Greensboro Daily Photo

YWCA, Gone but not forgotten...

This photo, taken in downtown Greensboro, looks like it could have been taken 100 years ago. Actually, it was taken on Friday evening. It features the back of the original First Presbyterian Church, now the Greensboro Historical Museum. The lot in front, recently seeded with grass, is the site of the now-gone YWCA.  

The Young Women's Christian Association still has a facility in Greensboro, located on Spring Garden Street. The YWCA has quite a rich history in Greensboro, dating from 1903. Nationally, the organization got its start in New York City in 1858 (read history here). It is the oldest and largest women's organization in the United States.

As for the open field, left behind from the razing of the YWCA, we're not quite sure what is planned for the lot. While we wait to find out, Greensboro is taking advantage of the extra green space downtown. The lot is located between  Festival Park and the Greensboro Public Library. Vacant, the lot provides a stunning, old-timey view of a church is even older than the YWCA. It has been in Greensboro since 1824.  As we share our Sunday-day-of-reflection post, let's be thankful that the YWCA still has a local presence and that it continues to empower local women. Let's also be thankful that the First Presbyterian Church continues to thrive. They do their share of good deeds, too! Regardless of what you believe, happy Sunday. Take a Sunday drive and enjoy this view with your own eyes (in color).

MLK Parade Day

Today is the Martin Luther King Holiday and Greensboro is brimming with community service opportunities. High school students are taught to take every opportunity to give back to the community and most don't see today as merely a chance to sleep in late. May are out working and learning. Read about the day long event at Four Seasons Town Center. There is so much to do.

The International Civil Rights Museum has events scheduled throughout the day to help people learn about our past and to get involved in the future. The above photo is from last year's MLK, Jr. Parade. Today's parade begins at 11:00 and will last until about 2:00 pm.  The parade begins at 2031 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and heads north to Gorrell Street. Twenty thousand people are expected to participate. Unfortunately, it takes place at the same time as President Obama's swearing in ceremony at 11:30. Unless you are "old-school," you won't be bothered by recording the swearing in ceremony and watching it later in the day. Regardless of what you decide, please do something. Today is a day to be with others and to celebrate the great progress our city has made in respecting the inherent worth and dignity of all our residents.

Today, we close with the quote of Reverend Samuel Kyles, said to those threating to assassinate Dr. King:  "You can kill the dreamer.... but you cannot kill the dream."  May we all dream of a great community; and LIVE the dream.

Xtra Xtra, Read All About It

In 1982, a newspaper known by the name News & Record was first delivered to the Greensboro community. However, Greensboro's print journalism history was first made in 1890 with the printing of the Daily Record. The Daily Record was owned at one time by Juilan Price, the man who at one time also owned Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company, making Mr. Price one of the most influential men in the Piedmont during his day. In 1809, the Greensboro Daily News was founded, giving our community a morning and afternoon newspaper. From 1982-1986, the Greensboro community supported two newspapers. In 1986, competing newspapers were gone and The News & Record emerged as the sole daily newspaper for the community. The above facility, a city block of newspaper history, past, present, and future, was completed in 1976, on the site of the old King Cotton Hotel.*

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for this round, we've been featuring neighbohroods. For X, in the absence of an X neighborhood, we're featuring the newspaper. Two-hundred East Market Street, at the corner of Davie St.,  is the "x marks the spot' place from which news radiates to ALL the communities of Greensboro.The newspaper is in every community- in print and digitally.  Thick or thin, the News & Record is an invaluable clearninghouse of news, information, events, and ideas. A newspaper is more than ink, paper, and coupons. It is a community's shared discourse. Papers give communities a common frame of reference and tell us what others deem important and newsworthy. Without a common source of printed information, a community struggles to define itself. As the younger generation goes digitial and seeks out their own, disparate news sources, we need to find a way to keep them informed about what is actually happening in their own community and from the perspective of people in their community- even if they disagree with the views presented. A local paper, printed or digital, grounds us to each other. The News & Record is more than the sum of its parts; it is Greensboro's ANCHOR.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, X is for X-tra X-tra read all about it. We're asking you for a one day moratirium on saying "I saw on FACEBOOK...," and  to use as your conversation starter, "I read in the News & Record, that......"

* reference, here.

See our ABC Wednesday A-W neighborhoods of Greensboro, here.

You've Got Mail on "Our Street"

Considering how busy the postal service gets this time of year, we just had to share this van, spotted on North Battleground Avenue (near Big Lots and Wendy's) this week. The mailbox at the top is "air mail" and just below is "e-mail." Behind the back door is "residential mail" and on the trailer hitch on the bottom is "junk mail, bills, taxes." Gotta love this sense of humor. We only wish we'd had a Christmas card to drop in the residential mailbox or some of our junk mail to hand off to the van's owner. We don't know where they really get their mail, but the van has North Carolina tags. What does your vehicle say about you and your lifestyle? If it is this interesting, you just might find it on Greensboro Daily Photo.

It is a busy weekend in Greensboro. we hope you find time to do something fun and meaningful. Today is theme day for the City Daily Photo Community, the meme that inspired this website. People around the world will be showing us "their streets." 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers. We are thankful for yet another year of being able to share photos of the people and places of the borough of Greene with you. We are approaching our fourth year of posting, daily. To quote Mr. GDP, "Daily comes around rather quickly." Currently, our laptop is in the shop, Time-Warner cable is out at the house and we are posting from a coffee shop on a borrowed computer. So, please bear with us if posts are late, poorly edited, or abbreviated. Please say yes if we knock on your door and ask to use your computer!

Today's photo takes us back to the early years of Greensboro via the recent living history of America's soldiers and wars; the event was held in Guilford Courthouse Military Park. The above scene is of civil war soldiers resting at their encampment. Today, we are thankful that our fifty states are at relative peace with one another now that the elections are behind us. We are thankful that slowly, the east coast is getting back to normal after the destructive weather event dubbed "Sandy." We are thankful to be with family and friends. In an odd way, we are thankful to be without Internet connectivity and television so that we can focus on fellowship. Maybe we will even play a game of checkers. Let us know what you are up to!

Center City Fountain & Summer Events

Woo, hoo! It is time for summer fun. Here we see a family enjoying the fountains at Center City Park. We've featured the park several times (see here, for example); however, it is just so fabulous to have this community resource available for all to use-- for FREE.  They just keep expanding the schedule of events that take place in the park. Activities include: fitness by the fountain on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7. This Monday will be Zumba. First Fridays, they have music. Third Fridays are movies. Wednesdays offer Tunes at Noon.

Last night, they held the fourth annual Summer Supper in the Park. This fundraiser helps support programming and advertisement. Let's hope the event went well. The weather was perfect. It has been quite a while since we've offered a black and white photo. Usually, we are in search of bright COLORS; however, the backlighting and intense sun just seemed perfect for black and white. We like the way the water seems to be frozen mid-stream. If you are looking for a place to get some interesting photos, try Center City Park. Hope to see you there!

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

When the winter weather is nice in Greensboro, nothing beats heading to one of our parks or the greenway for a bike ride. Here we are at the entrance of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. The signage marks the 2 1/4 mile bike trail, clearly.  

Next month will be time for the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. We recommend riding the trails this month to learn the lay of the land, so that on reenactment weekend, you will be able to move from point A to point B efficiently. Greensboro has many active cycling groups, check with one of the bike shops if you want to find a group of cyclists at your level. Have a great weekend everyone. Hope to see you out on the trail. 

H is for Holliday, Keith Holliday

Keith Holliday, President and CEO of the Carolina Theatre of Greensboro Inc. since 2008, works tirelessly to preserve this icon of the Golden Era of entertainment and film. He helps keep it booked with diverse events that attract people from all walks of life. Formerly, Mr. Holliday was in the banking industry for twenty years and mayor of Greensboro for eight. He also served  as a council-person at-large. Through all of these incarnations, this lifelong resident (and product of Greensboro's public schools) has been a community leader, good citizen, and gracious person.

On the day that we were at the Carolina Theatre for this photo shoot, Mr. Holliday kept insisting that he be photographed in a way that highlighted the theatre's beauty. We decided to use a black and white photo because it shows details of the gilded, opulent decor.  When constructed in 1927, the glorious theatre was meant to transport Depression Era audiences with entertainment, including Vaudeville acts, and live music at an affordable price.  Mr. Holliday's love for the Carolina Theatre and for Greensboro is readily apparent within the first few minutes of talking to him, regardless of where he is standing!  Thank you Mr. Holliday for all you do for Greensboro.

Today is ABC Wednesday and "H" is for Holliday. See ABC Wednesday photos from around the world here and Greensboro's ABC series here.

Step Right Up!

Step right up and take advantage of all Greensboro has to offer! The Bellemeade Parking Deck, managed by the City of Greensboro, is located on the corners of Bellemeade, Elm and N. Greene Streets. The location is convenient to Center City Park, the ballpark, and just about anything in the northern end of downtown. Parking is free there if you are summoned to jury duty! Donald O. Tice was the architect of the the open-air, concrete and granite structure. The 8-floor deck was built on part of the property that was part of the original O.Henry Hotel. There are 1,276 spaces in the deck (reference). 

We call this photo "step right up" in honor of the endless stairs in the center of the photo and the carnival-like atmosphere of the Fun Fourth event. One day a year, we have our own little Coney Island with the parking deck as a backdrop. We are in funnel cake and hot dog heaven. Brides are frequently seen having bridal photo shoots here. Also, the structure's geometry and muted cement-color put all focus on the beaming brides.

Mother's Day 2011

Today is Mother's Day; hopefully, you are celebrating the day with your mother-- either in person or in spirit. The above photo of a mother and her children was taken at the Revolutionary War reenactment in Country Park this past March. The mom walks with her sons tethered to her side. (During the colonial era, little boys wore loose gowns until they were potty trained). Leading the way, her daughter walks confidently a few paces ahead. The picture represents motherhood at its best-- a rewarding, uphill, hike, enjoying your little miracles of life every step of the way. 

In honor of all the moms out there, we'd like to share a few Sacred Sunday quotes:

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living ~~Genesis 3:20

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all of my life. ~~Abraham Lincoln

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been. ~~Robert Brault.

I miss thee, my Mother. Thy image is still the deepest impressed on my heart. ~~Eliza Cook

                                                                                                                        (more quotes here).

Banding Canada Geese

The Canada Geese of Greensboro seemed to have forgotten that their ancestors used to migrate to and from Canada. This generation is content to live in the Wal-Mart parking lot, along Battleground Avenue, and in Country Park. The neck bands are useful in gathering data on a given goose's travels and migratory patterns. The Bird Banding Laboratory has a 1-800 number to report the whereabouts of a banded bird (1-800-327-BAND). We have to chuckle because we're pretty sure K5H7 is content to spend the remainder of her life in Country Park. We doubt she migrates back to Canada. However, if you ever see K5H7 in your neck of the woods, please report the whereabouts of the sighting here, on Greensboro Daily Photo,  (as well as calling the 1-800 number).

Canada geese, on average live 10-15 years. They can live up to 40 years. If you want to hear what one sounds like, listen here. Many people complain, especially owners of golf courses, as each goose can generate up to a pound of "poop" a day (times 20-30 birds times 365 days, wow!). If your yard has been selected for their waste dumping, you may can enlist the help of the poop patrol. Unfortunately, that particular franchise has not yet arrived in Greensboro.

We're sharing this with Camera Critters and Monochrome Maniacs. K5H7 is saying to me, "We're not going anywhere!" She was so tame, I got as close to her are you are to your computer screen. Ever notice how in a flock, at least ONE goose always has her head up to be on guard for the flock?

 

Fishing at Country Park

Country Park is located behind the Natural Science Center and at the back end of the parking lot with Spencer Love Tennis Courts. Established in 1934, Country Park is the first park in Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. Here, we see a family fishing in one of two fishing lakes found on the park's property. Many special events take place in this park. We love to attend Pow-Wow  there in the fall. This year, Pow-Wow will be help September 17-19. The event is a photographer's dream come true! If you are local and are looking for some green space, picnic shelter, place to walk your dog, etc, Country Park is wonderful. We featured another monochrome in this park last March (here).

The trees reflecting in the water leave a white space that looks like our neighboring state to the north, Virginia. It is as if the people are sitting on the VA/NC line! We're sharing this with Weekend Reflection and Weekend in Black and White.

 

Purgatory, Inspired by Billy Cone

"Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven" (Wikipedia: purgatory). Today, for Sacred Sunday, we propose this view as one that might represent purgatory: The judgement chairs with cold metal arms, one for you, one for the judge; the angel above, ready to carry you to Heaven on her* back-- if you are ready; stark walls as not to distract from the issues at hand; finally, a bright light from above.

Actually, the scene captures one of Billy Cone's photographs on the bathroom wall of the Undercurrent Restaurant in Greensboro.  Billy Cone has been a professional photographer for nearly three decades. Billy lives in Huntersville, NC. Recently, he has published several books on photography. Additionally, he draws and paints interesting faces, likely inspired by his photography. Billy is the grand nephew of the Cone Sisters (Claribel and Etta) of Baltimore and the Cone Brothers, Moses and Ceasar, of Proximity Manufacturing Company of GREENSBORO, NC.

Today's Sacred Sunday shot is presented in black & white for our readers, including the monochrome enthusiasts at Monochrome Weekend. Let's also link to Sunday Bridges since purgatory is the asserted BRIDGE between earth and heaven.

 *Dina, of Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo thinks this is a male angel. Looks like it. Her posts, live from the Holy Land, are VERY interesting and often about religion and history. A must for our loyal Sacred Sunday readers.

Labyrinth-- Holy Trinity Church

This year Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 607 North Green Street in downtown Greensboro is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Festivities abound in May. We encourage you to log on to their website and read the schedule of activities--  from workshops on the labyrinth to concerts to art exhibits. Today, for our Sacred Sunday shot, we decided to feature the church's labyrinth. This archetypal pattern, found in the courtyard, is especially photogenic. Conversely, the lovely stone church with a slate roof is nearly impossible to photograph as it continues for almost a city block! 

 A labyrinth is a path with one way leading to the center and one way out. These ancient patterns are found in many religions throughout the world dating back at least 5,000 years.  It isn't clear on Holy Trinity's website exactly when the labyrinth was installed; however, at least one person has walked the labyrinth every day in 2008 & 2009. This tradition of uninterrupted use 365 days-a-year is continuing in 2010. The labyrinth is always open, just waiting for you to meditate, pray, quiet your mind, and recover the balance in your life. 

We're sharing this photo with the Monochrome Weekend Crowd.

 

February 1 Statue for CDP Theme Day

We were saving this photo for February 1, 2011; however, since today's theme for the City Daily Photo community is "statues," we wanted to share this one with the world. If you are from Greensboro, likely, you recognize this as the statue of the four college freshmen who inspired the sit-in movement. The statue is located on the campus of NC A & T University, where it was unveiled on 2/1/02 (link). 

Jibreel Khazan, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and the late David Richmond are remembered for their heroic refusal to get up from the lunch counter where, at that time, African-Americans were not served. Here, you can see our photo of the statue from the front. However, this view from the back makes us feel "one" with history, as if we are following these great men. Today, many of the 1,200 plus city daily photo blogs around the world are posting photos of statues.  Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

We're also sharing this with the Monochrome Weekend group!

Lawndale Baptist at Night

By day, Lawndale Baptist Church, established in 1956,  is a giant, imposing brick church on Lawndale Drive. With two recent building campaigns, the church has grown and grown. It is one of those churches with buildings from multiple decades; a full service church with activities literally every hour of the day. From sermons to basketball teams, Lawndale Baptist has activities for all age groups.  

Lawndale Baptist looks hauntingly serene by night. Can you imagine driving home late at night and happening upon this view? As we drove by, we came to a screeching halt, pulling into the parking lot to take this photo. This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekend a place where nobody misses life beyond the grayscale. Thanks to all of you yesterday who posted positive comments about our canine friend Bijou and for those of you who responded privately about the dog walk the girl scouts are hosting.

 

Rise and Shine

As the sun rises over the encampment in Country Park along Lawndale Drive, this American Continental Army reenacter is getting ready for his long day of battle. In the photo, we see an early generation of the shelter half or two man pup tent which has been "(t"he fundamental unit of shelter for the U.S. army in the field-- since the Civil War".... Somehow these primitive cotton pyramids managed to keep people dry through a very rainy night last weekend. 

This is the final in a series of four photos showcasing the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse this past weekend. From pup tents to full military regalia, from parlor musicians to drum and bugle corps, to battles, for 48 hours, one of America's smallest military parks came to life.

 

First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro

Greensboro saw its first Presbyterians in 1824 and, six years later, the original First Presbyterian Church was built at the corner of Davie and Church Streets. Today, in its present location at the corner of North Greene Street and Fisher Park Circle, First Presbyterian is an assemblage of six buildings. In the photo above, we see the exterior part of the sanctuary built in 1929, a brick version of the fortress gothic style. The building was inspired by the Cathedral in Albi, Southern France.  Learn more about the building's architecture here.

First Presbyterian stands majestically on a hill, overlooking Fisher Park.  From this Greene Street view, we can appreciate the scale of the property as we see people being called to worship. Barely visible behind the trees is the breathtaking stained-glass, rose window, typical of the Gothic architectural style. Downtown Greensboro is in the background. 

 

Sternberger School

One could learn much about the history of Greensboro just by studying the people our schools were named after. Sternberger School was named for Bertha Strauss Sternberger, the mother of Blanche (Mrs. Edward) Benjamin. Mrs. Sternberger was a prominent Greensboro citizen in the early 1900's and was the first woman on the city's school board. Her husband, Emanuel Sternberger, was one of the organizers and president of Revolution Cotton Mills in Greensboro. Together, they maintained a fabulous home in the neighborhood of Summit and Bessermer Avenues.

Daughter Blanche Sternberger Benjamin donated the nine-acre site for Sternberger School and it was constructed in 1946, making it the first school to be built in Greensboro after World War II. While the School has expanded from eight to twenty two classrooms over its sixty four year history, much of the character of the school remains the same-- from the deco style lettering above the entrance doors to the commitment to remaining a neighborhood school. The Benjamins were great philanthropists in Greensboro and lived down the road from Sternberger School on Northline Drive. See their home here. Today, we share this photo with Alieni's Monochrome aficianados.

 

Have a Seat

Garbage day can be an embarrassment, especially to teenagers on toilet disposal day. Here we see a home off of Lawndale Drive that had three toilets replaced. It looks really strange to be driving home at night and to see white porcelain toilets glowing by streetlight on the side of the road. Maybe these toilets are being replaced for water efficient ones. Toilet #1 on the left looks like it fought back when being removed!

The City of Greensboro hauls away just about anything that is put to the curb by dawn on garbage day. Likely, used toilet removal is high on a sanitation worker's list of least favorite tasks-- especially when the tanks have not been removed. We offer this up for Alieni's monochrome meme. Usually, we LOVE lots of color in our photos. However, today's photo has more journalistic appeal when presented in black and white.

 

Guilford College Co-ed

This photo was taken on Sunday afternoon around 12:45 pm along the Friendly Avenue entrance of Guilford College. If we had to guess, we would say that this co-ed, dressed in her Sunday best, was walking home from church. If she is a Quaker, she was walking home from "meeting."

The Quakers first came to the area in 1750, naming their settlement New Garden. The land was described as "this majestic wilderness." By 1837, they opened a co-educational New Garden Boarding School. As explained on the Guilford College website, the campus was even a station on the Underground Railroad. In the 1800's, the school evolved into Guilford College-- the fourth oldest degree-granting institution in North Carolina. Guilford College is designated a National Historic District by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Students can't help but feel that they are part of something special.

Except for the asphalt road, this foggy, wet, winter scene could have been a photo from a hundred years ago. We will share it on Watery Wednesday.

 

Greensboro's Littlest Angel

If you read yesterday's post, you'll recognize this little angel as one who is preparing to be photographed with the the Holy Family in the nativity scene at Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro. This little child seemed to be an angel even without the costume. Childhood is such a magical time and memories like this one, last a lifetime. For those who celebrate it, Christmas is such an easy time to do special things with our little ones. Greensboro is a great city for December activities, secular as well as lay!

This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekend which makes us pause and ponder. Will heaven be monochrome or in color? Oh, and will there be tennis shoes and bobby socks on angels in heaven?

 

Moravian Village & Nativity Scenes

Onlookers marvel at the intricate details of the Moravian village and nativity scenes displayed at the First Moravian Church on S. Elam. The village and nativity scene is known in the original German as "putz", meaning to clean or to decorate. Usually, they are  found under Christmas trees in homes of people of the Moravian religion. These scenes usually depict a manger scene and its surroundings in Biblical Bethlehem.

Our local newspaper, The News and Record, featured an interesting story on the elaborate process and longstanding annual tradition of installing this scene on a little stage in our local Moravian church's fellowship hall. We selected this photo for Monochrome Weekly because it could have been taken fifty years ago in black & white; save the woman in a hoodie, the scene hasn't changed much!.

 

Charming Alley

You know a downtown area is healthy when there are charming alleys. Here is the alley located between Chakras Spa, Mary Contrary Boutique, and Simple Kneads Bakery. On a warm day, doors are opened, benches are placed outside. You can sit and enjoy a fresh pastry and tea, delight in your new hair cut, or ponder a purchase. Even on a dreary day, you can cut through to get to Elm Street faster! This view, and compact grouping of stores,  is about as close as Greensboro gets to European charm. Adding to the visual interest of this nook is the metal flower gate. We believe it was sculpted by Erik Beerbower, Greensboro's most famous metalworker. If you have a minute, his video is worth viewing, here!

This is our Monochrome Weekly shot which brings lookers to our city from as far away as meme-sponsor Alieni's New Zealand! Whether, local or from afar, Welcome! Sit back and look around a little bit, follow our links, and do post a comment. We maintain this site to promote our fair city and to build community.

 

House Formerly Known as Zenke

In August, we brought you the Zenke House in its former location across from Blandwood Mansion in downtown Greensboro. Here we see the same house just a bit north on Cedar Street. Although the new owners don't yet have the structure restored to its original splendor, we can see that it has been given a foundation-- a permanent home-- and appears to have been here for a century. We haven't followed the saga of the other displaced Zenke structures but hope they have an equally happy ending. 

We're sharing this for Monochrome Weekly and will return in color when renovations and landscaping are complete!

Our Lady of Grace School

The weekend is over and children head back to school today. Our Lady of Grace School is a private, Catholic School, located on Chapman Street, just behind the church. Founded in 1953, OLG (as it is known locally) serves 370 children in grades K-8. 

We offer this photo for Monochrome Weekly. Emerging from the darkness of the tree trunk, the statue to the trio of people was just glowing in the sunshine this weekend. If you notice our other posts, we're really pretty obsessed with brilliant COLORS; however, sometimes you find something that was just meant for black and white!

North State Milling Co.

Today, we share a photo of the now-abandoned North State Milling Company located at 816 South Elm Street. Likely this is the best Lee Street view we'll have as the lot in front is currently under construction. This brick and wooden building, with metal silos, was built in 1912 and remains an outstanding example of early 20th-century industrial architecture. It is a slice of life in Greensboro as it used to be. If you want to read more, Preservation Greensboro writes about this treasured place. We keep hoping a national advertiser will feature it in an ad or that a movie will use it as a prop.

We are sharing this photo with our Monochrome Weekly friends.

The Burn Barrel

If you are from the rural south, you know about burning a barrel. Here we see the quintessential 55-gallon drum used for burning trash around the farm. Often, on the weekends, menfolk stand around, leaning on the bed of a truck and rehashing events of the week-- as the barrel burns. Lots of people have funny "burn barrel" stories. Here's one. This story centers around the adventures of trying to find a burn barrel to purchase. As for us, we never could find a barrel to purchase and finally ended up with a round, suburban fire pit!

In New York State, there is actually a Tour de Burn Barrel, NOT to celebrate the burning of a barrel but to warn of the potential environmental hazards of this first-generation  chiminea. Have you ever burned a barrel? Was there one on your property? This photo is printed in sepia tones in order to participate in Monochrome Weekly.

O. Henry-- Historic Marker

Downtown Greensboro, On Market Street, is this historic marker for short story writer, O. Henry. On April 20th, we featured the O.Henry monument. His short stories are so contemporary, it is hard to believe that he was born during the Civil War (and died in the year of the Mexican Revolution for that matter). 

Ever since our friend Alice suggested that O.Henry would be a great choice, were Greensboro to get a U-Haul truck designed for us, we have been devouring our collection of O.Henry short stories. What have you been reading lately? 

Stop by Monochrome Weekly if you like black and white photography.

Foggy Morning in Guilford County

Guilford County still has some rural scenes. Here we see the sun trying to rise during a foggy morning out in the county. Fortunately, by the time we took this picture, the fog had started to lift and, as we hit rush hour traffic, we could see the bumpers of the cars in front of us. 

The color was pretty dull in the colorized version of this photo, so we didn't hesitate to turn it into a black and white for Monochrome Weekly. 

Village Tavern

Village Tavern, located at 1903 Westridge Road at Battleground Avenue, is a Greensboro institution. Although there are locations in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, and Colorado, Village Tavern has that small town, one-location feel. You sort of expect Ted Danson and the whole Cheers crew to walk past while you are having dinner, to clap for you when you walk into the bar. They have great specials, affordable fixed-price, multiple-course meals, award winning brunches, great food, and reasonable prices. The above photo shows the happy hustle and bustle of the main dining room, especially cozy on a cold or rainy day. 

This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekly. Go here if you like black and white photos and want to see more!

Labor Day-- Transition to Fall

Happy Labor Day!. Today, we have one last hurrah with family and friends, our white shoes get put away, community pools are open for one last day, and children ponder school resuming tomorrow.  Perhaps more than anything else, Labor Day reminds us that fall is upon us. We hope you are having a restful Labor Day. 

In the photo above, we see a young man sitting in Greensboro's Piedmont Triad International Airport waiting for his flight. We don't know if he was leaving home or returning; however, he captures that pensive look of moving on, just as Labor Day captures the transition from summer to fall. 

This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekly.

Dancing the Car Clean at Rainbow Car Wash

Rainbow Car Wash in located on Battleground Avenue between Greensboro Dance Studio and Taco Bell. Seeing the word DANCE motivates you to do a little dance as you are washing your vehicle. Rainbow is an "old school" car wash where you do the cleaning yourself; no crew to detail your vehicle for you nor does it have an automatic brush system. The Rainbow system requires good old-fashioned hard work! This young co-ed was taking advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday and concentrating on getting her car clean. By the time she finished, it was spotless!  Next time you are faced a some monotonous task... DANCE! Do you think she is listening to polkas or hip hop? 

This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekly where you can tour the world in sepia and black and white! 

Rain Brings Us Together

This photograph was taken at the Greensboro Arboretum during the Summer Solstice Festival of 2008. It came across our desk as we going through the archives. We love the way people made the most of the summer downpour by sharing umbrellas and huddling together. All the giggling made us feel as if we were five-years-old again!  Next time you are down in the dumps, remember, rain can, indeed, bring us together. Everyone, but the vendors, was happy that day. The Greensboro Arboretum hosts many events and always has interesting flora; truly, a photographer's delight.

We think it is perfect for to share for the Watery Wednesday and the Monochrome Weekly groups. 

Aerial View of the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)

Here we see an aerial view of the Piedmont Triad International Airport, known in three-letter-airport-code as GSO. The photo was an afterthought on the part of Mrs. GDP. During a recent departure from GSO, thinking we were on a brief holiday from photographing Greensboro, we realized, "Wait, we don't have a picture of Greensboro from the air!" Out came the camera and snap, snap, snap. If you look closely, on the left-center edge of the photo, you can just barely see the tip of the wing.

We like this view because of the bent horizon line and the comparison of the cars on the road to the airplanes on the tarmac. Also, those giant square buildings are quite imposing for a city with less than 300,000 residents. 

This is our contribution to Monochrome Weekly. We love monochromes because, often, published black & white photos look like pictures that have been in someone's attic for decades!

Stucco House on Walker Avenue

The Spanish stucco house featured today is located on Walker Avenue, across from Ebenezer Lutheran Church. Likely, the house is owned or rented by someone affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). This type of architecture is not common to Greensboro; however, it fits with this eclectic neighborhood. In recent years, the façade has been spruced up and this house is a charming casa near campus, just down the street from the little log cabin we featured in January. We're wondering if the chair on the right is a Uhwarrie Chair Company product made in nearby High Point!

This photo is our contribution to the Monochrome Weekly.

Blandwood Mansion

The Monochrome Weekly Theme picture was taken through a side window, late one afternoon, at Blandwood Mansion on 447 West Washington Street in downtown Greensboro. It was the time of day when color begins to drain from objects due to the low light. Black and white emphasizes the silhouette of personal objects such as the punch bowl and small tables.

Blandwood, former home of Governor John Motley Morehead, was completed in 1846. It is billed as America's oldest Italianate villa. Blandwood is open Tuesday- Sunday. Additionally, throughout the year, several events take place on the lawn and in the carriage house. The day we were on location photographing, the director/curator Ashley Crayton Poteat was leaving work for the day. In our brief conversation, the energetic and dynamic Poteat proudly informed us that she was beginning her sixth year as director. While August will be a rather quiet month at Blandwood, September is full of events from bluegrass music the last three Sundays of the month, a National Preservation Institute Workshop, and a Museum Day sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine. Make it a point to stop by and take advantage of this local treasure. As always, guided tours of the interior, the museum shop, the carriage house, and gardens-- featuring native trees and plants-- are available to the public through the summer and into the school year.

Check back on Greensboro Daily this upcoming Friday as we'll showcase the exterior, Italianate architecture of Blandwood Mansion in front of a fabulous Sky Watch Friday Carolina blue sky!

The High Point Museum

The High Point Museum, just a few miles down the road from Greensboro, is one of Guilford County's little treasures. The museum houses an array of permanent and temporary exhibits, from an interactive display about the life of jazz musician John Coltrane, to an historical timeline of the High Point end of Guilford County; to a chair exhibit and display about the making of furniture. On property is an historical park with two houses, one from 1786 and another in 1801, and costumed interpreters providing living history demonstrations and guided tours of the grounds.

In the photo above, shared with the Monochrome Weekly crowd, we see one of the interpreters quilting. She is living her dream at work, home, and at school. She is studying history in college and works at the museum interpreting the past. If you have the time and interest, she and her mom, also an interpreter at the museum, will fill you with information about colonial times and everything authentic to the area. They also have great expertise in genealogy, know how to sew authentic period costumes, and, in their spare time, the participate in historical reenactments. Also on property is a blacksmith shop and, on certain days, a blacksmith providing demonstrations.

This museum and the people working there are invaluable assets to Guilford County. Perhaps best of all, the entrance is free. Check the schedule before going to know what will be going on when you plan to visit.

The Greensboro Arboretum: Relaxing on a Bench

If you haven't been to the Greensboro Arboretum yet this summer, please make an effort to visit. With all of the rain this spring, the gardens are in full splendor. The hydrangeas, cone flowers, bee balm, walking trails, mature trees, fountains, and open green space, make the Arboretum one of the most photogenic places in town. Take your tennis shoes as it is a great place to exercise. The women in the photo are fanning themselves and taking a break from the heat.  If you like sepia and black and white, view more photos at Aileni's site.

Schiffman's Jewelers, Since 1893

We start the week with Schiffman's Jewelers, located at 225 S. Elm Street. Here we see the store just before opening when the valuables are still vaulted and all is quiet. Schiffman's Jewelers is a fourth-generation, family-owned, local business that remained faithful to downtown Greensboro even during decades when other businesses relocated. Many Greensboro families have great stories about purchasing engagement rings, strings of pearls, and other fine jewelry from this shop. We hope you will share your story here. Any retail business that has endured since 1893 must be keeping customers happy. 

While this photo looks like it could be from a previous century, actually it was taken within the last 24 hours and converted to black and white for the Monochrome Meme!