While milling about town this week, taking photos of Greensboro to share with you, we stopped by the Greensboro History Museum. We were reminded that tomorrow (July 12, 2025), the museum will have a super fun, nostalgic event celebrating the 1970s. However, before digressing, let us stick to the photo at hand. Here we see a piece of furniture and memorabilia from the Clegg Hotel and restaurant. It fits with our initiative to feature more downtown history with our readers.
William Francis Clegg moved to Greensboro from near Pittsboro, launching a cigar factory on South Elm Street, across from the train depot. He began selling coffee and sandwiches to people traveling by train. This small start up led to the creation of a hotel and restaurant. An old postcard of the lobby shows large armchairs. We're betting men sat around smoking cigars and discussing business, politics, and life in general. Online, a New Year's Day menu from 1903. What an interesting piece of history and culture. You should be able to open it in the "menu" link. However, here are a few features. To drink: Moore Springs water, Buffalo Creek water, Harris Lithia water, Buchanan well water, White Stone ginger ale, ping pong lemonade with peppermint stick, coffee, tea, buttermilk, and chocolate. The protein menu was very different from what you would likely find today: Chowder of clams, baked shad, smoked ham, same old 'possum, Reedy Fork duck, broiled doe chops, ribs of beef, green goose, and roast wild turkey. What would you have chosen?
Going to the Greensboro History Museum is such a fun way to learn about local history. It is free, so you could take a little one and when they had reached their limit, you could exit and head to the public library or the children's museum, just around the corner. If you want to learn about the 1970s, stop by The Flashback 1970's event (see here) tomorrow from 11:00 am- 4:30 p.m. There will be vintage autos, fashion, a fashion show, hands-on activities, a bake-off, talks, a costume contest, and more. To be sure, the event will be cool, groovy with a little flower power thrown in. Look for Mr. Clegg while you are there!
Happy Friday!