Greensboro Daily Photo

Ai Cemetery

On  Day of the Dead, today we are floating through Ai Cemetery in remembrance of those who are in eternal rest. The Day of the Dead, or El Día de los Muertos, is a holiday akin to Catholicism's All Saints' and All Souls' Days. In Mexico, there is a decidedly indigenous/Aztec flavor to the celebration. The deceased are honored by gathering in homes, at churches, and in cemeteries. It is a time to remember the dearly departed with little offerings of the deceased family member's favorite food, beverages, and with little gifts. It is said that the final death on earth comes when nobody living remembers you.

If such a holiday were celebrated widely in Greensboro, the McGready descendants would be singing and dancing in Ai Cemetery right now. Nancy L. McGready, who was born in 1797 and died in 1858, is buried in this cemetery adjacent to Ai Church. The surname, McGready, is a variant of the Gaelic word meaning "trained" or "expert." The McGready's were some of the early settlers to Guilford County. James McGready migrated to Guilford County from Pennsylvania in 1778 and settled near David Caldwell's congregation. McGready, pious from childhood, became a minister and had congregations in Haw River and Stony Creek.* Now that we've learned about the McGready's, we'll need to return to Ai Cemetery to see if the preacher is buried there. As for where "Ai" got its name, nobody knows for sure.

For more information on Preacher McGready of Guilford County, read chapter 4 of The Great Revival: The beginnings of the Bible Belt by John B. Boles.

J is for Jarrell, Randall Jarrell

 

 

As seen in the sign above, Randall Jarrell was born in 1914, in the same year as fellow poet Octavio Paz and actor John Wayne; the year World War I began. Jarrell's relationship with Greensboro began in 1947 when he came here to teach and where he would live for 18 years. Today, we wanted to feature a portrait of the well-known writer; however, there are only two known portraits of him-- at least that he actually sat for. They were done by Greensboro artist and Jarell's long-time friend, Betty Watson. One of the portraits is in storage at Jackson Library and the other is now owned by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery (read more here).

Jarell wrote for children and adults alike. Many of his writings draw from his military experience, some from his time teaching at Sarah Lawrence College. He won the National Book Award for his collection, The Woman at the Washington Zoo. His "parable of charming instruction", The Bat-Poet, illustrated by the famous Maurice Sendak, was published in 1964. (quote from the review here). It would be 29 more years until a bat-protagonist would again win the hearts of children (J. Cannon's Stellaluna). 

Jarrell's life ended too soon and tragically, in 1965 at age 51, when he was struck by a car while walking. Jarrell is buried in the cemetery adjacent to New Garden Friends Meeting. Today is ABC Wednesday and "J" is for Jarrell, one of Greensboro's great literary figures. See our A-I  entries here.

Genesis Monument: Greensboro's Geographic Center

This is a close up of the center of Greensboro's Genesis Monument in Fisher Park. The 42 acres which became Greensborough were purchased in 1808 from Scotch-Irish settler Ralph Gorrell for $98.Today, the city has a total area of at 109.2 square miles; only about 4 square miles of the land is water. Last year, we featured the whole Genesis marker (here). Today, we're featuring the CENTER of the center. The details are interesting. You can see that our city's spelling used to be Greensborough. We used to have a Fayetteville Road, Salisbury Road, and Hillsborough Road which lead to cities with those names. You see the antiquated measurement "poles" listed. A pole is the same as a rod and equals 5.5 yards. 

Unfortunately, people have little regard for public property and have scratched initials in this plaque. Perhaps we can have students collect money to get it repaired and raise their awareness of the cost of defacing public property. If you are looking for something to do this weekend, head out and see this monument. Also noteworthy is the monument to Sandy Bradshaw who died in 9/11.

 

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. 

Joseph M. Morehead

In our wellness effort to move more and eat less, today, we'll be traipsing through Guilford Courthouse National Military Park on this inviting path. We want to learn every inch of the battleground before the reenactment weekend March 12th and 13th. Today's photo takes us past the monument to Joseph M. Morehead who lived from 1840- 1911 and was an office holder in the Guilford Battle Ground Company. Mr. Morehead wrote the book,  "The battle of Guilford Court House, North Carolina, and the preservation of that historic field" (published 1909). "Morehead" is a prominent name in Greensboro. North Carolina even had a Governor Morehead. What we really love about (this) Mr. Morehead's statue is the shadow cast onto the tree to the right on this crisp, sunny blue day.

Information about more great statues, some of which are in this National Military Park, can be found here.

Nathanael Greene Rides Again

The Nathanael Greene bronze statue at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park soars a majestic 27 feet above the earth. The monument depicts Greene, a Revolutionary War hero and our town's namesake. The statue, unveiled in 1915, was purchased with $30,000 appropriated by the U.S. Congress after local residents failed to raise sufficient funds.  The sculptor of the equestrian portion of the statue was Francis H. Packer (see reference below*).

Here we see the bronze horseman on a warm winter day this week. The early blossoms of spring were trying to decide if they dare open against the backdrop of the warm, blue, cloudless sky-- our contribution to Skywatch Friday. If you are local, mark your calendars for the 230th Battle of Guilford Courthouse Anniversary and Reenactment, March 12-13, 2011. Rain or shine, it will be a weekend of free entertainment and a great way to learn about history by reliving it! Photo opportunities abound. Here's one of reenacting troops we took last year and one of colonial musicians here.

*Historical information found in Gayle Hicks Fripp's book "Greensboro-- Images of America" Arcadia Publishing, p. 10.

Who Put the Greene in Greensboro?

At the end of this most patriotic July Fourth Week, we offer the following: Nathanael Greene, major general in the Continental Army, fought in Greensboro during the American Revolutionary War and left his name and legacy behind. Here is the top of the Nathanael Greene statue-- featured against Greensboro's sweltering, cloudless, blue sky. The statue (full view available  here) is located at a round-about around Greene and McGee Streets. In 2007, the statue was dedicated to former mayor Keith A. Holliday for his service (from 1999 to 2007) to Greensboro.  

Although not longer mayor, Mr. Holliday continues to make a difference in Greensboro. He now serves as President and CEO of the Carolina Theater. From the helm at Carolina Theater, he can see this statue! As a side note, Mr. Holliday had a role in the musical 1776, performed at the Carolina Theater July 4th weekend.  Mr. Holliday, here's to you and your predecessor, Nathanael Greene for Skywatch Friday. If you donned a three corner hat, likely, you would be the spitting image of Nathanael Greene!  You, too, have made Greensboro a little Greene-r!

 

Fourth of July on Sunday!!!

With today being Sunday and also the Fourth of July, we thought this photo captured a little bit of the spirit of both. In the above scene on Elm Street, you see an historical marker providing details about a Methodist cemetery. Also in view are people walking to and from Fun Fourth celebrations and one of the American flags lining Elm Street. The tree leaves remind us of the sparklers children will enjoy later on tonight. If you are local, don't forget the showing of the musical 1776 at the Carolina Theater, the fireworks at Grimsley High School, and the rest of the Fun Fourth events. Hope to see you at one of them! 

In the meantime, let's take a minute out of your Sunday to remember those who are with us only in spirit. Then, take time today to let those around you know how much you care. Have a fun, safe, Fourth-of-July Sunday!!!

 

Genesis Monument

The Genesis Marker found in Fisher Park represents the geographic center of Guilford County... Ground Zero...the epicenter... "as determined for the establishment of Greensborough as the county seat of Guilford County, 1808."  Originally, the county seat was located in Martinville, slightly northwest, near Guilford Battleground. It was moved once surveyors determined the actual geographic center. However, this specific spot was deemed too swampy and low. In the end, the courthouse was built less than a mile southwest, on higher ground, near the intersection of Market and Elm Streets.  If you are interested, the Preservation Greensboro website has interesting information on Fisher Park, Greensboro's original civic open space, the area on which this Genesis Marker is found. As stated on the marker, the original village of Greensborough was comprised of 42 acres purchased by the commissioners from Scotch-Irish settler, Ralph Gorrell, for $98 in 1808.

We encourage every citizen of Guilford County to visit this marker, at least once. This would make a nice picnic outing for fourth grade students since that is the North Carolina history year. If you are from one of the other 1,300+ city daily photo sites around the world, does your city, county, community have anything to mark the geographic center?

 

With Mayo Please

This sculpture, known as "Mayo" by Robert Costelloe has been an icon on the corner of Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road since the days of Burlington Industries. In 2005, when Burlington Industries' building was imploded to make way for the expanded shopping center, the sculpture was placed in front of Fleming's Restaurant where it stands today. Mayo was designed by Costelloe at the North Carolina School of the arts.

Wonder if the name is somehow related to the former business, Mayo Yarns? 

 

I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King had a dream and today is the holiday set aside to remember his dream. Regardless of ethnicity or belief system, we owe it to ourselves to reflect on Dr. King's message.For the first time ever, we are publishing the same photo twice. As we looked through our photographs, we simply could not find another one more appropriate than this one to feature on the Martin Luther King Holiday. Besides, we have so many new readers with whom we would like to share this photo.

The bust, made by Wilbur Lee Map in 1994, is located on the southeast corner of South Elm Street and Martin Luther King Drive. The plaque on the statue reads, "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was scheduled to speak at AME Zion Church in Greensboro (a few blocks from here) on April 4, 1968. He canceled his visit to remain in Memphis where he was assassinated on that day." As we watched this 55 second video clip of Dr. King's final speech, we are struck by how exacting this bust captures his facial features in his final hour of life.

Finally, Seattle Daily Photo has a great tribute to MLK today! 

 

International Civil Rights Center & Museum

Greensboro is realizing a dream. The opening of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum is a mere three weeks away. For over a decade, we've been walking past the former Woolworth Five and Dime at 301 North Elm Street lamenting the fact that this historic place looked like all the other abandoned, boarded up, urban buildings. Not for long. When we walked by today, cameramen were inside taping a preview for the public. Hopefully, the planners have set a realistic goal as the space is renovated but empty. February 1, 2010 is the 50th anniversary of the Sit-Ins that "(l)aunched the national drive for integrated lunch counters (History marker J79)."  

Follow the above link and watch the February One Trailer, a 1 minute 43 second trailer of the February 1 documentary. To date, the fanfare seems to have remained rather local. Hopefully, the center & museum will receive the international recognition that it deserves. James Weldon Johnson had it right, "Lift every voice and sing, 'Til earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty.......

 

Goodbye to the Forrests

Interior decorator Martha Forrest and her artist husband Tony (on left) are relocating to New Orleans, "where they are needed," especially by their grandchildren! Here we see Martha, owner and principal designer of the Tin Rooster on Elm Street, and Tony with friends in front of the continents and oceans that Tony painted. 

We featured this globe when Greensboro Daily Photo first began back in January before Erik Beerbower performed his welding magic and made the word Greensboro on the top. Also featured are Ricki and Sydney Grey who own the property and who upcycled the air compressor from a navy ship into this work of art.  Good luck Martha and Tony and thank you for all that you contributed to the art and design community in Greensboro. 

This is our contribution to Sky Watch Friday where hundreds gather to share their photos of hometown skies.

Sandra W. Bradshaw

The June 1st 2009 crash of Air France Rio-Paris Flight 447 caused us to pause and recall a local airplane crash victim from eight years ago. As seen on the monument above, on September 11, 2001, Greensboro area resident Sandra W. Bradshaw died aboard United Airlines Flight 93.  We want to remember the flight attendant from Greensboro who worked until the very end trying to help passengers on that ill-fated day. Several screens of information about United Airlines Flight 93 are available on Wikipedia, so we will defer to them for details.

This monument to Sandra is found just outside the baseball stadium in downtown Greensboro. This is our contribution to the Monochrome Weekly Theme.

Green Hill Cemetery

On this Sky Watch Friday, we offer a view from inside Green Hill Cemetery. The sky looks as if it is being pierced by the obelisk. The tall monument commemorates the prominent 19th century Greensboro family of Julius A. Gray who incorporated Greensboro's Chamber of Commerce in 1888. This 51-acre, downtown cemetery dates from the end of the 19th century with the oldest burial in the database dating from 1840. Just this year (2009),  Friends of Green Hill Cemetery was established to offer history, photos, and tours of this cemetery. One local fan of the cemetery has an extensive website, dubbed The Unofficial Homepage. 

Last Tuesday, May 26th, we featured the Gatekeeper's Cottage.

Addendum: On Tuesday, June 9th, 2009, the News & Record featured a front page article on Green Hill Cemetery and its need for repairs and TLC. GDP published an article four days earlier! Are we starting to influence other journalists or was the publication of the article just by chance?

Trinity of Hands

Many rural churches maintain cemeteries with tombstones displaying names of deceased community members. This Sunday's photo for spiritual reflection is a trinity of hands found on a husband/wife double headstone in a church cemetery on Jessup Grove Road. Hidden by the flowers is the saying, "Precious Lord take my hand."  E. Juanita Allred died in 1992 at the young age of 55. Charlie C. Allred died less than a year later, nine days short of his 66th birthday.  Charlie's hand is on the left, Juanita's on the right, and the top hand, emerging from the clouds, represents the hand of God. As seen in this recent photo, sixteen years later, family members still adorn the grave with flowers. 

O.Henry: Extraordinary Short Story Writer from Greensboro

Here we see one small part of the O. Henry Monument at 301 N. Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. O. Henry, pen name of William Sydney Porter, was born in Greensboro, North Carolina on September 11, 1862-- at the time of the Civil War in the United States. O. Henry will always be remembered for his great short stories with clever endings (aka, the O. Henry ending).  This human-sized book, dubbed "O. Henry's Book" by the artist Maria J. Kirby-Smith, was placed at the U.S. Trust Tower Plaza in 1985. In futures posts, we will see more delightful sides of the book as well as a statue of the author himself and his little dog, just a few paces away. In the meantime, if you are curious to learn more about the author or to see a picture of him, please follow the Wikipedia site linked to his name (above).

This must-see,  ensemble/tribute is posted in black and white today as part of the Monochrome Monday theme day. Since the overgrown azalea was removed a few years ago, this view of the monument is actually well suited for black and white.

               

The Cone Brothers of Greensboro

The surname Cone is well known in Greensboro, North Carolina, and throughout the South. As seen in the above historic marker, the Cone Family name in Greensboro was originally associated with the textile business. Their first mill, Proximity, was so named because it was located in close proximity to cotton, gins, warehouses, and the railroad. With the American textile industry moving overseas, the Cone name in Greensboro is more likely associated with Moses Cone Hospital, Cone Boulevard, and local journalist Ed Cone. Likely, the positive influence of the Cone Brothers will be remembered for a long time!

If you notice the Wendover Medical Center building in the background, in reality, it is not leaning. In photographing the listing historical marker, we decided to photograph the sign straight at the expense of the building! The keepers of the historical markers need to right the listing J-96!

               

Good Friday Crosses: 1,842 Clusters of Three

Today is Good Friday and our contribution to the Holy day is this photo of crosses. These crosses are scattered throughout the southeast and most sets have been erected within a day's drive from Greensboro. We thought you might be interested in knowing about them as, likely, you have seen them somewhere in driving to and from our wonderful city!

The Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer of West Virginia began erecting the crosses in 1984. By the time of his death in 1993, 1,842 trios of crosses had been installed in 29 US states and in the Philippines. One hundred and six of them are in North Carolina. Coffindaffer spent over 3 million dollars on this project. Likely, if you live in Greensboro and travel this holiday season, you will see a set of these crosses along the side of the road.

Notice that the center cross is yellow and the other two, blue. Often, they are installed on heavily wooded mountaintops and we always wondered how on earth the Rev. Coffindaffer reached the upper ridges with them. One day, we saw this set near a gas station on US 19 in West Virginia and stopped to get a first hand look and to snap this photo. As you can see, the crosses are beginning to look worn and in need of a coat of paint. We wanted to share them on Skywatch Friday.

              

Edward R. Murrow

Edward R. Murrow, 1908-1965, according to the plaque at the base of the sculpture was a "pioneer in broadcast journalism and Guilford County native."  Murrow, the son of local Quakers, was known for his on-the-scene reporting from Europe, especially during the blitz of London in World War II. He produced a series of television news reports that contributed to the eventual political downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy. He was the director of the United States Information Agency under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

The above sculpture was made by Ogden Deal and commissioned by Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and Cumberland Development Corporation in 1970. We love this "larger than life" sculpture off of Church Street on the property of the Greensboro Historical Museum and very near the underused Murrow Boulevard.

Wonder what Murrow would say about all the changes in journalism today? Anyone with a computer (and a camera???) calls themself a journalist. Newspaper reading has gone from a sacred, much-anticipated daily ritual in all households to something associated with the older generation. 

Regarding today's photo--from a photographer's perspective:  We love the scale the sculpture balanced with the diminutive appearance of the car lot in the background. At first the wires in the background bothered us. Then, we decided that having communication continually flowing through Mr. Morrow's head was part of the sculptor's intent!

So, in the words of Ed Murrow, repeated nightly by Keith Olbermann as a tribute to his idol, "Good night and good luck!"

Addendum:  After the "Easter Island" comments we went back to view this sculpture of Murrow again. It is not nearly as large as it seems in this picture. The camera lens had a fisheye effect! If you are local, we hope you will go and see it for yourself!

               

First Presbyterian Cemetery behind the Greensboro Historical Museum

The cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro is located on the grounds of the Greensboro Historical Museum. Known as the Old Presbyterian Graveyard, this cemetery is a historian's delight. Arborists will find the cemetery of interest given the wide variety of trees planted here in recent years. Burials in the cemetery range from 1831- 1926. Among the Greensborians buried in this cemetery are Governor John Motley Morehead, (short story writer) O.Henry's parents, and veterans of the Revolutionary, 1812, and Civil Wars.

Many books are available through Amazon that reference First Presbyterian and its original graveyard. Most do not have images of their book covers available. If you would like to see a list of these books and check their availability, click here.

               

Statue of Nathanael Greene in Downtown Greensboro

In the photo above, we see the sun lingering over the monument to General Nathanael Greene (1742- 1786). Greensboro is named in honor of General Greene, a self-taught Quaker ironmaster, who led the Patriot forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in the Revolutionary War. The American hero now stands in the center of a roundabout at the intersection of Greene and West McGee Streets.

The quote at the base of the statue reads, "...in the very name Greene are remembered all the virtues and talents which can illustrate the patriot, the statesman, and the military leader." Marquis de Lafayette

               

Bennett College Historical Marker

Historical Marker J55, erected at the corner of Bennett and Market Streets in 1962, alerts motorists to the location of Bennett College just a few blocks away.

According to their website, 

"Bennett College for Women, located in Greensboro, NC, was founded in 1873 as a coeducational institution and in 1926 was reorganized as a college for women. A small, private, historically Black liberal arts, United Methodist Church-related institution, Bennett offers women an education conducive to excellence in scholarly pursuits; preparation for leadership roles in the workplace, society, and the world; and lifelong learning in a technologically advanced, complex global society."

            

Remembering February One on 2/1

February One, a Greensboro event that sparked a national movement, is an important day in the history of civil rights. The monument above, erected on the campus of North Carolina A & T State University, recognizes the efforts of David Richmond; Franklin McCain; Ezell Blair, Jr. (Jibreel Khazan) and Joseph McNeil.  If you do not know what happened that day, the words on the monument above are a good introduction to the event. " These four A & T freshmen envisioned and carried out the lunch counter sit-in of February 1, 1960, in downtown Greensboro. Their courageous act against social injustice inspired similar protests across the nation and is remembered as a defining moment in the struggle for civil rights."  Many websites and books are available to explain the movement. A good place to start is the Documentary Film Study Guide by Rebecca Cerese and Diane Wright. 

            

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park on a Gray Winter Day

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park may be  small in acreage (125 acres), but it is monumental and dynamic as an historical venue. The visitor's museum is a great place to start to get an orientation and to learn more about the battle, which took place on Thursday, March 15, 1781.  Additionally, reading the tombstones and the plaques on the monuments, scattered throughout the park, is informative. This year, on the weekend of March 14th-15th, the park will hold the 228th anniversary commemoration.

The men in the photo above are taking a self-guided tour. The window on the right reveals the gray landscape and leafless trees found at this time of year. If you do not live in Greensboro, you may want to learn about the venue by reading the website for the park. 

            

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Facing west,the bust of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (by Wilbur Lee Map, 1994) is located at the crossroads of South Elm Street and Martin Luther King Jr Drive. The plaque reads, "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , planned to speak at Trinity AME Zion Church in Greensboro (a few blocks from here) on April 4, 1968. He canceled his visit to Greensboro to remain in Memphis where he was assassinated on that day."