Greensboro Daily Photo

Cemetery First Presbyterian at the Greensboro History Museum

Today's photo was taken at the entrance to the cemetery behind the Greensboro History Museum, which was formerly the First Presbyterian Church. The cemetery has been restored and is now part of the museum property. Many graves of prominent Greensboro residents are here; for example, former Governor Morehead- North Carolina's only governor from Guilford County. There are graves dating back to the early 1800s. In addition to benches that accommodate pause and silent mediation, the plants and trees are very calming. It is a true oasis of greenery in downtown. There are long and short leaf pine, holly trees, palmetto trees, and more. *

This is the time of year when people go to the cemetery to clean the graves. Catholics have All Souls' Day. Soon many people in Mexico and Central Mexico, (and the USA) will celebrate the Day of the Dead. The cemetery at the history museum isn't always open so check with a docent, or anyone inside the museum, to get a schedule for when it is open. Truly, this whole museum complex is one of Greensboro's finest, downtown treasures!  Happy Sunday!

* reference and more information from Joel Gillespie, HERE.

Walking Downtown on Greene Street

As we were walking along Greene Street recently, we were struck by the muted colors and then, out of nowhere, these spray painted utility line stripes. The building just behind the light pole is the Greene Street Central Fire Station. It was built in 1926 when the city transitioned to professional fire fighters. There were six bays, enough for six fire trucks. Today, the building is part of the Marriott Hotel. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, so it should remain a visible reminder of Old Greensboro for a very long time.*

Speaking of Greene Street, if you want to get to know the area better, this upcoming Wednesday, October 27th, meet up at Guilford Green (121 Greene Street) at 5:30 pm to walk the entire length of the 4-mile Downtown Greenway. Put on your best walking shoes and hit the pavement with us. Or, get a jumpstart and come downtown today and walk. Speaking of walking, do you see people walking in the photo? Happy Saturday, dear readers!

 

Reference and more information, here.

Bellemeade Parking Deck

Bellemeade Parking Deck between Elm, Bellemeade, and Greene Street just got a whole lot busier now that it is one of the designated parking decks for the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. The above photo was taken recently as people were filing in to attend Wicked. Police have been there to help ensure traffic runs smoothly in these opening weeks of Tanger. As you can see, traffic bogs down a little bit, so you want to arrive early. Plus, it is fun to stroll leisurely to your seat once in the theater. Sometimes, there can be a little bit of a delay getting out. We just need to remind ourselves that we didn't have to drive to Durham, Raleigh, or Charlotte to see Broadway plays.

The Bellemeade Deck is 8 stories and can accommodate over 1,200 cars. Did you know it is built on the site of the former O. Henry Hotel and that the O. Henry statues are right across the street from the deck? As you can see from the above photo, the structure is a combination of cement and granite. The cement is functional as it is strong enough to support the weight of the cars; the granite is a stylish touch. Today is Friday and while it is not First Friday, it is always a great time to be downtown.

More New Construction on Jessup Grove Road!

For years, Jessup Grove Road was a sleepy cut through street connecting Horse Pen Creek Road to Lewiston Road. Since Prohelific Park was built on Horse Pen Creek, this part of town has seen a lot of change. The above lot was empty for several years. The lot next to it already has a pediatric clinic built on it. It will be interesting to monitor the progress on this building. The signage out front advertises Stitch Design Shop and Landmark Construction. According to Biz Journals, Dermatology Specialists are building on this lot at 4527 Jessup Grove Road. Currently, it looks pretty purple; however, when finished the design will be warm wood and glass with an angular roofline, already evident. 

Seeing all of these changes and knowing the Jessup name is one with a long history in Greensboro, we did a little research to see just how long Jessups have been here. According to WikiTree, Thomas Jessup, see also Jessop, was born in 1715 in Yorkshire, England. Jessop was a lifelong Quaker who eventually settled in Guilford County. We wonder how connected the Jessup family members today are with their Jessup ancestors/Quaker heritage dating back over 300 years ago.*  We wonder what Thomas, who was born before electricity, cars, and over 150 years before the telephone was invented, would react seeing this building after it was completed. Thomas Jessup was actually born almost 100 years before Greensboro was a city. Surely, if there is any room to name something on the remaining land on Jessup Grove Road, it can be named for Thomas Jessup. If he wasn't the first, he was at least one of the earliest Jessups in the area. Do you know who the earliest people in Guilford County are with your surname? It seems the more we explore Greensboro, the more questions we have. Happy Thursday! If you need a dermatologist, Dermatology Specialists may be one to consider.

* reference and read more, HERE.

Frogs and Winter

This past Sunday, even the frogs in Greensboro were getting ready for winter. Soon, these Southern Leopard Frogs* will find their hibernating space for winter. Then, in early spring, these cold blooded creatures will emerge to mate and, even if we don't see them, we will hear them. These frogs are native to eastern North America. They eat bugs and beetles so they are really good to have around in the yard. Remember, if you use insecticides, they are traveling up the food chain through the frogs. This one could have been looking for a place to hibernate among the leaves and silt in the potted plants. They need to be protected from extreme cold and in a place where they won't dry out.

What are you doing to get ready for winter? With these cooler temperatures over the last few days, it is beginning to feel a lot more like fall. And this little froggie knows it. Happy Wednesday!

*at least that's what we think it is. It could also be a Pickerel frog. Do you know?

Pumpkin Patch Time

It is pumpkin time again and this patch found out in front of the Guilford College United Methodist Church at 1205 Fleming Road, where it intersects with New Garden Road and Ballinger Road.  You only have to walk around the pumpkin patch and look at the signage to realize just how dynamic this church is. In addition to church service, they have Girl and Boy Scout troops meeting there. They offer adult English classes on Wednesdays. They have a pre-school.  They are advertising a Brunswick stew sale. This Saturday, October 23rd, from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, they are having a Fall Festival with professional crafters and a bake sale. This should be a fun event and one of many things you will be able to do this weekend to get out and celebrate autumn. If you buy a pumpkin, the proceeds to to the youth groups at the church. What a wonderful opportunity to do something for a church that does so much for the community.

Do you have your pumpkins yet? Do you like the traditional orange or are you seeking the white, green, and pastel ones? Do you like the textured ones that look like they have warts on them? It seems like every year there are more and more novel options. Happy week of the full moon! Happy pumpkin hunting!

Playing Soccer on the Fields at Guilford College

What could be more fun on a sunny, Sunday afternoon in October than grabbing a folding chair and heading to an outdoor field to watch kids play soccer? The above photo was taken at Guilford College where light blue and dark blue were playing their hearts out. While we were there, light blue was dominating the game. However, there wasn't even any sign of a scoreboard. All players were giving it their all and trying to apply all of the techniques and strategies learned from their coaches. Over the last two decades, soccer has grown in popularity in Greensboro and opportunities are available to compete at all levels. 

It is so wonderful that Guilford College has made it possible for their fields to be used by the community. Guilford College was established in 1837 and for 184 years has been an important part of our community. As many institutions of higher education *IHE) struggle financially, the college community  and the local population at large need to collaborate and do everything to help the smaller and private IHEs thrive. Happy Monday. Here's to the Guilford Quakers and those children on the field who just may become future Quakers!

Glenwood Blues at Tabernacle Baptist

In July, we noticed the purple/blue lights at Greensboro Montessori School on Horse Pen Creek Road. After a little research, we learned that the bulbs casting a deep color are bad bulbs, and Duke Power will come out and change them if you call and report them. Something about the colorful glow adds allure to a building and the Glenwood neighborhood is full of them. We kind of miss the lights once they have been replaced with ones that burn white. The above church, Tabernacle Baptist Church, is located at 1201 South Josephine Street. If you want to go to this church today, services are at 9:45 am and 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. 

On Facebook, Tabernacle Baptist bills itself as "inclusive in membership" and "conservative in philosophy." Their motto is "Advancing together." They are located near UNCG so likely they have college students attending. Attend by day, and you will see a small, humble, red brick, rectangular building. By night, you will see the purple/blue look, almost as if it were a black light like the ones that was so popular in the 70s. Drive through the Glenwood  neighborhood and you will see more of the purple/blue lights. Perhaps people should wait until after Halloween to report them. They fit with the holiday. Happy Sunday!