Greensboro Daily Photo

Apple Computer Store in Friendly Center

At long last, Apple Computer users don't have to drive to Durham to visit an Apple Computer Store. For the grand opening last weekend, the store was packed. Even if you are not a Mac fanatic, you should drop by the store for something fun to do this weekend. Sales associates are friendly and knowledgeable, decked out in their Howard Johnson's turquoise and orange shirts! And the Apple software just makes you want to drop everything and be CREATIVE! We purchased Aperture 2 in the hopes of cataloging the ever-expanding library of photos we are capturing for Greensboro Daily Photo.

               

The Rhinoceros Club

The Rhinoceros Club, located at 315 South Greene Street (directly across from the Carolina Theatre) is a great place to socialize if you are over 21, like live music, and like to dance! The colorful newspaper boxes out front add a lot of visual interest. Do you suppose the patrons are inside reading? We hope you have a safe, great weekend!

                

Foust Building on the UNCG Campus

As we've stated before, the city of Greensboro is home to many institutions of higher education (IHE). Between The University of North Carolina Greensboro, Guilford College, Bennett College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Greensboro College, we could take a daily photo from an IHE and not run out of subjects for years!

The Julius I. Foust Building, pictured above, is one of two original buildings on the University of North Carolina Greensboro campus. It was completed in 1892 and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. Dr. Foust was the second president of the school, then named The North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College.

A "Timeline of UNCG History" on the UNCG website contains a photo of a plaque on the Foust Building flanked by wreaths made from magnolia leaves-- very southern!

If you know any of the history of the Foust Building or have any anecdotes to share from "the good old days," here is your chance to post a comment. Please share our URL with your UNCG friends, so they can tell the world about this landmark building on Spring Garden Street.

            

U.S. and NC Flags

Windy winter days have their advantages for photography. Without leaves on the trees, the unfurled US and NC flags can be seen clearly. The flags, with matching colors, yet different patterns, complement each other. These flags are flying proudly on Spring Garden Street on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

            

Carolina Theatre

We've actually been getting requests to showcase Greensboro's  Carolina Theatre. We promise to provide you with better pictures and more posts about this landmark building, specially the inside which is breathtaking. Here is our first effort!

Opening night at the Carolina Theater was hailed as quite an event and is best described on the theater's own website. The Carolina Theatre, billed as “The Showplace of the Carolinas”, opened on Halloween night in 1927, as a 2,200-seat vaudeville theater.  Mayor Paul Lindley was issued the first ticket and joined opening night crowds in exclaiming over glittering crystal chandeliers, gilded railings, marbled columns and classical statues.  The Carolina was considered to be the finest theater between Washington and Atlanta. The most monumental structure of its type ever built in Greensboro, the Carolina’s terra cotta façade resembles a Greek temple with its embellishments painted in bright blues, reds and golds."

If you live in Greensboro, you owe yourself a night out at the Carolina Theater. Their showing of old movies and the performance schedule, including the annual Community Theater of Greensboro's Wizard of Oz production, provide something of interest for everybody. Please support this Greensboro landmark!

            

Aycock Historic District

This house, located on Cypress Street directly across from Aycock Middle School, is found in the heart of the Charles B Aycock Historic District. 

The Aycock neighborhood got its start when Summit Avenue was paved in 1895 as the neighborhood was conveniently located between Cone Mills and downtown Greensboro.  Most of the homes in this district date back to the early 20th century. Residents pride themselves on the unique character of their houses and the neighborliness of the families. Residents hold block parties, deliver meals to neighbors in need, and socialize from their front porches as weather permits.  David Wharton, an Aycock resident, blogs about this area. January 2009, with grant funds, the city of Greensboro and local volunteers planted over a hundred trees in the area around Summit Avenue, Yanceville Street, Bessemer Aveune and the streets in between. Sixty trees were planted on the property of Aycock Middle School. 

With the new plantings, the Aycock Historic District should look even more charming and inviting as spring approaches. Please make an effort to stop by for a visit.

            

United House of Prayer for All People

On this Sunday morning, we offer you this view of the United House of Prayer for All People. This stately, angular church, with its prominent three crosses, is located on the corner of South Dudley and East Market streets between North Carolina A&T University and Bennett College.

               

Temple Emanuel

Greensboro's first permanent Jewish residents, the Cone and Schiffman families, came to the city in the 1890's. In the early 20th century, Greensboro's Jewish population grew quickly. Over the years, as congregations outgrew facilities, new ones were built. The temple at 1129 Jefferson Road was completed in 2002. According to their website, Temple Emanuel has been "connecting generations" for over 100 years. 

            

Brown-Gardiner Drug Store

The Brown-Gardiner Drug Store, with its pharmacy, soda fountain, and lunch counter, has been an Irving Park institution for over fifty years. On February 15th, the Greensboro News and Record ran a human interest story on two army buddies who found each other by chance at Brown-Gardiner. Kerman Copley, who works at Brown-Gardiner as a pharmacist's technician, recognized his friend, Dr. Leonard Berman, whom he hadn't seen in 63 years. By chance, Copley having relocated to Greensboro from Durham and Berman, having recently relocated from Florida, met when the latter came to Brown-Gardiner to fill a perscription. 

Brown-Gardiner is a vestige of the small-town, friendly atmosphere of the south of yesteryear. If you are a local, having breakfast or lunch here at least once is a must. Who knows? Maybe you'll see someone from your past. Order a classic-- like a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich and sweet tea!

            

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

               

Guilford County Schools Science Fair 2009

The Four Seasons Town Centre was crowded on Wednesday, February 11th for the Guilford County Schools' Science Fair 2009. Trophy winning projects at the middle school level covered such topics as kudzu, making fuel from animal waste, safety of reusing water bottles, and minimizing heat loss with blankets for the homeless. The middle school receiving the most trophies and recognition at the district level was Aycock Middle School, where the 6th-8th grade Spanish Immersion and Science and Technology Magnet Programs are housed.

This photo was taken in the arena where awards were distributed. The actual projects filled the mall and the public was invited to view the projects.

            

O.Henry & Proximity Hotel Service with a Smile

Drivers for the O.Henry and Proximity Hotels are proof positive that Greensboro is a wonderful city because of its people. These chauffeurs get you from Point A to Point B promptly and safely and you won't even want to leave the car because of the good company.

Quaintance-Weaver is a community-service oriented company that started in Greensboro in 1988. In addition to the O.Henry and Proximity Hotels, Quaintance-Weaver owns several top-notch restaurants. The Q-W Companies pride themselves on being good money values, environmentally friendly, supporters of local artists, and great places to do business and to work. 

            

Center City Park in Downtown Greensboro

Center City Park opened at the corner of Elm Street and Friendly Avenue on December 1, 2006. The park has proven to be extremely popular with Greensboro residents, especially in the warmer months when people often eat lunch and chat with friends on the property. This clay bird sculpture is one of many fine pieces of artwork found in the park.  The angular orientation of the photo allows for the Greensboro Cultural Center on Davie Street to serve as a background. This bird is approximately 3 feet tall and the delight of small children who see eye to eye with this playful piece of sculpture.

            

Trinity AME Zion Church

The beginning of Trinity AME (African Methodist Episcopal)  Zion Church can be traced back to 1891 and a professor from Livingstone College, the Reverend William H. Goler. Although the church has changed locations and appearances over the years, it has continued to thrive for 118 years. Presently, it is located at 631 East Florida Street and is led by Rev. Dr. Frencher. The doctrine of this independent AME Church is fundamental and premillennial. If you follow the links, you will learn a great deal about this fine house of worship.

This is the church where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was scheduled to visit on April 4th, 1968. Instead of speaking here, Dr. King canceled his visit to Greensboro to remain in Memphis where he was assassinated on that day. 

If you are in Greensboro and reading this post before 11 am today (Sunday), you can listen to the sermon on WQMG-AM 1510. If you live in Greensboro, we encourage you to go see the church for yourself. 

             

Glass Valentine Hearts at Ellenburg & Shaffer

Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you have someone special this Valentine's Day and that you are able to enjoy the day together. To be sure, we'll be out looking for interesting pictures to share with you later in the month. Here we see some glass hearts hanging in the window at Ellenburg & Shaffer Glass Art Studio at 334 South Elm Street. For the glass collector on your list, Ellenburg & Shaffer has fabulous stained glass for sale. It is a treat to visit their store (and the other places downtown on Elm Street) even if you just want to have a look.

            

West Virginia Glass Vignette for Valentine's Day

Vintage West Virginia glass is widely available in Greensboro's antique stores. Most of the Fenton hobnail pieces in the photo are from Thrill of the Hunt (3122 Battleground Ave #B). For each holiday, we decorate our entrance hallway with a collection of vintage glass and arts and crafts items. We made the heart stopper and LOVE embellishment from polymer clay to fit with the Valentine's Day theme. Do you enjoy making holiday vignettes? Do you like antique West Virginia glass? Happy Valentine's Day, tomorrow. We hope you plan something special. 

            

Tea Time on State Street

Several businesses in Greensboro serve great tea. The Secret Tearoom at 412 State Street is no exception. This view from the front window is reminiscent of Savannah or Charleston. We just missed lunch by about 30 minutes and are anxious to get back for a visit inside. We've heard great things about the chef and that children love to have mother/daughter teas here! If you are looking for something special to do on Valentine's Day, perhaps it isn't too late to book something here.

             

Beaman Building-- Classic 1960's Architecture

The Beaman Building is located at the corner of Independence and Lawndale Drive, in the Kirkwood neighborhood. Built in 1964, the building exhibits classic 1960's architecture as evidenced by the turquoise façade, the flat roof, the long skinny windows, and the nearby carport. Not much is written about the Beaman Building and we couldn't find a good link. Hopefully, the building will be around for a long time so that we can continue to enjoy this treasure of yesteryear.

If you know about the building, how about posting a comment. We did find one woman who worked in the nearby Sears Building for 40+ years who says she remembers seeing this turquoise and orange brick building every day as she was leaving work.

Here is an assortment of items relevant to 1964, available at Amazon. They're just a click away from being yours!

            

Construction at Greensboro Country Club

Here is another one of our photos that could have qualified for a "guess where" or "guess what" photo. We found this geometric beauty on the Farm Course of the Greensboro Country Club. It looks like an Asian rice-paddy planting scene. If you've driven by the GCC golf course lately, you see tractors and heavy equipment roaming over the terrain. All the work and the six million dollar renovation for the golf course just off Horse Pen Creek and Carlson Dairy Roads will pay off as club members will have a redesigned course before you know it! Click here to read a recent News and Record article about the renovation.

The Golf Digest shown below is from March 1960. One of the cover stories is entitled "North Carolina Wonderland of Golf". To purchase the only copy at Amazon, click on the magazine cover.

            

Beef Burger Fast Foods-- A local splash of history and color

Perhaps you have passed by the colonial red and yellow A-framed business at 1040 West Lee Street, Beef Burger, and never noticed this colorful little blue corner on the east side of the building. This former Biff Burger franchise has been a local Greensboro eating establishment since 1961.

Click here to see the front, more recognizable, façade of Beef Burger and to learn more about this Greensboro institution from C. Catherman, self-proclaimed Biff-Burger fan and historian.

This picture would have made a great "guess where this is" page! Honestly, did you know before we told you?

              

Bennett College Pfeiffer Chapel

Happy Sunday! You don't need to wait for Sunday to see something happening at the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel on the Bennett College campus. The chapel was built in 1941 and has been a central venue for memorable activities on campus. Perhaps one of the most memorable was February 11, 1958, the day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a talk entitled, "A Realistic Look at Race Relations." The setting is even more breathtaking in the spring and early summer when the grass is fresh and the trees have greened.

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has a postcard of Pfeiffer Chapel from the 1940's in its North Carolina collection.

            

Ornamental Cabbage

Garden planting time is just around the corner. Seeing this ornamental cabbage reminded us that we need to start thinking about gardening. The parks, green ways, and landscaping throughout the city is proof positive that Greensboro values its plants. With the brown and gray vistas of winter, this purple and green cabbage photographed at The Fresh Market on Lawndale Drive is a welcomed sight.

                

Kneaded Energy Smart Car on State Street

State Street is reminiscent of walking through a quaint community at the beach. Eclectic, local-proprietor shops abound. If you haven't walked State Street lately, you are missing something special. The last two times we've been there, this car has been parked on the 400 block. As it turns out, Kneaded Energy is located at 408 1/2 State Street. For now, we'll just have to sit back, enjoy our coffee from Carolina Coffee and Tea (400 State Street) while looking at this picture on the Smart Car! Happy Friday! Why don't you head out and see if you can spot the kneaded energy mobile--ette.

        

        

Rosa

On Saturday,  Greensboro Daily Photo was combing Greensboro for photos to use during African American history month, looking for nationally recognized sights as well as the more subtle recollections. At Sticks and Stones Eatery, we saw this tomato sauce can, with plants growing in it. Rosa…….

 

The name Rosa was first used in the 19^th century. When civil rights activist Rosa Parks was born in 1913, the name was near peak popularity. Perhaps the McCauley’s christened  their first born after a family friend; perhaps she reminded them of nature’s beautiful icon of love and affection, the rose. 

 

Rosa’s brother was called Sylvester, woods in Latin. Under the right conditions, flowers and woods put down roots and flourish. Indeed, Rosa flourished and became known as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement. Though naming baby girls Rosa has waned in popularity, the roots Rosa Parks established will thrive for generations. We encourage someone knowledgeable of Ms. Parks ties to Greensboro to post something in the comments!

 

             

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."

            

International Civil Rights Museum

Construction on the International Civil Rights Museum should be finished by February 1, 2010, the 50th anniversary of the sit-in movement. Above, we see a picture of the architect's vision for the museum which will be located at the F.W. Woolworth at 132 South Elm Street.  With the funding resolved, the museum's construction should move forward quickly. We encourage you to stop downtown and document the progress. Students, sounds like a great senior project! To enter the virtual doors of the museum and learn more, click here. Today's photo was taken from the very position of the man in the front left corner of the plans, looking into the future museum.

            

Lift Every Voice and Sing

This hauntingly beautiful mask (available at Lindley Park's fabulous homegrown eatery Sticks and Stones) inspired today's post.

In 1899, James Weldon Johnson, in collaboration with his brother John, wrote a song that is popularly titled, THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM. You may know the song by the first five words (lift every voice and sing) of the first verse... " Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of Liberty; let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea."

To be sure, looking at the above mask inspires singing and reflection. Not even the stones weighing the facemask down can stop the singing. If the piece hasn't already sold, we at Greensboro Daily Photo just may need to acquire it!

        

            

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.