Greensboro Daily Photo

27403..... On College Hill

This weekend is Preservation Greensboro's Third Annual  Tour of Historic Homes and Gardens. This year's neighborhood is College Hill, Greensboro's first neighborhood and home to some of our city's oldest homes. College Hill was settled in the 1840's around the time that Greensboro College opened. The houses, many of which were built in the early 1900's, haven't changed much over the past 100 years. Here and here are  examples of the single family dwellings. The homes on show are a larger and more elegant, but these smaller homes are equally cozy.

The above view was taken on South Mendenhall, not too far from the Troy Bumpass Home and beside Greensboro College. Read Preservation Greensboro's Facebook page (here) and you will be running to buy a ticket for the tour of homes. The weathermen say the weather will be perfect. While photography is not allowed inside the homes, we'll be there taking photos from the street. Hope to see you there!

Filling Station in Jamestown (North Carolina)

Jamestown is the little Guilford County community located between Greensboro and High Point. It has a tremendous amount of history in less than three square miles. Just up the road from Dr. Shubal Coffin's house is this little, old-timey gas station (photographed above). Time seems to have stood still here, while Jamestown is changing before our eyes. If you haven't ventured down there lately, Main Street is becoming quite a destination for restaurants.

We can't help but wonder what will become of this Mayberry/Andy Griffith-looking, High Point Road filling station. By the way, if you live in High Point, the road is known as Greensboro Road. We're betting that the roof on this little slice of Americana came from the Pomona Terra Cotta Works in Greensboro. While we hope you are enjoying the present, and dreaming of the future; we hope you have a little time to appreciate the history around you.

Bilingual Day of Children... El Día de Niños

Today, from 12:30- 5:00,  is the Día de los Niños Celebration at Festival Park in downtown Greensboro. This is the fifth year for the event for children and their families, especially those from Spanish speaking families or those who want to be in a bilingual atmosphere. Salsa dancers will perform, as will students from the Jones Spanish Immersion Program. The day is filled with dancing, crafts, poetry readings, art activities, music, and so much more.* As with so many of our festivals, IT IS FREE!

In this photo of a crowd scene, downtown, the child in red tennis shoes was entertaining everyone while his family looked on. We hope he is at the event this year, again winning the hearts of onlookers. Head on down and brush up on your Spanish and celebrate reading and literature.

 

 

*Here is the link to the schedule of events, if you are interested. Here is a photo from a previous year. Here is a great photo of the event.

House on Hobbs

This house, at the corner of Hobbs Road and Bearhollow, near Jefferson, shows North Carolina at its best. The homeowners are diligent about keep the yard nice. Now, their azaleas are in full bloom. The corner-appointed house is a welcoming entrance into the neighborhood. The azaleas make the mammoth hill (for Greensboro, at least) look like it was meant to be full of shrubs. Azaleas are a favorite ornamental plant in North Carolina.  Professional landscapers and hobbyists alike love the spring flowering plant. The combination of pink and white, as seen above, is especially popular.

This yard is not that far from the battlegrounds from the Revolutionary War and remind us that, when our forefathers were out defending our county and country, they were on hilly terrain in Greensboro. Greensboro's average altitude is only about 800-900 feet, but, as part of the Piedmont, it is just that... foot of the mountain. 

The United States has about 17 native azaleas, and on this website, you can learn not only their names but also their bloom times (here).  A big thank you for the people who keep their yards looking lovely. You give us all a good gift!

West Market Street

Here is a classic view of Greensboro, the West Market Street United Methodist Church and the Lincoln Financial/Jefferson-Pilot/Jefferson-Standard building. The view was taken from a truck parked on the South side of West Market Street, facing east. As we traverse the streets this weekend, ever pursuing  future posts, we reflect on the past week. The Great Escape food truck that we featured  this week was voted best food truck of 2013 in Yes! Weekly. The Weatherspoon Art Museum was voted best museum. We were just there on Thursday  There is so much goodto do  in Greensboro.

For sure, we'll be heading to Oak Ridge for Leanne Pizio's "Keep it Local Event." We'll also head to the Children's Museum for the incrEDIBLE plant sale. By the way, the Great Escape Food Truck will be there. As we all enjoy activities in Greensboro, let's hope those fluffy white clouds remain high in the sky for all to enjoy. Let us know how you spend your weekend!

Biltmore Hotel Sprucing up for Spring

Greensboro's Biltmore Hotel at 111 West Washington Street, just off of Elm St., looks like it is getting spruced up for spring; painting and a cleaning- at least the façade.  The Biltmore looks pretty good, especially in light of the fact that the building was constructed in 1895.

It wasn't the only thing getting cleaned/repaired last Friday. From Burlington to High Point, businesses were having work done on their roofs, painting trim, and washing windows. After all, it is time for spring cleaning. Now that the days are getting longer, you ought to consider putting First Friday on your agenda this week. Wonder if the Biltmore would let us have a peek inside. We're curious as to how much old world charm remains in the hotel.

Happy Monday, dear readers. 

While You Were Sleeping...

            While You Were Sleeping was a 1995 romantic comedy, featuring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. This photo shows a scene of what was happening on North Battleground Avenue last night, likely, while you were sleeping. Road crews worked through the night as part of the multi-million dollar highway project taking place on Highway 220, or North Battleground. Fortunately, the police were on the scene making sure that traffic made it through the intersection smoothly. It will be interesting to see how the intersection looks today. We wonder if that giant mound of dirt/sand that is beside the road is still there. Whether you are a day or night sleeper, it is interesting to think about what is going on in the community while you are resting. 

    

            Between the widening of Horse Pen Creek Road, The Urban Loop (formerly known as Painter Boulevard), and the widening of 220 and at the rate property has and is being acquired. We probably won't recognize the area a few years from now. Hopefully, the empty drug store, partially visible below the green traffic lights, will be replaced by another store. As for the current construction, it looks eerily attractive in the still of the night. The site would make an interesting photo shoot for someone who is in the position to stay up all night. The lighting, ranging from green to blue to purple to white is very attractive.

Captive Audience..... on the Road

Driving back from Washington, D.C. this weekend, as we were approaching Greensboro, we saw this truck on the road: "best coffee on the Interstate", Pilot travel centers. On the side, the truck's tank had written, "flammable". Somehow, we don't think the liquid inside was coffee. This was a brilliant piece of advertisement from which one cannot escape. Seeing the coffee-bean shaped sign made us want to stop for coffee. However,  the closest Pilot (Flying J) travel center to Greensboro is in Mebane and we had already passed it. We settled for getting back to town 15 minutes earlier and brewing coffee at home.

Seeing this photo and looking at photos from this time last year,  we notice spring is a little later in arriving this year. Perhaps it is for the best as we don't want any beautiful blossoms to get damaged. If you want to learn about trees that will be blooming soon, look here. Do you have any in your yard? Something a little farther away from home is this 1:32 video about early blooms of spring in the Chicago Botanic Garden. At any rate, as we look at the dull, almost colorless, photo above, we can hardly contain ourselves, anticipating another beautiful spring in Greensboro. Spring, hurry up! Please!

 

Deep Roots Co-Op

On March 20th, Deep Roots Co-Op will be opening at the location featured above, 600 North Eugene Street. While this isn't the most attractive photo of the building, we wanted to show you its location in relation to downtown. Look to the right and you can see the JP building and the downtown Marriott. The baseball stadium is just down the road. It will be interesting to see how having a grocery store downtown changes the dynamics of the area. The former location will be missed; however, the new store will be larger.

Deep Roots is member owned and it elects a board of directors from within the membership. It has by-laws and governance policies. They have principles, values, and green initiatives. They try to buy local, haven't used plastic bags in over four years, and they stock the most wholesome products possible.  Deep Roots started as a little buying club at Guilford College in the 1960's. Over fifty years later, the concept seems as relevant as ever.

On East Wendover

Today's photo is looking towards Wendover Avenue from Church Street at Bessemer. Just to the right is the bridge leading to the Aycock Historic District and Summit Avenue. To the left is the eastern edge of Fisher Park. In the background, you can see a professional medical building. This part of Church Street is filled with medical offices. This vantage point is at the crossroads of East Greensboro and the downtown area. Here is another view of the same area.

Bessemer used to be the gateway to Greensboro before Wendover was built. It is a lot of fun on the weekends to drive around these areas and see all of the growth and changes in the city. When the Office Depot opened a few years ago, the families in the Aycock Historic District were thrilled to see the lot being used for an office supply center. Stop by and check out this part of town if you haven't been over here lately. Regardless of what you end up doing, have a great Saturday and, as always, thank you for reading Greensboro Daily Photo.

Man and Dog II en Route to Southside

Today we are on Greensboro's Southside neighborhood, walking down Martin Luther King Drive near South Elm Street. We are behind a responsible pet owner who not only has his dog on a leash, he also has a plastic bag, just in case..... As the man talks on the phone, the dog is obediently heeling and walking in step with his owner. If all the dogs were this obedient and all of the owners this responsible, Greensboro would be darn near perfect! 

The duo are headed in the direction of the horseshoe-shaped building that used to house the Vintage 301 Restaurant. The new restaurant in this spot is Dame's Chicken and Waffles. The parent location is in Durham, NC.  Read a little about their history, here. Their tag line is "almost famous." It might be nice to try the dish now. Who knows what will happen if Dame's becomes FAMOUS. As for Southside, with a new restaurant and a park in-process, this part of town seems to be generating interest again. Hopefully, they will have some venues for First Friday, on March the 1st.

Pearl of Equality on Hamburger Square

Greensboro has 8 coffee-cup sculptures to honor the Greensboro Sit-ins. The art project was a collaborative effort between The United Arts Council, The International Civil Rights Center and Museum, and Action Greensboro's synerG Group. Each sculpture has a quote that demonstrates the courage of the four men who sat at the Woolworth lunch counter in 1960, starting the sit in's.

The cup photographed above, called 'Pearl of Equality' by Timothy Daniel, is located on Hamburger Square near Natty Greene's. You can enlarge the photo to read the Margaret Mead quote. We want to share Daniel's quote about the meaning behind his sculpture. "The idea of the sharp, stony oyster guarding its precious treasure came to me almost immediately to symbolize the whole 'Eye on the Prize' feeling on the civil rights struggle. The oyster's shell would represent the old status quo, and the flesh and pearl would represent the wonderful bounty awaiting those persistent enough to seek it."

Here is a map for a walking tour of all the cups. It is also the reference for the quote. Pearl of Equality is #3 on the walking tour. The photo was taken last spring, so, if you head down to see it, the trees are not yet budding!

Listening for the Crack of Dawn

Sunrise was so beautiful on North Battleground this week, we had to pull off the road and snap a photo. The sky was only this intense for a brief minute before the color faded and everything turned gray-white. We couldn't help but think of North Carolina storyteller, Donald Davis who has a story called, "Listening for the Crack of Dawn." We just sat there in a parking lot, marveling and listening for the "crack" of dawn to happen. All we heard was an ambulance which broke the magic  and promptly snapped us back to reality. Off to our respective jobs we drove.

Davis tells the stories of his childhood,  the ones handed down to him from his grandmother. Before becoming a professional storyteller, he was a Methodist minister in High Point for over twenty years. So, while he wasn't in Greensboro proper, he was in Guilford County. Imagine having a master storyteller as a preacher. Sleeping through his sermons would be impossible. Now that we think about, his stories, much more powerful when heard than read, have the structure of a sermon. We've had some technology glitches this week  (one of which was that it would take 789 more hours to transfer our digital photos to an external hard drive and that the interaction couldn't be interrupted). Today is Friday and, this weekend, we're not going to do much more than listen for the crack of dawn!

Cold and Icy

        Sometimes weather reports are accurate. Yesterday was one such day. In Greensboro, as predicted, early afternoon, the icy rains descended. Windshields froze over about as fast as one could pull off the road and scrape them. Getting home was harrowing. Fortunately, the public schools closed three hours early and it seemed as if most busses were off the road well before dark. The low only dropped to about 21 degrees; however, it seemed much colder.

        The record cold temperature, ever in Greensboro, over the last 77 years,  is a temperature of minus eight degrees.*  We don't expect those below-zero temperatures any time soon; but it sure feels like it. As for the GDP family, we made a big pot of chicken and vegetable soup and just stayed inside. As for today, we're anxious to get outside and take some pictures! How about you? What have you been up to? What plans do you have?

* see temperatures, here.

Market Street at Elm, Facing east

Here we are on Market Street approaching Elm Street, the street that splits east and west Greensboro. Market Street splits north and south. So, the corner of Market and Elm is something of the epicenter for the city. In the early years of the city, the courthouse stood at the corner of Market and Elm. Back in the early 1800's, our city grew slowly, radiating from this downtown area. In 1829, there were less than 500 residents. By 1833, there was a steam-powered cotton mill nust north of this spot. Today, the Guilford County population is approximately a quarter of a million residents and we are not just a town "on paper." Look our beautiful city. Aren't you glad you live here?

Even since the early days, residents were hoping for bad weather to bypass our community. Hopefully, the skies will be blue; however, if it does snow.... well, we'll all be glad we've already been to the store for bread and milk! People have been anticipating inclement weather and predicting an early release from school for today. We'll see..........

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.

A is for Air

This past weekend, most of North Carolina was covered in fog. Greensboro was eerily foggy. The above photo shows a street scene on Guilford College Road where it crosses Hilltop Road and becomes Piedmont Parkway. We share this photo in relief that, in Greensboro, we are talking about fog and not smog and air pollution like they are in China this week.* China's air is keeping people inside and, in Bejing alone thousands of people a day are being treated for respiratory problems.

If you want to keep up with Greensboro's air quality, our city givernment maintains a page here.   If we consider what keeps a community healthy, air quality is a key component. For this NEW round of ABC Wednesday, we're going with another theme, "Keeping Greensboro Green." Today we are featuring A for air quality. Let's do everything we can to keep Greensboro green and to keep our air clean!

 

*see a fascinating NASA photo and read more here.

Acme Comics

Acme Comics is a comic shop, located on Lawndale Drive, in the Irving Park Shopping Center. This comic book store has been thriving for 26 years and is a Greensboro icon. According to their website, they have over 50,000 comics in backstock, lots of action figures, new and vintage comic books. They were selected to host The Comic Book City Convention this October 26th and 27th. This is a big deal for Acme Comics, as well as for Greensboro. The convention will also be great for nearby coffee shop, Geeksboro. We applaud people who follow their dream and open businesses related to their personal interests. 

In 2013, we're encouraging the citizens of Greensboro to patronize local businesses they've never visited before. Chances are, if you are a comic/action figure lover you have already been to Acme Comics. This is one genre of print that seems to be surviving the conversion to digital print.

... (Conversation recently overheard in the store) Holy atomic pile, Batman! Holy costume party, Robin!  We're in the right place and we look great in print! 

Toboggan Time

Downtown at Winterfest, not only do they have ice skating, but also they offer toboggan rides. On the stage side of Festival Park, a small (100 ft.)  ice slide has been added. As seen in the photo, families wait in line to  the sled ride. For many, the incline is too big, for others, it is too small. For many, the ride is "just right." And for those at the just-right age, this little activity is quite a memory maker.  Disc rental is included in the price of the skates.* If you haven't been down to skate yet, today would be a lovely day. From the looks of the scene, secondary colors are all the rage. So, don your best purple, green, and orange gear and come on down!

*more here.

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.

Santa Spotted in Downtown Greensboro

Earlier in the month, Santa's helper and friends were spotted in front of Elon Law School in Downtown Greensboro. We've heard they've been busy all year so that all the children of Greensboro can have an extra special Christmas. We hope Santa has been good to your family, and that, if you were in the position to share with others, you did so.

This year, we have been blessed at Greensboro Daily Photo with faithful readers and great friends who send us ideas for meaningful and relevant posts. The one last thing we're hoping to get for Christmas is word that Greensboro's beloved Triad Stage reached their fundraising goal and that The Bryan Foundation and Cemala had doubled the funding. That would be Greensboro's own little Mirace on Elm Street. Fingers crossed and maybe Santa is listening. In the meanwhie, keep you eyes to the sky and you just may see a sleigh pulled by reindeer hovering overhead! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

W is for Westerwood

Westerwood is a Greensboro neighborhood that extends from West Friendly Avenue at the First Baptist Church to Benjamin Parkway in the north. The east/west streets are Smith Street and South Aycock. The neighborhood is less than a half of a square mile; however, it gets a lot of publicity due to its proximity to downtown, its diversity of architecture, the tree lined streets, and cozy front porches. The artists, living in the neighborhood, have started an annual art walk, held in the fall. Westerwood is one of Greensboro's early 20th century neighbohroods. While some homes are painted and decorated conservatively, others express individualism by way of paint color and yard decorations. Unfortunately, Westerwood has been in the news lately because Duke Power has been agressively trimming trees- to protect houses and power lines in times of storms. Neighbors are not happy about this situation. 

The above purple and pink house (built in 1922), located at 405 North Mendenhall, is the home of local artist Kathy Reese, who sells metal/sculpture work out of her home. Some of her sculptures are visible in this photo. Nearly a decade ago, we were at Kathy's admiring her artwork and our then-young daughter admired one of Kathy's spiders, welded out of flathead nails and washers. Kathy gave it to her as a gift and our daughter has been hooked on art ever since. Those are the kind of neighborly memories that are made in Westerwood. Today is ABC Wednesday and W is for Westerwood.  See this post from a year and a half ago of another Westerwood home. Enjoy our A-V selections, here. Stop back on ABC Wednesday next week for the dreaded X week!

Sunset HIlls at Christmas

Sunset Hills is THE drive-through neighborhood for Christmas in Greensboro. In the above photo, you see a house on Ridgeway Drive. As seen in the photo, this house alone has more than a dozen of the light-wrapped, chicken wire balls suspended from the trees. These ubiquitious decorations are the hallmark of the neighborhood. Can you imagine driving through a house where almost everyone participates in the elaborate ritual of hoisting these decorations into the trees? Well, tomorrow, about 1,500 people are going to run through Sunset Hills, enjoying the decorations and raising money for charity at the same time. If you are local, you have to see this event, as well as the decorations that brought fame to the neighborhood just southeast of Friendly Center.

Pamplona, Spain may have the Running of the Bulls; however, Greensboro, North Carolina will have an event called The Running of the Balls. The event will be a 5K run through Sunset Hills, with people playing and singing live music along the way, which is being billed as one of the most decorated neighborhood in Greensboro.

V is for Valley, Greensboro's Green Valley

This house on Hobbs Road is located in the Green Valley neighborhood. As we struggled to find a "V" neighborhood for our ABC Wednesday series, we realized that it would be nice to feature Green Valley. It is such a nice neighborhood with a great location; it has a wonderful swim and tennis club (The Swamp) and a great sense of community. Green Valley is a diamond shaped neighborhood extending from Westridge in the northwest corner to Green Valley in the southeast. It covers a little over a square mile and encompasses the Bog Garden and Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. Green Valley backs up to Friendly Center and the majority of the homes were built in the 1960's and 1970's, after Friendly Center opened.

Driving around the Green Valley neighborhood, you do notice Greensboro's hills and valleys . From the top of Cascade to where it becomes Cornwalis, to Hobbs Road, you reach a low elevation near the Bog Garden.

The above brick cape home- 1410 Hobbs Road-  at the corner of Alderman Drive, was built in 1966. The home has an understated simplicity, from its rectangular shape and dormerless roof to the unadorned holiday greenery. The home evokes the concept of discernment, something that is important in our Quaker community. Discernment is the ability to judge well, to get at that which really matters. To the builders of this home, it was important to be efficient with space (5 bedrooms 2.5 baths) while providing a good roof over a family's head and without unnecessary embellishments. 1410 Hobbs represents the neighborhood well.

Today is ABC Wednesday and V is for Valley, Green Valley. See Greensboro A-U neighborhoods, here.

Downtown Greensboro Makes Ready

To make ready to do something is an expression commonly heard from the older generation, especially those speaking the dialects of rural North Carolina. Well, downtown Greensboro is making ready to celebrate First Friday and the Festival of Lights this evening. From 6-9 pm, the city will be wall to wall people ushering in the holiday season. Many streets will be open to pedestrian traffic only as the event is so well attended. Here is our photo from last year's lighting of the city's holiday tree. The above photo (camera phone, sorry) features WXII Chanel 12 News getting ready to feature Elm Street on the news.

Whether you are alone or with a passel of friends, you will not regret getting out and seeing our city donning its Sunday best. Musicians will line the streets, galleries will have great art and snacks to share, restaurants will have great specials. Rumor has it that the folks at Design Archives are donning their over-the-top Christmas sweaters. You really, really should consider wearing one yourself. They are GREAT conversation starters. We'll be roaming the streets in search of the perfect holiday photo. So, S-M-I-L-E and say "Greensboro" and, with your rounded, open mouth, you'll look like you are a caroler, caught mid-song!  We're READY.

Finally, our unique, original, treasure of a theatre, Triad Stage, is in need of a little holiday "greenery." If you get a chance, drop a little in their virtual bucket. Or, if you happen to walk by, consider stopping in and giving them some holiday cheer-- and get a tax deduction while you are at it. 

                                                                          

 

Jaycee Christmas Parade

The local high school bands provided great entertainment at the Jaycee's Christmas Parade on Saturday. In the above photo, Greensboro College marches past the Central Library as one of their littlest, big fans looks on. This toddler was so happy when all the bands came by and, for the most part, she stayed on the street and danced to the music. We all had to move back on the sidewalk when the huge, impressive NC A&T Univeristy band came marching past. 

About the same time, Ben L. Smith High School came marching up Church Street, It must have been a bittersweet parade for the Smith High School marching band members as it was their first Christmas parade without band director Charles L. Butler. Butler died unexpectedly earlier this year in April. He had inspired band students at Smith High School for nearly fifteen years. You can be sure that, on Saturday, Butler's former students were remembering their last parade with him. Godspeed Mr. Butler and may one of your students be inspired to follow in your footsteps. Before we know it, Greensboro's children, like the little girl in the photo, will be in need of a band director.

Methodists at the Christmas Parade

Yesterday, the Jaycee's 35th Annual Christmas Parade was held in downtown Greensboro. The weather was shockingly warm, probably almost seventy degrees. The above photo is the parade entry by Christ United Methodist Church. Church members surrounded the vehicle, interacting with the crowd along the way. Behind the vehicle was a small trailer with a living nativity scene. Also behind were church members carrying  an inflatable candy cane balloon. In the background, a few parade entries back, peeking out from the Statue of Liberty inflatable, is the steeple of the West Market United Methodist Church. Methodists have been holding services in Greensboro since the 1820's and, West Market Street, the church in the background was built in 1851.*Compared to West Market Street, Christ United Methodist Church, organized in 1956 is young.

Both church maintain quite a visible, positive presence in Greensboro. Here's to almost 200 years of methodism in our city. Here's to three and a half decades of Christmas parades and to a community that has something for everybody. We hope you are enjoying your weekend in Greensboro as much as we are!

 

*If you are interested in more of the history of West Market United Methodist Church, read this historical timeline written by Greensboro historian Gayle Fripp, here. See a close up of West Market Street Church 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." 

 

I LOVE NC

Vanity tags, like bumper stickers and slogans on t-shirts, get at the core of who we are. Deep in the heart of North Carolina is a driver who LOVES Texas. Perhaps we should have followed the shopper into Pier One at Friendly Center* to ask why one would purchase a vanity tag proclaiming love for another state. Do you think there is someone driving around in Texas with a license plate that reads, I LUV NC? To be sure, there is an interesting story here.

As you drive around on the roads this holiday, don't forget to play the license game. There is nothing better for entertaining children in an educational way while on the road. Then again, that was the last generation. This generation has text messaging, internet access, and great movies in the car. Still, if you see a fun license tag, especially one in Greensboro, point it out to the people in the car with you and let us know here! Stop back tomorrow for our ABC Neighborhood post. And, by the way, WE LUV NC (in North Carolina). Think that tag is taken?

*This photo was taken last winter which is why you see snow on the bumper.

 

Remembering Little Marissa Nicole Shelton

Thanksgiving week, Americans log more road miles, traveling to be with loved ones, than any other week of the year. If you are among those traveling, please remember to drive defensively and responsibly. The above photo is a reminder of the grief one suffers with the unexpected traffic death of a loved one.*

The pink floral cross is located on Highway 29 north between Cone Boulevard and Hicone Road. Marissa Nicole Shelton, an eight year old girl who lived nearby, was struck and killed on her bicycle in a hit and run accident an July 21st, 2011. Her grieving family maintains the memorial. The little sign of Santa says "Santa, please stop here." We hope that the family's Christian faith community has been helping them get through these very difficult first few holidays without Marissa. Since today is Sunday, we like to share something religious, spiritual, or a message that helps us reflect on the beauty of life before us. Here's to a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving for us all. As we say in the South, "Have a blessed day."

*As of this week, the roadside memorial was still standing. If you are interested, read more about roadside memorials here. Some people say the markers are a remembrance and remind us all to be safe. Others say they are unsafe and distracting. What is your perspective on this tradition?

Diamond Bingo Hall

The game of B-I-N-G-O can be traced to an Italian lottery game in the 1500's. Modern Bingo, as we know it, dates to 1929.*  Bingo night in parrish halls has been a revenue-generating, Catholic tradition for a long time. Even network TV has featured Bingo from time to time. Bingo seems to be fading from churches and other venues, somewhat attributed to the no-smoking regulations. However, virtual Bingo is a big hit to the game-playing, Facebook crowd. 

Greensboro's own Diamond Bingo Hall, featured above, is located at the corner of Summit Avenue and Rankin Road in northeast Greensboro. Diamond Bingo doesn't have a website, so we have no idea of what it is like in side, how much it costs, what you can win. A google search reveals 19 bingo halls in Greensboro and the surrounding area; so, at least some people in the Greensboro area must enjoy playing bingo. Children love the learning versions in school. Civic Organizations and non-profits host Bingo games for fundrasiers, too. Guilford Green's bingo events have brought tens of thousands of dollars to the Greensboro community. 

Well, the weekend is here. Let us know if you're out playing BINGO and, if you are, here is some Bingo trivia to share with fellow gamers. Happy Friday folks. Please do something fun, even if it isn't Bingo.

 

* reference.

Autumn Leaves on Horse Pen Creek

Seeing this view alongside Horse Pen Creek Road, just south of Greensboro Country Club's Farm Course, reminds us of Emily Dickinson's poem, The name- of it- is "Autumn".* While the meaning of her complex poem is  believed to reference the Civil War,** for us, it evokes the image of veins and arteries as we see orange, scarlet, and vermillion leaves on trees, completely sheared of limbs on one side. In Greensboro, Duke Energy performs this tree cutting, near power lines, because they are certified to do so and can preform the task safely. Agressive pruning is an evil necessity since so many of our power lines are above ground.

Here is Dickinson's poem:

        The name- of It- is "Autumn".

        The hue- of it- is Blood.

        An Artery- upon the Hill-

        A Vein- along the Road-

        Great Globules- in the Alleys-

        And oh, the Shower of Stain-

        When Winds- upset the Basin-

        And spill the Scarlet Rain-

        It sprinkles Bonnets- far below-

        It gathers ruddy Pools-

        Then- eddys like a Rose away- away-

        Upon Vermillion Wheels.

 

Before you know it, the wind will blow and the time will be upon us to get leaves hauled away. In the meantime, we'll just enjoy the great globules of colorful leaves as they cling to the arteries and veins of the trees. Should you see trees near power lines that need work, read what the city can and can't do to help (read here). Happy Monday to all!

 

*http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/emilydickinson/10608

** http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/edj/summary/v012/12.1cody.html

Dance Center of State Street

We lament the "passing" of the Saltbox, a Greensboro store that closed earlier this year after thirty eight years in business. Their specialty candles and folk art collection were fabulous. We will be especially nostalgic for their fall and winter treasures and events.

Fortunately, the Dance Center of Greensboro has moved into their building, bringing positive energy and movement back to that little corner of State Street (at Golden Gate). State Street is starting to develop a niche market in wellness and rejuvenation. From plastic surgery to massage, to the magic, spells, and potions offered at Eclectic by Nature, there is a little something for everyone on this charming little street. The Dance Center should be a perfect fit. State Street, their second Greensboro location, is situated in the heart of McAdoo Heights. Let's hope we see dancers coming and going from this building for a very long time.

Let's also keep our fingers crossed that Nancy Moore (owner of the gone-but-not-forgotten Saltbox) finds a little place to work her retail magic. 

Shotgun House

We're back in McAdoo Heights today to show you a little piece of history. The above home, located at 1918 Golden Gate Drive is significant because, it is said to be the last remaining shotgun house in all of Greensboro that is still used as a house (reference).  This red shingled shotgun, with the white addition in the front, perched above a cement retaining wall, is easily unnoticed as one drives down Golden Gate Drive. 

Shotgun houses were the most popular type of house in the southern states of the USA from the time of the Civil War until the 1920's. Shotgun houses are houses that are usually 12' or less wide and the rooms are built one behind the other without and hallway. Typically, you go from the front porch to the living room to a bedroom (or two) to a back room/kitchen to the back porch.*  They were called shotgun houses because if you fired a gun through the front door, the bullet would go all the way out the back door without hitting anything. This once prevalent model of housing fell out of favor in the 1940's, and, after WWII, was considered substandard. In Greensboro, many houses of this style were torn down during the redevelopment of east Greensboro in the 1960's (reference). 

With that addition in front, it looks like the above home has changed its orientation from front to back to side to side. Shotgun houses are efficient because no space is wasted on hallways; however, they are pretty inconvenient when someone has to walk through your bedroom in the middle of the night to get to the bathroom. Being the last of something, we think the neighborhood (or the city..... or HGTV..) should treat this 644 square foot,  two-bedroom, 1935 home to a restoration-makeover..... landscape and all. It is part of our mill town's history.

 

*reference.... Perhaps the most famous person to have been born in one was Elvis Presley.

 

Autumn Knocks on Knox Road

Autumn is knocking at the door just about everywhere in Greensboro. We see it in the shorter days. We see it in the leaves beginning to turn. The okra has decided it is done blooming and the basil has gone go seed. Squirrels are scampering, collecting acorns from our city's large oak trees. October has got to be one of the loveliest months in North Carolina. Before you know it, the leaves will be at peak.

The above photo was taken in the eastern end of the county on Knox Road just across the street from Twin Oaks Ministry. It reminded us that, before you know it, many Greensboro families will be heading out to maize mazes, spooky woods, and haunted houses. Before we bring on those end of October activities, we'll concentrate on all that the beginning of the month has to offer. Of course tonight is First Friday and so downtown will be hoppin'. Also, from 8:00- 10:00 pm, the Creative Center at 900 16th Street will be holding a candlelight tour and Triad Stage is in full swing. Saturday is the Battleground Brewer's Guild will hold Octoberfest. On Sunday from 12:00- 5:00 pm, Art in the Arboretum will host their annual art and gardening event. If you know of other things and want to share, do add a comment. We'd love to hear what you are up to this weekend.

Food Truck Festival

Greensboro's Food Truck Festival, held yesterday on Spring Garden Street, was a giant success. The above photo shows only a small corner of the festival and, as you can see, it was truck-to-truck people waiting patiently in line to sample some of Greensboro's delicacies served out of windows. From tacos to turkey to crêpes, there was something for everybody.

Since it was the first time the festival was held, the city must not have known how much traffic to expect. The area could have benefitted from a closed off street or two- like Saturday's nearby Tate Street Festival. Also, the event could have used more places to sit and another dozen or so food trucks- as the wait in line was extremely long. Of course having the cooperation of Mother Nature, as well as the Central Carolina Fair and the Hispanic Heritage Celebration both right around the corner, likely contributed to the turnout. Additionally, social media breathed great life into Greensboro's inagural Food Truck Festival.*  In addition to enjoying the food, attendees seemed pleased to explore this end of town. Lets hope the local brick and mortar shops will continue to see increased business once the food trucks have pulled back their awnings and rolled on home.

Spring Garden @ Chapman has a lot to offer!

*Follow the blog for Greensboro's food trucks, here.

 

It's a 1961 Corvette

No doubt about it, the vehicle in the photo is a 1961 Chevrolet Corvette convertible. The vanity tags say it all. 1961 was the final year that whitewall tires were offered on the Corvette and the above tires are beautiful. It was also the last year for the option to have the "coves" in a contrasting color- an option not selected in the above vehicle. The 1961 production, 10,939 Corvettes were produced. Half of the buyers opted for the removable top. The base price was 3,934* The above driver has a pretty special vehicle.

This weekend was the perfect weather for being outside. We captured this photo at the intersection where New Garden Road meets Ballinger Road. Maybe he was en route to a meeting of the Triad Corvette Club. They have many fun meet ups for local members. If you are in the market for a new Corvette, the price can range from 50,000 to 100,00 plus.

From segway's to trains and everything in between, over the last 3 1/2 years, we've featured quite a wide assortment of vehicles in Greensboro. View them here if you are so inclined.

* info from conceptcarz

Greensboro's "Tree of Life"

Nothing says "weekend" in Greensboro like a shot of the heart of the city. Here we are at the railroad tracks looking northward towards downtown with the JP building on the horizon. The train says City of Asheville on the side window. Maybe it is headed from the mountains to the coast. Every North Carolinian should make that very journey at least once. It should be a standard school field trip.  

While looking up rail history in North Carolina, we came across these videos on the city's website. They were part of the Bicentennial production about Greensboro. We also found this timeline on the history of the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) company. In the 19th century, the rail system was referred to as North Carolina's "tree of life." Finally, a "must do" is click on this NCRR interactive map, to see the route and learn about the UNCG/pedestrian underpass project.

 

Table 16

In the foreground of this photo, you see the chalk advertisement, "You are steps away from Table 16." This slogan was one of many seen near Table 16,at the corner of South Elm and Lewis Streets earlier in the month. If you look straight ahead, across the street, you can see the restaurant. Here is a closer view of Table 16, with artist, Kathleen Kennedy working on one of her giant paintings.

In the City Daily Photo community, the technique used in this photo is known as the Tenin technique after Eric Tenin (Paris Daily Photo)  who inspired the rest of us to take on a city daily photo site. Eric was the first! We love him not only for his fabulous website but also for his creative approach to taking photos. It seems like sometimes he actually places the camera on the sidewalk.

Hats off to Table 16 for their creative advertising. Eric would love it as he is such an advocate of seeing beyond that which is at eye level!

GTCC on East Wendover at Burlington Road

If you haven't been out East Wendover Avenue lately, you won't believe how it has changed. Gone is that rural feel of being way beyond the outskirts of Greensboro, and the area continues to get more built up. In the above photo, you can see the East Wendover campus of Greensboro Technical Community College (GTCC) in all its glory. The campus is comprised of four buildings on 69 acres. This campus provides many useful trade programs: architectural technology, machining technology, manufacturing technology, industrial systems technology, turfgrass technology (just about "technology" everything); plus, paralegal studies, plumbing, residential carpentry, and so much more.

The main building, featured in this photo, is GTCC's first LEED-certified, "green" building. It is 45,000 square feet of total energy efficiency.  Watch this short little video clip if you want to take a peek inside. Greensboro is very proud of GTCC as it provides such an important community service. It is a way for people to continue their postsecondary education affordably and without having to leave home. If you peek at the street signs at the top of the photo, you can see that this campus of GTCC is located at the precise point where Wendover Avenue "changes" to Burlington Road.