today is ABC Wednesday and "G" is for Guilford College Road, which stretches from Vickery Chapel Road, just south of I-85 in the Jamestown/High Point end of the county and continues over High Point Road, Wendover, I-40, Across Market Street and Friendly Avenue ending at the confluence of Ballinger, New Garden, and Fleming Roads. Yes, Guilford College has an entrance on Guilford College Road! From beginning to end, Guilford College is about ten miles long. In this long stretch of road, there are only 149 homes. Another "G," Groometown, boasts 261 houses, the most for this letter of the alphabet-- of which there are 194 streets listed in Greensboro.

If you want to see our Greensboro street selections for A-F, go here. If you want to see ABC Wednesday entries from around the world, go here.

Addendum: As it turns out, this property has quite a history as a model Quaker farm. Read about it here.

Southern Humor

This wonky playhouse and weekend humor are brought to you by Leonard Buildings and Truck Accessories at 4010 Wendover Avenue W, right next to Country BBQ. If you look closely, the porch, door, and window line are built off-kilter. The playhouse price is not much less than the nice Dutch-barn beside it and the brown building is so nice a person could almost live in it!

Perhaps the little, blue shed-like structure sends a message to children that things don't need to be perfect to still have fun. Wonder what was going through the builder's mind as s/he unsquared that entrance! Wonder what a child would have to say about it! Feel free to stop by and tour the abode; you don't even need a realtor or an appointment. 

Hang in there folks, it's almost spring and we've saved this for Skywatch Friday.

"F" is for Friendly Avenue

Today is ABC Wednesday when we share a street a week. This Wednesday and "F" is for Friendly Avenue.

Friendly Avenue begins and ends with Market Street. Near NCA&T University and Murrow Blvd., Market Street splits off into Market and East Friendly. At Elm Street, it becomes West Friendly and continues all the way out to the airport where, just past Chimney Rock Road and Old Friendly, it merges into Market Street again. Along the way, there are 698 homes, making Friendly Avenue the most residential street in Greensboro.

The house above is located on the narrow part where Market and Friendly create a little island of houses just west of UNCG. The roofline of this house has a bungalow/Asian appearance. The mixture of wood and granite provides a glimpse of what residential Greensboro looked like in the 1920's and 1930's. 

Friendly Avenue has been mentioned frequently on GDP, particularly in the Guilford College area. Given its importance to the city, its link to Guilford College, and the fact that is has so many homes and businesses, Friendly deserves recognition. After all, what would Greensboro be without it? Unfriendly? We can't imagine! Out of the 200+ streets that start with the letter "F," today,  we celebrate Friendly!  If you want to follow our weekly parade of streets, start here. 

Downtown Greensboro-- Presidents' Day

Here we see the skyline of Greensboro, taken on a winter day from the northeast, just off of Murrow Blvd. Today is Presidents' Day, a federal holiday that was formerly known as Washington's Birthday. First implemented in 1880, Washington's Birthday was the first federal holiday established in honor of a single person. President's Day, honoring the office of the presidency, falls on the third Monday in February; this year-- February 21st. Traditionally, Presidents' Day is a big retail day with sales on everything from cars to clothing.

While all is quiet with all of the federal offices downtown, Greensboro businesses and the Guilford County Schools are on regular schedules. Here is a President's Day webquest created by the Guilford County Schools. As feasible, teachers will incorporate the holiday into the curriculum today. If you are an American, how will you celebrate Presidents' Day? If you are from elsewhere, how does your country celebrate its leaders?

"E" is for Elm Street

Today's letter on ABC Wednesday is "E" and, as we are featuring A-Z streets this round, we felt compelled to feature Elm Street. Elm Street is the heart and pulse of Greensboro. It separates east from west and runs almost the entire length of the city. In the southern extreme, Elm merges with Eugene St.; to the north, at Lake Jeanette, it becomes Bass Chapel Road. Along the way, Elm Street passes through downtown, Fisher Park, Irving Park, State Street, Cornwalis, Cone Boulevard, Buffalo Lake, New Irving Park, and Pisgah Church Road.  Of all 138 streets starting with the letter "E," Elm has the most homes listed: 374.

The house in the above photo is located at 1007 North Elm Street, at the northern end of Fisher Park, just south of the Wendover Avenue overpass. The house was completed in 1919 for the John M. Galloway family. It was designed by Greensboro architect Harry Barton and constructed under the supervision of Andrew Schlosser, Greensboro's premier stonemason (G.H.Fripp, p. 58). Noteworthy are 1) Schlosser's fine stonework; 2) the chocolate mortar and 3) the ballroom on the top floor of the home.

1007 North Elm provides a glimpes of how the street looked before it became commercialized. Today, these older homes are mostly offices of professionals, organizations, or locally-owned, small businesses. The sculpture in the foreground was done by Frank Holder whose dance training echoes in the sculpture's movement.

D is for Dogwood Drive

D is for Dogwood Drive, a residential street that parallels Friendly Avenue and intersects Holden Road just south of Christ United Methodist Church. Dogwood is one and a third miles long, starting at Beverly Place and ending at Woodvale Drive. Most of the intersecting street names are related to the theme of woods and trees. Out of the 172 streets in Greensboro starting with the letter "D", Dogwood Drive has 135 homes, second only to Drake Road with total number of properties. Drake Road, in the Southern end of the county and where Southern High School is located, has 142 homes.

If Dogwood Drive has one best attribute, it is the residents' efforts to enhance their front porches and front-yard gathering areas. Adirondack chairs, expanded porches, and benches invite neighbors to stop and chat on this "walking" street. We selected the above Dogwood Drive house for today's post because it exemplifies the street's drive for enhanced curb appeal. Recently, the front porch of this older home got quite a facelift. The bungalow-style columns and wide, winding sidewalk beckon.

The street is named for North Carolina's state flower, the dogwood, not for the dogs that walk their owners up and down the street. Recently, we spotted two whippets and two Jack Russell terriers showing off their owners as they socialized with neighbors. This spring, the neighborhood will be brimming with dogwood trees and azalea bushes. ABC Wednesday, "D" is for Dogwood.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year starts today with the new moon of the new year and the celebration will end fifteen days later. The close is traditionally celebrated with a Lantern Festival. Greensboro's 19th Annual Chinese New Year Festival was celebrated this past weekend at the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street downtown. With the lion dance, other performances, displays, vendors, food, and plenty of fellowship, a good time was had by all. This fun is evident in the photo above, taken at the start of the festival. While the mom poured over the itinerary, little sisters in pink coats frolicked uninhibitedly at the festival; big brother looked out the door-- pensively contemplating the Year of the Rabbit.*  

According to the Chinese calendar, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit. If you are interested in learning more about the Chinese zodiac, look here. If you are a teacher, your students might enjoy making paper lanterns. Here is the simplest way here.

*We aren't really sure these people are related.

A is for Arlington Street

Arlington Street is the western border for the Southside neighborhood of Greensboro. According to public records, Arlington Street has 37 properties on it, two of which is are historic homes: the William Fields House at 447 Arlington and nearby Kesler House at 437. Arlington Street begins at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive downtown and ends at Butner Street, just before the Elm/Eugene confluence.

This house, located at 631, while less glamorous than the historic homes, is typical of the houses in the section south of Lee Street. Although humble in size, the house is JUMBO in enthusiasm. This may well be the purplest house in Greensboro. Pampas grass grown on the border of the yard also defines the property.

For our ABC Wednesday group (Round 8), we're featuring a street-a-week in Greensboro that begins with the given letter of the week. So many streets that begin with the letter "A" are on our list to photograph. Some, we have done already (see, for example, Arcadia here).  Arlington was chosen, partially for convenience as we were at the MLK parade in the neighborhood on Monday. However, this street has been a part of the fabric of Greensboro since the 1800's. Can you guess how many streets in Greensboro begin with the letter "A"?  We will tell you that five streets that begin with "A" are listed as having only one property. They include: Addison Point Drive, Airport Road, Albert Pick Road, Allerton Circle and Aspen Drive. The "A" street with the most residences is the lengthy Alamance Church Road, with 296 listings. Now, for your office trivia, taa daaa, in Greensboro, we have 182 streets that begin with the letter A. That's a half a year of a photo a day of streets that begin with the letter "A"!