Greensboro Daily Photo

North Carolina A&T University Preparing for Black History Month

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is preparing for Black History Month starting with the February One Celebration. The exhibit has been installed in the H.C. Taylor Art Gallery, located in the old administration building, just behind the February One Monument. This exhibit is not to be missed. Mia and Norris McAdoo have loaned the gallery over 650 artifacts that provide insight into the lives and experiences of African Americans from the era of enslavement to present day.

The above photo is of a slave transport collar. Other items include a playbill from the Broadway play of "A Raisin in the Sun," copies of "Negro Digest" from the 1940s, and a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee screen print from 1964. Many people collect ephemera and other items from history. The McAdoos have assembled an invaluable museum. The collection ranges from warm, nostalgic memories to more jarring ones like the above collar. In the background, you see a museum worker adjusting gallery lights so  the exhibit will be just perfect when it opens to the public. He encouraged us to also visit the exhibit on the second floor. Greensboro is a city with so much history related to the Civil Rights Movement. If you are local, we encourage you to use the month of February to learn as much as you can. If you are from elsewhere, please come visit.

Happy Wednesday!

Mebanesville Performed at Common Grounds

Live music warms the soul and last Saturday night's performance of Mebanesville at Common Ground Coffee Shop at 602 South Elam was no exception. It was a cold and rainy night, but the band brought cheer to customers and staff alike. Mebanesville members like to say the band has been living locally while exploring music globally since 2000. Their diverse sound is described as Transatlantic rhythm and roots. The above photo features Iryna Tkachenko whose musical talents include bowed psaltery, mandolin, melodica, ukulele, vocals, and xylophone; Peggy Boswell (back row) pennywhistles; Jane Davis, violin and vocals; Sherry White Lea, bodhran, djembe, hand percussion, harmonica, and vocals; David Thompson (back row) bass; and Larry Vellani, banjo, bass, guitar, mandolin, and vocals. Mebanesville performs at many venues and for community organizations, mostly in the Piedmont, but is always open to new adventures. 

The Elam location of Common Grounds has been open since 2013. They open daily at 7:00 am. Check their website for closing times, but the earliest they ever close is on Monday and Tuesday when they close at 9:00 pm. It is nice to know where to find late-night coffee shop and even nicer when live music is happening- such is the case often at Common Grounds. The combination of good coffee and music is heavenly. A heartfelt thanks to all involved on Saturday, with a special shout out to Sasha, the extraordinary barista, Catherine Thompson who was running sound, and all the Mebanesville friends and family who came out. Two of the band members, David Thompson and Jane Davis are from Greensboro, the others live between here and Mebane.

Happy Tuesday!

 

My Fair Lady at Tanger Center

Seeing a performance at Tanger Center for the Performing Arts is the perfect activity for a cool, drizzly Sunday afternoon. Yesterday, we had the good fortune to land a 2nd row ticket to see "My Fair Lady." The acting and the scenery of this Broadway revival show were superb. Photography isn't allowed during performances, but the above screen was up before the performance began. It is a nice example of a scene around London in the early 20th century. 

Tanger Center held its first public performance in September 2021. On the one hand, it is hard to believe it has already been open two and a half years. On the other hand, it is hard to believe there was a time when it was not in Greensboro. It is such a key venue for bringing top shows, concerts, and lectures to the area. It seats 3,000 beautifully and was made possible through a combination of donations and public funding. Here is a link to upcoming events. February kicks off with the percussion group STOMP this weekend.  Sometimes it is possible to get discounted tickets at Tanger. 

Happy Monday!

 

 

Eclectic by Nature

Today's photo features a mural on the back of the Eclectic by Nature shop. The business is located in a stand-alone house on State Street, right beside Vida-Pour-Tea. Owned by Pavane Taylor, it is a shop that specializes in spirituality products. The mural in the above photo sets the tone for the kinds of items you will see when entering the shop. There are prayer flags in the background; the sun, moon, a candle, crystals, and nature in the foreground. For many, these are alternative religions, very different from the God and Christ based religions. However, there are many different types of spirituality present int eh Greensboro community. For those seeking spirituality more related to the elements and nature, this is one of the few go-to places in the area. They should be open today from 11:00 am- 6:00 pm.

Here is a photo we took of the front of the building nine years ago, back in March 2015 when we had snow in Greensboro. The building is so nicely curated inside and out.

Happy Sunday!

From the Dog Stick Library to the Greensboro City Library

We've featured plenty of Little Free Libraries around Greensboro, where you take a book and share a book. Today, we're featuring a Dog Stick Library. We've been looking for one and, yesterday, when we were on the exit ramp from West Wendover Avenue to Market Street, we saw this one. We tired around and went back to photo graph it. The above library is located in the 100 block of South Lindell Road, on the edge of Lindley Park.  A ten-year-old child from Canda and his father are credited with spreading the concept as a Covid quarantine activity. They got the idea from a stick library in New Zealand.*  The family of the Canadian duo had a family tradition of creating something every week. We'd love to know the back story on the Lindley Park "library" and the extent to which it gets used. It is very well built. We also want to take our dog there to see if he would like to borrow a stick.

If you love libraries and are craving a good human library experience, consider heading to the downtown branch of the Greensboro Public Library today from 1:00 pm- 4:30 pm to attend the Book Lovers' Social Author Day. It is their 15th annual celebration of books, authors, and reading. A dozen regional authors will be there to mingle, sell their books, and sign books. Read more HERE. We hope to see you there! We've attended in the past and authors have always been very personable.

Happy Saturday!

 

* reference and more information HERE.

Sheila Duell Sings at Jazz Night at the O. Henry Hotel

Last night was Jazz Night at the O. Henry Hotel. People gathered in the lobby to dine and hear great live music. In addition to the weekly band, Dave Fox (piano), Neil Clegg (flute, saxophone), and Matt Kendrick (bass).  Henry Burns (not pictured) was playing with the group, and Sheila Duell was singing in English and French. It has been four years since Greensboro had an opportunity to hear Sheila sing at the O. Henry, and the audience welcomed her back with open arms. The two different parties we sat near both came to hear Sheila sing. 

Sheila has a B.A. in Theatre & Drama and French from the University of Indiana. She has been trained in acting at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.  In addition to her talent performing musically, she is accomplished in T'ai Chi, actually having trained in China.* In addition to hearing great music tonight, we had the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life in the audience. Especially when Sheila Duell was singing in French, it felt a little like being in Europe. As we were leaving, it started to drizzle and the doorman walked us to the car with an umbrella. What an all-around lovely evening. Jazz happens at the O.Henry every Thursday from 6:00- 9:00 p.m. It will leave you in a good mood for the weekend

Happy Friday!

* Reference and more information HERE.

Kress Building

The Kress Building, downtown Greensboro, is so beautiful and really stands out in winter when there is no foliage to obstruct the view. We've featured it plenty of times over the past 15+years, but it is just one of those places we like to stop and study when we are on one of our walks from Tanger Center to Gate City Boulevard. Located at 212 South Elm Street, it was built in 1930. This art deco building has been restored. It has struggled over recent decades to get tenants that revive it to its original glory. It could even be subdivided, seems to be a place just waiting for someone to find the right use(s) for it.

The buildings considered Art Deco in Greensboro include: The Stone Ellis Building/Thalimer Department Store; Guilford County Office and Court Building; International Cilvil Rights Center and Museum; Isaacson Building; L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building; Mock, Judson Voehringer Company Hosiery Mill; and the S.H. Kress Company Building. Of all the options, this one seems to stand out the most. What do you think? It would be fun to seek all of them out on a Saturday afternoon. Here's to a great Thursday!

Receiver

If you are looking for something meaningful to do on a winter day, we'd suggest you visit the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the southeast corner of the UNCG campus, at the corner of Spring Garden Street and Tate Street. The above photo is of the rear entrance, near the dedicated parking area for museum visitors. The painted bronze sculpture in the center of the photo is "Receiver."  It has been placed in the courtyard and Urban Francis has been moved to the second floor. The artist of this sculpture is Huma Bhabha, who was born in Pakistan, but now lives in New York State. She is known for ambiguity in her art and based on the description of the piece, the title could refer to the receiver-like headphones in the figure's ears, it could refer to the figure itself- as in a being who receives others and who receives communication- or likely both.

According to The Center for New North Carolinians, there are approximately 1,000 Pakistanis living in Guilford County (reference), and many live around Allen J Elementary School in High Point. Allen J offers a dual-language immersion program in Urdu, a language of Pakistan. The program has gained national attention (reference).  The Weatherspoon Art Museum is mindful of the growing diversity in the population of Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina and the United States. Their acquisitions and exhibits reflect this growing diversity. The Bhabha sculpture is one of many examples.  If you get a chance, stop by and see this sculpture, and also the exhibits. If you like photography, you will really enjoy the current exhibits. See information about exhibits and hours here.

Happy Midweek! 

Wintery Skies Over Greensboro

This photo of a winter sky over Greensboro is what we think of on a sunny day. In Greensboro, the winter sun is travels low on the horizon, and the trees are without leaves. These conditions can make driving difficult, but the skies sure can be beautiful. When most of nature takes on shades of brown, the sky can stand out like a deep aquamarine gemstone. After a bout with weather in the teens and lingering below freezing, we are scheduled to see a high of 69º by Friday. The last time we had a measurable snowfall in Greensboro was on January 29, 2022 when we had 1.8 inches. If we have any snow, it will likely be between now and mid-February.

We always try to enjoy every season we experience in Greensboro, even when all of the seasons seem to present within a couple of weeks. Some people are diligent weather watchers and others love to wake up and see what the day will bring. These preferences depend on whether you work outside or have animals outside, if you have to traverse the roads, or if you are in a position to stay home. The Greensboro Science Center monitors the weather closely. When the weather drops below 60º, the Aldabra tortoises are kept inside at a temperature that suits their cold-blooded bodies. Are you a weather watcher?

Happy Tuesday!

Contra Dance at The Grange

Today's photo features the Fiddle and Bow Country Dancers Contra Dance Event at the Greensboro Grange this past Saturday night. While the photo is a little blurry, it gives the idea of the energy and movement that is such a part of Contra dancing. Contra dance is a dynamic folk dance comprised of long lines of couples dancing with partners.  Its origins are ascribed to English, Scottish, French dance styles with strong African influence. The music this past weekend was in the old-time genre and provided by a string-band featuring David Thompson (bass), Darrell Cobb (guitar), Buz Lloyd (fiddle), and Jeff Furman (banjo).  George Segebade called the dance. Contra dancing is done with partners, but you don't have to have a partner to attend. The dances are intergenerational with people from age 12 to 80+ in attendance this past weekend. Dress is casual but flowing skirts are popular.

If you are new to Contra dancing, you can attend the orientation/lesson before the dance actually begins.  Most accomplished Contra dancers are very encouraging and love helping first-timers learn the steps. The next Contra dance at the Grange in Greensboro will be on Saturday, February 17th from 7:00-10:00 pm. The general admission fee is $10- $20 (sliding scale). The Grange is located at 4909 Guilford School Road.

Happy Monday!

Temple Emanuel

Temple Emanuel is such a beautiful place and a vibrant and diverse Reform congregation. This view, at the corner of Jefferson and Hobbs, is absolutely glowing in the early hours of night. According to their website, they strive to be a place of Keruv, which means that it is a place that fosters a closeness to God and also to Jewish culture. This location has been open since 2002, opening during High Holy Days with Rabbi Guttman leading services. There are approximately 600 families affiliated with Temple Emanuel. The Jewish community has community has contributed significantly to the Greensboro community since th 1800s. 

In addition to Temple Emanuel, the Chabad Jewish Center in an orthodox synagogue. Beth David Synagogue is an inclusive synagog of the Conservative Movement. B'nai Shalom Day School is a pre-school- 8th grade independent day school. Greensboro is a community with great religious diversity between and within religions. Hopefully, there is something for everybody. 

Happy Sunday!

Saint Jacques French Restaurant at The Burke Manor Inn in Gibsonville

The Saint Jacques French Restaurant is located in the Burke Manor Inn on Buck Street in Greensboro. While a twenty minute drive from Greensboro, this restaurant is one of the finer dining experiences near Greensboro. John Batchelor said it best in a 2011 review for the Greensboro  News and Record, "Food at Saint Jacques exquisite, but at a cost." The restaurant, located in an elegant home that has been converted to an inn and restaurant, The home was built in 1906 for Ceasar Cone. Several Generations of the Burke family lived there and then it became an inn in 1999.*

It has both indoor and outdoor seating. If you like French food with complex sauces and multiple courses, you will love Saint Jacques. Right now, Chef Lacassagne is gearing up for the prix fixe Valentine's Day Dinner, as well as some summer food tours to France.

The above photo is of a dining rooms not in use when we were there. As you can see, there is ample space between tables. They offer service to special events and even offer cooking classes. The food ranges fro the heavier, meat dishes like Filet Mignon "Michou" and Roasted Lamb to lighter fare, like Salmon Exotique and Old World Warm Goat Cheese Salad. In addition to expertly prepared food, Saint Jacques has great waiters. All around eating at Saint Jacques is a step back in time where you can linger and enjoy fine dining in an atmosphere that takes you back to the first half of the 20th century.

Happy Saturday!

*reference and more information published in  Maria Johnson's 2021 article in Our State Magazine (see HERE).

1217 Lakewood Drive

Today, we're featuring 1217 Lakewood Drive in Hamilton Lakes. It is a very modern house with a low profile from the street. This 4 bedroom 3 bathroom house is not for sale, but we were attracted to is while driving around because of the Little Free Library box in the front yard. The library box is constructed in a similar shape as the house, painted the same color, and had a book we took to read. We had the ambitious idea, for 2024, to challenge ourselves to only read books acquired from Little Free Libraries this year, and to return them to a box when we finished reading them. We see so many of those great community resources as we drive through neighborhoods. Thank you, 1217 for the great selection of books.

The above house is located an easy walk from the lake and the park and walking trails. We imagine it is beautiful inside because it has a screened in back porch and so many amenities. The house was built in 1952, in the era of mid-century modern. It was designed by Wesley Doggett, an early graduate of the NCSU School of Design.* Mr. Doggett lived in Greensboro and died here in 2000.**  After retiring from Carolina Steel Corporation, he opened his own design consulting business. We're wondering just how many houses he designed, what decisions went into  designing 1217 Lakewood, and if he ever lived in the house. This is one of many houses with great provenance in the Hamilton Lakes neighborhood.

Happy Friday!

 

• * reference and more photos.
• ** read the obituary of this accomplished man, here.

Rivian Electric Truck Spotted at Friendly Center

Imagine our surprise while shopping at Friendly Center and seeing a brand new Rivian Electric Truck! The origin of Rivian dates back to 2009 in Rockledge, Florida. It has been through many names, design models, and different investors  to get where it is today. Today, Rivian Automotive, Inc is an American electric vehicle manufacturer, based in Irvine, California. The company and production have steadily grown over the years. As of November 2021, the company had over 9,000 employees. By 2022, Rivian made TIME's List of 100 Most Influential Companies. The company has plans for building a large network of charging stations and the one of the most appealing factors with consumers is that some models can go up to 450 miles on a single charge.*

Rivian uses a direct-to-consumer sales model. You can custom build your vehicle and have it sent directly to you. Prices for the truck start at &67, 50. That concept of not going through a dealership is a very different model from what US customers are used to. We really wanted to talk to the owner, who may have been shopping at Pottery Barn. They sure are unique and it was fun to read up on them. Have you seen one?

Happy Thursday!

*reference and more information here.

Fresh Market Headquarters

The Fresh Market Corporate Headquarters is located at 300 North Greene Street, downtown Greensboro, in the Wells Fargo Tower. This is where employment opportunities are made available, customer service is located, and where the of the managing as the company takes place. According to the Business Journals, the Wells Fargo building sold in December 2021 for 30 million dollars. It is a 21 story class-A building and was built in 1990. It looks like the exterior in granite. To be sure is is well maintained and an attractive office building.

According to this article in 2019, the Fresh Market consolidated their office space here and expanded in Greensboro, investing over 5 million dollars, and  adding 53 jobs. The company began as a single store here and it now has 160 stores in 22 states.  A retail group based in Chile owns 67% of Fresh Market (read more here). We're betting this arrangement is a win/win because when it is winter in the United States, it is summer in Chile, making it very convenient to get good produce in winter. 

Happy Wednesday!

 

The Yoga Connection

The Yoga Connection is a not-for-profit collaborative community that offer free group yoga classes (and free childcare) to immigrant and refugee women in GUILFORD COUNTY. The goal is to foster well being through an accessible group yoga class. Participants- immigrants and refugee women, volunteers, and teachers- gather to strengthen body, mind, spirit, and social connection. This innovative program, centered around the concept of "seva"  (selfless service in Sanskrit) has caught the attention of yoga therapists across the country. The above photo, taken by local photographer Rose Fama Hankins,* features a class in session.

The Yoga Connection offers two 8-week sessions. The first will begin on January 23rd and the second one will begin in September. If you know of someone who would benefit from this very special program, please help them register here, or if you are in the position to donate time or other resources, follow the link to this page. Classes are held Tuesdays from 12:45- 1:45 pm in the Fellowship Hall at Peace Church, 2714 West Market Street. The chance to spend time with other women and practice yoga together is a very special experience for all involved. The Yoga Connection, now  501c3, was started in 2019 by Syrian-American Mona Flynn, a local yoga therapist and exercise physiologist.

*read Rose's inspiring story here.

 

 

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2024

 

Martin Luther King, Jr Day is a federal holiday. It was first observed in 1986, and since the year 2000 is officially observed in all 50 states. Some people say it as a day off, a three day weekend. Melvin "Skip" Alston, Chair of the GUILFORD COUNTY Board of Commissioners reminds us that, actually, it is a "day on", a day of service to community. Many people will be doing just that. From marching in the parade to volunteering at churches, community, and other local events. Today's MLK Day parade will be from 11:00 am- 12:00 noon downtown. The above photo is actually of Andrews High School marching at Greensboro's Holiday Parade on December 2nd. We're betting Andrews High School will also be at the parade today.

The MLK Breakfast will be at 7:30 am at the Khoury Convention Center. This year's theme is "Inspired to Dream." On Saturday, UNCG offered a program that introduced students to aspects of the local Greensboro community where they can serve, honoring Dr. King's legacy. On January 24th,  North Carolina A&T University, UNCG, Greensboro College, Guilford College, and Guilford Technical Community College, will collaborate on a birthday celebration (more information HERE). Greensboro has a legacy of leadership in the Civil Rights Movement that continues. We hope you are in a position to serve, to learn more about what has been done, and where work is still needed on the Civil Rights journey.

Living Hope Church

Living Hope Church is a missionary Baptist Church just up the hill from the former Hampton Elementary School. It is a church that fits perfectly with the neighborhood- not too big. It is a well-maintained property at the edge of the Cottage Grove neighborhood in east Greensboro. If you will recall, this neighborhood was ravaged by a tornado in 2018 that ripped through, severely damaging Hampton Elementary School, the above church, and many houses in the vicinity. At the time, Lester Woodard was pastor of this church he founded in about 1998. Here is a video that provides insight into the destruction the tornado caused and the heartwarming video of Pastor Woodard finding a wedding dress and searching for the owner. Just like the CBS Sunday Morning Show that shows the good in people, this CBS segment does the same.

Pastor Woodard, who lead a full life filled with family, a career, a congregation, a family business and more,  died at the age of 84 on June 4th 2021 (see obituary here). Indeed, his was a life well lived. At the helm of Living Hope today is Reverend Thomas Wilson. Likely, many of the children and grandchildren who attend this church will enjoy the future iteration of whatever gets built on the Hampton Elementary School property. We hope there is someone in the church and neighborhood is documenting all of this goodness. We are wondering if the owner of the wedding dress was found.

Happy Sunday!

Common Grounds Downtown

Downtown Common Grounds at 631 South Elm Street will celebrate its one year anniversary within the month. Since opening last February, they have opened their outdoor seating space and installed this metal owl sculpture. It was made specifically for the coffee shop. If you look closely, you can see the letters COMMON GROUNDS are attached to the metal arch at the front. We wish we knew who the artist is, but didn't seem a name posted anywhere. If you know, please let us know. We should have gone in and asked when we were downtown, on our urban walk, snapping photos this week.

Downtown Common Grounds has started featuring a lot of live music. It is one of many coffee shops to open downtown over the last few years and it makes a great place to work on work, read, or socialize. Their specialty drinks are named after famous actors. Who could resist a Marilyn Monroe or a Marlon Brando? Today would be a great day to head to downtown Greensboro and visit any of the coffee (or retail) shops.  Remember, the free hop-on trolley is still running. You can traverse Elm Street in no timw

Happy Saturday!

Hampton Elementary Demolition Has Started

Hampton Elementary School on Trade Street on the eastern side of Greensboro, was severely damaged in a tornado in April of 2018. Guilford County Schools, the City of Greensboro, and the community at large have been in discussion as to what to do with the school. Ideas ranged from revitalizing it to tearing it down. After other options did not pan out, the Guilford County Schools Board of Education voted to give the land to the City. The hope is to make the property into something the local community- known as Cottage Grove- can use so that children will benefit. *  It is a nice piece of land and it was especially pretty yesterday when we visited and the sun was shining. If you notice on the left, the door is open as workers were inside. Most of the noticeable demolition to date is on the back side of the building.

The school is named for William M Hampton who was a physician. Dr. Hampton was also a Board of Education member and the first Black person elected to the Greensboro City Council.**   There has been a nomination to include his name as part of the new visual and performing arts elementary school being built to replace Peeler and Hampton Schools. The current nomination seeks to preserve both names. Hampton School is tucked back into a neighborhood. If you are out this weekend, it is worth a drive past it. Perhaps you will have some ideas to share about the land.

Happy Friday!

 

• reference and more information HERE.
• ** reference and more information HERE.

Service for Sergeant Nix at Westover Church

The above photo is of the Muir's Chapel side of Westover Church. Today, it will be open for a very sad reason, for the funeral of Sergeant Phillip Dale Nix. He was killed on December 30th, while off duty, when he saw a crime in progress. He was a career policeman who leaves behind a wife, son, parents, extended family, colleagues, and  grieving community.  A vigil was held last night downtown outside at McDonald Plaza and the funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. today.

The funeral for this fallen hero is open to the public and people are encouraged to arrive early. The funeral route is published online (here) in case people want to stand along the way out of respect for the officer and his family. The community has really rallied around the Nix family and this loss of a first responder has attracted a national outpouring of care.  At 2:00 p.m. today, let us all pause for a moment of silence and reflect on what we can do for the public good, just as Sergeant Nix always did.

Rainy Day Downtown

Yesterday was a dark and rainy day with some high winds. While the worst of the storm skirted Greensboro, there were issues with standing water on many of the streets and there were overturned garbage cans on many of the streets with Tuesday garbage service. As we drove through town and Friendly Center, the area was pretty empty for a weekday. The above photo was taken at the corner of West Friendly Avenue and North Greene Street.

The building in the photo is Elon Law School, which opened in downtown Greensboro in 2006. This building at 201 North Greene Street opened in 1960 as the Greensboro Public Library. It was designed by Greensboro architect Edward Loewenstein in partnership with Gregory Ivy, who was chairman of the art department at Woman's College (now UNCG) from 1935- 1961. It is so nice to see downtown buildings preserved and repurposed and to know, not only did  201 North Greene Street have a memorable past as a library, but that great learning here will continue well into the future. As wet as it was outside, especially from 2:30- 4:30 pm, it was warm and cozy inside for students and faculty.

Happy Wednesday!

Night Sky Over Battleground Plaza

The above photo was taken from the northern point of Battleground Plaza at 3726 North Battleground Avenue. It was taken on December 20th when the parking lot was full. However, we were struck by the beauty of the early night sky and the white dots above. It could be that some of those dots could be planes heading into and out of the airport. The building in the middle of the photo is a Chick-Fil-A, one with a drive through and lobby that stay quite busy. For 23 years, this Chick-Fil-A was located at Brassfield. For a year now, it has been in the above location. The building is larger and the drive through is double wide. There simply wouldn't have been space to expand the old location. 

In this retail space, there are stores of all sizes, from the Big Lots with just under 30,000 square feet to several storefronts with just over 1,000 square feet. With Guilford Courthouse National Military Park just east of this plaza, it is surrounded by greenery. Above all, we love the view of the western sky from this vantage point.

Happy Tuesday!

Meet Princess Shabana

Meet @Princess.Shabana, a delightful person and rising influencer on social media (Instagram and Tik Tok).  Imagine our delight this past weekend when we were walking through the Public Work Arts Center in downtown Summerville, SC and in walked this young adult with her partner. As it turns out, Princess Shabana has many dresses like this and looking fancy from head to toe is her preferred way of dressing. If you are still reading, you may be wondering why we are posting a photo of someone who lives in South Carolina. Well, guess what, she is from Guilford County, NC- specifically, from High Point.

This is the kind of serendipity we love about Greensboro Daily Photo. When we are out and about, we never know who we will meet or what we will see related to the Greensboro area. When we were talking, t didn't even occur to to us to feature her on GDP because we were so caught off guard. Actually, when we entered the museum, the volunteer at the front desk was sharing cat stories with another visitor and talking about driving to Greensboro. Unfortunately, we forgot to follow up on THAT story- maybe next time. Exiting the museum, we ducked back in and encouraged Princess Shabana and her handsome prince to move back to the Greensboro area. They said they were considering it. We look forward to following Princess S on social media to see what other inspiring outfits she has.

Happy Monday!

First Friends Meeting: A Quaker Church

Today's post is the First Friends Quaker Church on West Friendly Avenue. In addition to the church's wooden sign that makes it clear "all are welcome", there is an additional sign stating, "THESE QUAKERS LOVE YOU", surrounded by a rainbow of colors dabbed around the border of the sign. As we walked the campus this past week, we were pleased to note the cornerstones around the church. From them, we learned that the congregation was organized May 6, 1891; the above church (or meeting house) was erected in 1957; and there is a cornerstone from an earlier building, dated 1909.

If you notice, there are solar panels on the northeast side of the building Quakers were advocates of earth-friendly practices before reduce-reuse-recycle became everyday household words. If you drive to the church and want to attend today, there is ample parking. A large magnolia tree somewhat obscures the building from view.It is located at 2100 West Friendly Avenue.

Happy Sunday!

Epiphany 2024

For many, Christmas is long gone. For some, today is a big holiday, Epiphany or Three Kings Day, the day the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to visit Jesus. For children, it is the day the Wise Men also arrive to deliver gifts to those who have been good all year. Last night, children put out shoe boxes or shoes filled with hay for the camels. This morning, children awaken to gifts and merriment. According to Data USA, 24,900 people in Greensboro are Hispanic, which is almost 10% of the population. Many people in this demographic will be celebrating Three Kings Day. 

The above photo features the Nativity display at Centenary United Methodist Church, located at 2300 West Friendly Avenue. The vibrant colors really stand out on a sunny day late afternoon. Greensboro College also puts up a Nativity scene.

We hope you are safe and warm!

Happy Saturday!

The Long Road to High Ground Mixed Use Project

Yesterday, we had a landscape photo from a federal park. Today, we're sharing a 10-acre private project being developed by Marty Kotis and Will Stevens. Dubbed "High Ground", it is, indeed, on high ground above Battleground Avenue at the corner of Westridge The above photo was taken from the British Woods side, past where Downing Street becomes Churchill Drive.  This $35 million project will have both apartments and retail space. Again, this is an example where city land is infilled, as opposed to needing to annex property or use more rural, unimproved property.  Projects like this one are changing the landscape and profile of North Battleground (NOBA). The project will likely be done sometime this year. 

It is First Friday and the start of a weekend where the weather may not be conducive to getting out and exploring. Perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to scroll through old posts on Greensboro Daily Photo. With nearly 5,500 posts, there is plenty to choose from If you see the "Categories" bar, you can pick a category that really interests you and have a look. As for us, we'll be out looking for more vistas to bring your way.

Happy Friday!

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought on March 15, 1781, twenty seven years before Greensboro became a city. The battle is known as a victory within a defeat; meaning that, while we lost the battle, we won the war. The battle changed the course of the southern campaign during the Revolutionary War.* The above photo features the path we were walking around the park the other day, as the winter sun was setting. Shadows were long and growing and it was easy to reflect on the day and on the history of the park while walking the loop. Here are four suggested, easy-moderate hikes within the park. The actual park is only 250 acres. It was established in 1917 and was actually the first Revolutionary War Site designated by the U.S. government (read here).

Walkers can go along and visit monuments and even stop into the visitors center to see exhibits and learn from a park ranger. You can make your jaunt in the park an opportunity to learn some history, or you can simply walk and relax. The park is well used by walkers, joggers, and people with dogs. This year, on March 16-17, it will be brimming with living history reenacts who will set up in and camp out in the park. This special event is a great opportunity to bring history alive to young and old alike. In the meantime, we're going to keep chasing those spectacular sunsets and hope to see you out on the trail!

Happy Thursday!

*reference and more information.

New Construction on Battleground Avenue: FourStore Storage

The above new construction is located at the intersection of Maryland Drive and Battleground Avenue, at the southwest corner of the Target at Lawndale Crossing. This 90,750 square foot structure is being built on the 1.25 acre lot that has been empty for a good while. Formerly, it had been Andy's Mart. The new facility will be a storage unit, easily accessible to the Kirkwood and Irving Park neighborhoods.* One hint that this will be a storage unit is the fact that there are minimal (if any) windows. It is scheduled to open March 2024.

Noteworthy to us is the fact that the construction crew was working on New Year's Day, the day this photo was taken. As much woodland as being developed in the Piedmont these days, this facility is an example of fill in; space that already has businesses and office space all around it. Formerly, this was an empty cement lot. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, it sold for $2.35 million. Just behind this storage unit is the former Golden Corral Restaurant, a space that remains unoccupied. Hopefully someone has plans for that prime piece of real estate.

Happy Wednesday!

 

*reference and more information HERE.

Greensboro Daily Photo Begins Year Sweet 16!

 

Happy anniversary to Greensboro Daily Photo. We're Janis and David, the husband and wife team behind the website. David mostly does tech help when links are broken and sees that the payment to Typepad is made to maintain the domain name. Janis does almost of the photography and interviewing. Today, we begin year 16 of publishing a photo a day of Greensboro. We started on January 2nd, 2009 as part of the City Daily Photo community. This international initiative began with Eric Tennen and Paris Daily Photo in 2005. Since then, Eric has moved to Malta and stopped publishing PDP after a stellar ten-year run. To date, we have published almost 5,500 photos and accompanying paragraphs about the people, places, and events of Greensboro. Every year gets better and better for us as the internet makes access to information much easier than it was a decade and a half ago. Ferreting out information is fun. Taking photos just about everywhere we go has become second nature. If you have ideas, please put suggestions in the comments. David likes to say that "Every day comes around pretty often." 

Posting these photos reminds us of how much the city is changing every year. Some things we have documented have been replaced, making GDP something of an archives for the community. This past year, we delivered presentations to the Wednesday Lecture Club and the Friday Afternoon Group. Opportunities like this help connect us to the community and spread the word about Greensboro Daily Photo. The Friday Afternoon Group started in 1898, only 90 years after Greensboro was founded and at the end of the 19th century! While we attended many fabulous events in 2023 and photographed many places around town,  meeting the people in the community is what fuels our passion for bringing you a photo a day of Greensboro. So, as long as the analytics indicate people are reading, we aim to continue this labor of love. Here's to Year Sweet 16 and 365 more photos and snippets of information about Greensboro.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy New Year- Photo of Year 2023

Happy New Year! January 1st is the day the City Daily Photo members all select a photo of the year to represent their city. For 2023, we picked this street scene on South Elm Street. It was taken during the Festival of Lights on Friday, December 1st. We like it because it shows a family-friendly event downtown, one being enjoyed by people of all ages. It shows how Greensboro has managed to honor the profiles of the old buildings, yet keep the shops and services relevant in the 21st century. What was formerly Coe Grocery is now Hudson Hill, a shop that sews leather goods and clothing, honoring techniques and materials from the last century. 

2023 in Review: We also like to pick a "best" photo of each month. If you are new to Greensboro Daily Photo, don't visit very often, or are introducing someone new to the site, the January 1st post is always a good place to begin. 

December: Festival of Lights: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/12/tree-lighting.html

Since the above photo comes from December, that gives us an opportunity to select another photo from December. We're picking the Center City Tree Lighting, also from the Festival of Lights. We love it because it showcases the first Greensboro City Park downtown and shows people coming together to enjoy each other.

November: Northeast High School Marching Band: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/11/northeast-band.html

This photo was taken during the Veterans' Day Parade downtown. We love the energy of the drum major, as well as all of the camaraderie and great memories public school bands make for students. Performing arts are often underrepresented in schools and they add so much to creating well-rounded students.

October: Greensboro Arboretum: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/10/greensboro-arboretum.html

This photo shows the beauty of Greensboro's scenery. The photo was taken in the arboretum in Lindley Park, a lovely public space in Greensboro.

September:  Denim History Revolution Mill: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/09/denim-at-revolution.html

At one time, Greensboro was the top producer of denim in the world. Revolution Mill does a good job of sharing information about that history, as well as having textile and jeans-making machines in the hallway. Also, Revolution Mill was a functioning mill  owned by the Cone family.

August:  The Hopper Trolley:  https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/08/hopper-trolley-.html

Downtown Greensboro has implemented a trolley to transport people through town for free. It is a fabulous way to get people moving through town. 

July: Fourth of July Fireworks at Grasshopper Baseball Stadium: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/07/stars-and-stripes-spectacular.html

The Fourth of July, Fun Fourth, and the baseball games are a great way to enjoy a holiday. This year, the baseball game sold out, but you could see the fireworks even if you weren't sitting in the stadium. 

June: Parisian Promenade at Bicentennial Gardens: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/06/harajuku-fashion.html

Attending Parisian Promenade is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon and to kick off the summer months. Again, this was another free event open to the public. The young women in this photo are a friend group that loves to dress up in Harajuku fashion. This is proof positive that Greensboro is a cool, trendy place for young adults.

May: Krispy Kreme Doughploma: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/05/krispy-kreme-doughploma.html

Krispy Kreme was founded in Winston-Salem in 1937 and now, they are an international company. On a special day in near graduation, they offer seniors free donuts. It as a fun time, Seniors line up in their caps and gowns and people from all different schools are in line talking, celebrating, and taking photos. This photo shows students at the Krispy Kreme on Battleground Avenue.

April: Lincoln Financial Group: https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/04/lincoln-financial.html

We'd hate to let a year go by without celebrating Greensboro's iconic downtown building, Jefferson Standard, Jefferson Pilot, Lincoln Financial Group. While the names of the businesses occupying the space have changed, the building remains a beacon of local history. We're still hoping to get an invitation to see the view from the top floor.

March: Temptations- Ain’t Too Proud at Tanger Center for the Performing Arts https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/03/temptations-tanger.html

We loved this photo so much because it shows the energy of the people moving outside of the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. The photo has a "Beetles" Abbey Road air about it as people walk past the truck that carried equipment for the Temptations' show. Tanger is such a great addition to downtown.

February: Wayne, Downtown Mail Carrier Extraordinaire. https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/02/meet-wayne-usps-mail-carrier-extraordinaire.html

Each month we feature people and, at the end of the day, it is the great people of Greensboro who make it such a great place to live. In February, we featured Wayne.He knows all of the downtown business owners and managers by name, and, while he is fast and efficient on the job, he always takes time to acknowledge people and to check in on them. He is a fine example of a trustworthy federal employee with a great disposition and work ethic. In a world of craziness, be a Wayne!

January: Page/Grimsley High school Basketball https://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/2023/01/

Sports, especially friendly high school rivalries are the best and a great way to spend a Friday night. The January photo was taken at a Page/Grimsley basketball game. We don't remember who won that night, but we do know that people played and cheered their hearts out. 

Stop by tomorrow, the anniversary of Greensboro Daily Photo. We will begin our 16th year of production! And, if you will continue reading, we will continue to publish.

Happy New Year! Happy Monday!