Greensboro Daily Photo

House on Mimosa Drive

This house on Mimosa Drive in Westerwood is right across from the Lake Daniel Park. Built in 1938, it is younger than many of the homes in Westerwood. However, it represents the character of this urban neighborhood. The painted brick home is well maintained, cozy, with charming landscaping. The house hasn't sold for over a decade. When houses become available in this Westerwood, they sell quickly.

If you had been to the chili cook off across the street from this house over the weekend, you would see why. Westerwood is a place where neighbors not only know each other, they enjoy socializing with each other, and work together to keep the area beautiful. 

Lotus Center on Lawndale Drive

Lotus Center is a facility with healthcare professionals who practice holistic medicine on Lawndale Drive near Target. According to their website,* the center houses a pharmacy of over 500 herbs and 200 prepared pills and tinctures. In the front yard, you will notice a tree that was likely uprooted during Hurricane Michael. 

If you notice, these professionals, who are grounded in natural, earth-friendly practices, have taken the tree and are sawing the wood in three inch planks that are about 2 1/2 feet by 7 feet. The wood looks like oak. It is solid, beautiful, with a nice grain. It will be interesting to try to find out what they are going to do with the wood. Whoever is cutting it is doing a fabulous job. The cuts look perfectly level.

*reference, here.

Rankin Place Beauty

Walking around College Hill after Hurricane Michael, it was surprising to see all of the big trees that weathered the storm. This blue and pink beauty at 804 Rankin Place has this giant tree on the left that amazingly held up during the high winds. The house was built in 1905, the tree may have been planted around the same time. Both are going strong. How wonderful. Greensboro has so many lovely places and College Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods. Somehow this house just looks like it should be painted pink and blue. 

Happy Wednesday. We hope you find time to get out and enjoy the lovely homes of Greensboro before the weather turns and the days becomes short!

House on Meadowbrook Terrace

This house, built in 1925,  on Meadowbrook Terrace in Old Irving Park is a beauty. At over 6,000 square feet, this five bedroom/five bathroom house is much larger that it appears to be when looking at the street view. Those angles add such a distinctive element. While, according to Zillow, it is valued at near the $2million mark, there is not indication that this nearly-100-year-old home will be for sale anytime soon. 

This home is so charming and typical of the combination of elegance and a touch of uniqueness that makes the neighborhood so special. Another bonus, if you are a golfer or one with a robust social calendar,  Meadowbrook Terrace is located close to the Greensboro Country club. Those trees are hinting at fall colors. This yard with mature plantings will be fun to watch as the season changes. Let's hope it didn't suffer any damage from Hurricane Michael. Happy Saturday, from Old Irving Park and beyond!

Halloween at Santa's on Chapman Street

If you are local, you probably remember for decades that Jack True Senior, the Santa of Chapman Street, would sit on his porch and children from miles around would drive by to see Santa. In Greensboro, Santa was real. Mr. True, the True Santa,  left us in 2003 and he is missed greatly by his family, friends, and the children whose lives he brightened. The family has a sign in his honor and son Roger continues to decorate for holidays to keep his dad's memory alive.

If you have time this weekend, drive by and see a little bit of Greensboro's holiday history (on the Spring Garden Street end of Chapman). Somehow, the scene is more impactful at night, when darkness envelops the little white house and the light-up decorations are aglow.

In the 1980s, the community rallied to help the True family continue to afford to live in the house. The gesture was in deep appreciation of the love Mr. True extended to all who believed. Helping others and giving back to the community is deeply ingrained in the spirit of Greensboro. Community service has been a tradition here for as long as anyone can remember.

Howard Street, North of Spring Garden

Howard Street, north of Spring Garden, intersects with Sherwood, near Lindley Park. The above Howard Street home is beautiful. On Saturday, the street was full of mushrooms. The recent damp weather made conditions perfect for mushrooms and they were everywhere. This bundle of spores evokes the lore of European fairy tales and fairy rings. From this angle, the mushrooms seem gigantic, almost overpowering the house.

How about your house? Has it been full of mushrooms? Learning which ones are edible and which are poison is quite an art. If you are interested in learning more, there is always the option of joining the Piedmont Triad Mushroom club. The group is on Facebook. They regularly hold potlucks and workshops, get together and talk about mushrooms... and probably eat them, too. 

Leaves of Tobacco & a Slice of Yesteryear

This charming farmhouse on Highway 158, at the corner of Angel Pardue Road, is located just north of Greensboro and just east of Stokesdale. As you can in the field on the right of the road and on the left, back to the tree line, this house is surrounded by fields of tobacco. While decreasing, tobacco remains North Carolina's number one cash crop and North Carolina is the largest tobacco producer in the United States.*

If you live in Greensboro, it is not uncommon to see scenes like the one above: a charming farmhouse with a wrap-around porch, a sleepy country road, fields and fields of tobacco, or some other agricultural product. Soon, this tobacco will be harvested, the fields will be plowed, and it will be time for planting fall crops- chard, cabbage, collards. If kids are lucky, there will be time for a little harvest fun; perhaps some apple cider made, a corn maze to visit, a hayride, and maybe even Halloween fun. Today's photo is a little slice of a way of life that has existed in North Carolina since North Carolina became a state.

* reference and article, here.

Tiny House Living

Elizabeth and Adam Paashaus can barely contain their excitement. This past weekend, they had a giant yard sale to minimize their possessions. They are selling their Lindley Park home, leaving brick and mortar jobs, and traveling the United States in their tiny home. They will home-school their two children and work remotely through the Internet. Here you see them in the kitchen area of their 40' long Thomas school bus that has been redesigned as a 270 square ft. home. The transformation took over two years with the couple doing the work. The beautiful wood countertops and walls are covered in wood harvested from a farm on North Church Street.

Elizabeth loves to cook and bake, so the couple dedicated ample room to the kitchen space. The bathroom and sleeping areas are behind the white door. Forward, there is a seating area, and just out of sight is a wood burning stove, an especially cozy feature that Elizabeth loves.

Elizabeth, a lifelong Greensboro resident and Grimsley grad, and Adam, first New York and then High Point, will be launching this new lifestyle by mid-October.   They love adventure, outdoor sports and living life to the fullest.Hats off to them for living their dream.  If you want to follow their adventures of living the good life on the road, follow them on Instagram at Deliberatelifebus and read Elizabeth's blog.

Lawndale Drive, the 3500 Block

As we batten down the hatches and prepare for Hurricane Florence, Greensboro residents are trying to determine the best way to remains safe during this weather event. Florence seems to be having trouble making up her mind where she will land and do her damage.

The above photo features a house in the 3500 block of Lawndale Drive, very near a cluster of retail shops at Pisgah Church Road. This ranch house is so typical of the houses that were being constructed in the 1950s in Greensboro. If you notice, the house has a large picture window is surrounded by very mature trees. Greensboro's neighborhoods are full of them (the city comes by its name honestly). Those trees provide lots of shade, they also are in danger of blowing over or having limbs drop during times of storm. Please send positive thoughts our way and be prepared to help if some of our dwellings and businesses suffer damage. As feasible, stay safe... and dry!

 

 

This Old House

Over the last few years, change has been evident in Greensboro. From the widening of Horse Pen Creek, to the opening of more miles of the urban loop, to the new face of midtown, with the addition of all of the new murals, to the changes on South Elm Street, this is not the Greensboro of previous decades.

The above photo is one of the homes closest to the Robert G Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market. It has seen its betters and does not look like it will be long for this world. It will be sad to see it go; however, it will be interesting to see what crops up in its place. This is a prime piece of real estate and will not stay vacant long. Do any readers know what will replace this old house?

Hydrangeas Galore at 133 Paisley St.

In Greensboro, this has been an especially good spring for hydrangeas. The weather has been a bit cooler and sufficiently wet to make these beauties spring to life. Every year, this property at 133 Paisley Street, on the northwest edge of downtown has the most beautiful hydrangeas. The green shingled house appears to be rental property, but the landlord is diligent about mowing the lawn and keeping up with the landscaping. We keep hoping to see someone working outside, so we can ask about these beautiful hydrangeas. Does someone water and fertilize them. Or, do they magically find a way to care for themselves?

Here's to a weekend of admiring the beautiful plants that are blooming around Greensboro and to admiring all of the beautiful yards. If you are near Smith Street Diner, walk around the corner and have a look at these beautiful flowers. Happy Saturday, dear readers!

Happy Friday Near Carlson Dairy

This photo was taken this past Wednesday evening in northwest Greensboro is Carlson Farms. The air was crisp, but warm, and the clouds hovered as if they were right above your head. The evening walk was simply beautiful. Many of the houses built near Carlson Dairy Road were built in the late 1970s. They were stately, giant, dark brick houses out in the suburbs. Some of those homes have 4,000 - 5,000 square feet.

The home in the foreground of the above photo was built about 12 years ago, thirty years later than the older homes in the neighborhood. The lighter brick really makes the light/dark sky simply sing with beauty. May Greensboro find some beautiful spring weather this weekend and, regardless of the weather, have a great weekend!

 

Yellow House at the Corner of Meadowood and Greenview

Nothing says spring like a bright yellow home and bright pink azaleas. Built in 1962, this three bedroom, two bath split level home reflects an architectural style popular in the mid-20th century. This design makes it possible for the adults to be in one part of the house and the teenagers to hang out in another.  The home is located in the Friendswood neighborhood at the corner of Meadowood Street and Greenview Drive, just off Wendover Avenue. You can tell the owners take great pride in the home by the meticulous trim on the azalea, essentially turning it into a hedge.

The gnarly tree on the left is at least as old as the home. It adds charm and character to the lot, reminding us that plantings of all ages have a purpose in landscape. Consider it an overgrown bonsai. If you take Meadowood on your trek two and from Wendover, Sam's Club, or Costco, keep an eye out for this cheerful house. Surely, people who would paint a house bright yellow are cheerful, too.

Even google maps captured the pink square hedge on his house!

Living the Good Life On Walker Avenue

This house on Walker Avenue, in the heart of Lindley Park, is all dressed up for spring. The home is impeccably maintained and the yard has great curb appeal. The owners are nice, neighborly folks, who came out to strike up a chat as we were photographing their flowers. They planted the above tulip bulbs last fall and, this week, the flowers are in full bloom. The tulips provide a great accent to the stone wall.

The house, built in 1928, while only a little over 1,600 square feet, has that wonderful front porch where the owners can enjoy each other and their neighbors on warm afternoons and evenings. Today's photo speaks volumes about life in Lindley Park. From the Arboretum to Bestway, Lindley Elementary School, all the shops, and homes in between, spring has sprung in Lindley Park, and the yards are looking glorious.

Starmount Drive

This house on Starmount Drive, just off of Holden Road, is a prime example of just how beautiful Greensboro is this time of year. On a sunny day, houses simply exude beauty and warmth. This house, built in 1955, has been extended and renovated and is now over 4,000 square feet. Stephen Jobe was the architect of this home that has many custom features, like the dormer and the rounded mahogany front door, that give it lots of curb appeal.

The Starmount Forest neighborhood is located near Friendly Center, Sternberger Elementary, Starmount Country Club, a park, and more. The Starmount name is the English translation of "Sternberger", a very prominent Greensboro family. Emanuel Sternberger was a merchant from South Carolina who moved to Greensboro and joined the Cone Brothers in the production of flannel. Today, the neighborhood, school, street, and Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation are just a few of the many ways their legacy and impact on Greensboro is remembered today. If you have time this weekend, consider getting lost in one of Greensboro's neighborhoods. You will see so many lovely homes.

Stanley House at 314 Isabel St.

The Stanley House at 314 Isabel Street, on the corner of North Church Street, is billed as a curious colonial revival style house. Built in about 1920, this house is distinctive because of the 2-story Corinthian portico. The stuccoed round arch also sets the house apart from everything else in the Fisher Park neighborhood. Actually, it sets it apart from about anything else in Greensboro. Over the nearly 100 years, it has been beautifully maintained. The landscape is very elegant, too.

The house is actually bigger than it looks. It is nearly 4,000 square ft. We featured it on GDP in 2009 and it still looks the same, except for the more mature landscaping. Historic properties like this one are very fun to seek out on weekends. If you have time today, check it out!

723 North Church Street

This Victorian beauty is a multi-family home located at the corner of North Church Street and East Hendrix, at the north eastern end of Fisher Park.  Built in 1900, it is 3,166 square feet, mighty large for a wooden house built 118 years ago. It has a charming wrap around porch and mature trees on the lot. 

Established in 1901, Fisher Park is known as Greensboro's first neighborhood on what was at one time a swamp. In the early 20th century,  bankers, industrialists, and white collar workers hired the best architects of the day to build their homes here. The above house is as beautiful as it was when first built. One of the great features of Fisher Park is the diversity in the homes. With a little imagination, one can picture the trolley line moving through Fisher Park with trolley cars transporting people to and from the neighborhood. Imagine the maid and other hired help being dropped off at 723 North Church to start their day. From the cut out windows in the attic to the cement stoop to the porch, the details are so fitting.

Merry Christmas 2017

Yesterday's post, with the nativity scene, featured the spiritual aspect of Christmas. Today, we're highlighting a house that is beautifully decorated. By day, you can't see the lights along the roofline with lights on it, but at night, the house is stand-out beautiful. The inflatable Santa, framing the door, and the penguins in charge of mail at the curb add charm to the house. Children love seeing scenes like this.

While Christmas is more than decorating and gifts, when people go out of their way to decorate and bring joy to others the holiday feels really special. We would like to thank this family at the corner of Westminster and Rollingwood Drive for adding a little joy to their Greensboro neighborhood. Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!

Sundown Drive Near Western High

It is hard to believe that this photo was taken last weekend. The snow has melted and, while it has been crisp outside, the weather has been dry over the past week. This one-story, single-family home is located on Sundown Drive, not too far from Western High School. It resembles a winter wonderland. The charming gazebo is so cozy and inviting, it looks like Rolf and Liesl, from the Sound of Music, should be in there singing to each other. 

The house, sitting on a little over a half and acre, was built in 1956 when this part of Guilford County was still really rural. It still seems like a cozy retreat from the busy, built up world just down the street. The property reminds us of just how green and beautiful Greensboro really is, even on a snow day! Happy Saturday, may you find some adventure and explore a new part of the community around you; no matter where you are. 

1007 North Elm Street

1007 North Elm Street is a 9 bedroom, nearly 7,000 square foot house built in 1919.  This is the John Marion Galloway House. Galloway played a leadership role in the tobacco industry in North Carolina. The house, in the English Tudor Period Revival style, was designed by local architect Harry Barton. The rock building material is Mt. Airy Granite. The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. *

According to online real estate records, the house was last sold in 1988. The person who lives there keeps the curb appeal interesting as there is always an original work of art on the front lawn. The current installation is a one-story-tall Christmas tree that it is built out of blue plastic strips- perhaps dry cleaning bags. The artificial tree changes character depending on whether the day is sunny or gray. Greensboro has a lot of original holiday decorations, including the tree featured above.

 

* reference and more information, here.

House at 305 South Elam Avenue

This 1,600 sq. ft. house at 305 South Elam is representative of the charm in the Lindley Park neighborhood. The 1926 single-story home has been well maintained. Details like the wooden swing in the mature oak tree, the cozy front porch, the whitewashed fence, and the bushes that continue to flower all come together to add curb appeal. The mature oak tree, gently curved, high above the house, could well have been planted at the time John Van Lindley lived in the neighborhood. He was the nurseryman who, in the early 20th century, owned 900 acres in this area.

The house is located across the street from the First Moravian Church, which is the reason we first notice it on Saturday. It is amazing the details that are noticed while walking through a neighborhood, as opposed to driving. Perhaps the best feature of this home is being able to sit on the porch and see all of the lively activity at the Moravian Church, especially during the Advent season. The house just sold this past summer, we're betting the new owners will want to stay put for a very long time. Happy Tuesday! Happy exploring your world- our world!

507 South Chapman

507 South Chapman Street has been a "holiday house" since the 1960's. The True family moved into the above rental house on Chapman, near Walker Avenue, in the 1960's when their home caught on fire. By 1970, the True family started decorating the house for Christmas and, for years, Mr. True sat on the porch, dressed as Santa. In 1982, when it seemed like the True family was going to be forced to move from this house, because the owner was going to sell it, the realtor in charge of selling the house, took up a collection around town and was able to raise enough money for the True family to purchase it.

Mr. True, the True Santa, died in 2003, but his son's family has taken over decorating the house and, as you can see from a photo taken yesterday, they continue to decorate and bring joy to the community. At the moment, Halloween if in full force at 507 South Chapman. This is such a warm, southern story of a family that has enjoyed bringing joy to others for nearly fifty years. You can be sure that they will delight us at Christmas, too. The house may be modest and humble, but the spirit is larger than life and has carried on for generations.* Part of us would love to see one of those HGTV shows to come in and make over this house however the family wants. On the other hand, the True family is probably happy with this loving abode just as it is. 

* Reference and more information, here.

Rural Homes, Porches, and Trucks

Lately, we've been featuring some urban homes and places on walking tours of Greensboro. It is also fun to head out in the county and get pictures of rural places. They have so much character. The above photo features a house along West Market Street between the airport and Kernersville. This was taken back when the crepe myrtle was in full bloom. With its color and linear, sprite decor, the truck noticeably matches the house. When we spot something like this, we always wonder if the matching it intentional, or possibly subconscious. Perhaps oxblood, with its purple and dark brown undertones, is a favorite color of the owners.

In southern living, it is not uncommon for the menfolk to gather around the back of the pick up truck for fellowship and relaxation. However, the above home has a small side porch and a wrap around front porch. It would be easy to spend hours socializing on either of them. Enjoy your Thursday, and may you find time to socialize in person today, on a cozy porch or leaning against a vintage truck!

1616 Walker Avenue

1616 Walker Avenue is just a couple of doors down from Aycock Street. It is an attractive home built in 1922. Just think, it will be 100 in five years! It is over 2,100 square feet with four bedrooms. It sold in 2015 and, according to online real estate sites, it has almost doubled in value since the sale. Perhaps updates and renovations have been done. It does, however, also reflect the trend for historic homes close to town to hold their value.

Just yesterday, Preservation Greensboro shared an article about eight classic homes that have sold above market value this year,*  attributing the robust sales to home buyers valuing the history, aesthetic, and convenience of these homes in historic neighborhoods. The website gsohistorichomes.com maintains listings of pre-1940s properties available in the area. This service has to help in generating interest as the trend today is for consumers to do considerable online research before making purchases. 

Wouldn't you love to sit on this porch to people watch and to talk to neighbors as they walked by? You might even invite them to join you to attend the free National Folk Festival, being held in downtown Greensboro this weekend, a mere couple of miles from 1616 Walker!

 

* reference

Westie of Westerwood

This West Highland White Terrier was a big hit on the walking tour of the Westerwood neighborhood this past weekend. He lives behind the First Baptist Church in a part of Westerwood that was known as St. Paul's neighborhood. He guarded the street, especially on the lookout for human visitors and one of the many felines often seen exploring his neighborhood. He is quite proud of his neighborhood. In spite of his role as sentry, Mr. Westie did not bark at us.

In the early 1900s African American families lived on this end of Woodlawn Avenue, an example of early integration, given Westerwood is located on the west side of town and many African-American communities were found in eastern Greensboro. Plumber, cash register repairman, and preacher, were a few of the careers of the men, well-respected community members, on this street. The above house is one of the oldest in the neighborhood, and hopefully, it will be around for a very long time. It looks cozy, is nicely landscaped, and in a fabulous location.

Remember Double Oaks in Westerwood receives community members to stop by for a drink or two on Wednesday evenings and Preservation Greensboro offers a free tour (see yesterday's post).

 

Double Oaks

The Double Oaks Bed and Breakfast is located at 203 North Mendenhall Street on the edge of Westerwood, just north of Friendly Avenue. It was the gathering point for the Westerwood Tour that was offered by Preservation Greensboro. Unbeknown to anyone, including the Preservation Greensboro tour guide, Ben, we were given the opportunity to go inside and tour the bed and breakfast. The owner was on site and event planners were preparing for a wedding shower and it worked out perfectly for us to tour and move on before guests started arriving. 

The Colonial Revival mansion was completed in 1909 and owned by Harden Thomas Martin who moved to Greensboro from Rockingham County after a successful career owning and operating retail stores. Over the years, it has been a bed and breakfast previously and was owned at one time by Charles R. Forrester, Chairman of the Greensboro Historic District Commission. Double Oaks is one of those houses with great provenance. Presently, it is owned by James and Amanda Keith who welcome their guests, and even the public, with open arms. James told us on the Saturday tour that he envisions it being used in the manner it would have been when built; that people would come and stay a while, not just for a quick visit. To that end, on Wednesday evenings from 5:30- 8:00, you can stop by for something to drink. Wine and beer are on tap for $5 a pour. They have built a lovely stage in the corner of the lot for concerts. If you come out this week, you could stop by Double Oaks and then head to the Green Bean at 341 South Elm Street for Preservation Greensboro's free walking tour of Center City North.

Thanks to people like the Keiths, organizations like Preservation Greensboro, and GDP readers like YOU, our city just keeps getting better and better!

House on South Mendenhall

This beautiful Greensboro home, at 612 South Mendenhall Street, looks like it could be found at the beach or in a small, southern town. With all of the perennials in bloom, it is picture perfect this time of year. The robin's egg blue and white trim make the pink and yellow flowers stand out. That porch and brick path look so inviting. Equally inviting is the beautiful kitty that loves to greet visitors. This 1,600 sq. ft. house was built in 1921. It is so well maintained, it is hard to believe that it 96 years old. Situated between Greensboro College and UNCG and less than a mile from downtown Greensboro, the location is very convenient.

We're betting the owners really enjoy their house. We have so many beautiful homes in our great city!

Hillside, the Julian Price Home

This past weekend, Preservation Greensboro held a fundraising tour of homes in the Fisher Park neighborhood. The above photographed house, aptly named Hillside, was originally built as the private residence for the Julian Price family.* Mr. Price was Chairman of the Board of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company. Price hired architect Charles Hartmann to built the corporate tower of the Jefferson Standard building. downtown. Hartman also designed Hillside. The English Tudor/Period Revival home was constructed in 1928-1929. The expansive home has many interesting architectural details: Herringbone brick, chimneys, Tudor timbered accents, gables, dormers, and landscape walls, to name a few.

Eric and Michael Fuko-Rizzo have recently purchased the property, cleared the house of its filled-to-the-brim load, and have begun renovating it. It was featured on the tour this past weekend and looked quite different than it did on the Arts and Entertainment Hoarders show.  Much work remains to be done and not many rooms were open for the tour. However, there will be a designer showcase in 2018 that will feature the house in its renovated splendor. The most surprising feature of the home is that is is long, but thin. It is only one room wide, which means that there are windows on both sides of the room. It can feel like walking an entire city block getting from the northern-most to southern-most room. If you ever get a chance to tour this historic home, please do so.

Happy Thursday, dear readers!

 

* reference & read more about Price, here.

Victorian Beauty on Percy Street

This house, at 671 Percy Street, in the Aycock Historic District is one of the many Victorian-style homes in the neighborhood. The inviting porch comes in handy in the evenings and weekends when people sit outside and visit with family and neighbors. As a historic district, the integrity of the appearance of the homes is diligently maintained. Residents of the neighborhood are committed to keeping it family friendly and beautiful.

Next time you are headed to the Farmers' Market on Yanceyville, drive around the streets near Cypress, Percy, Summit, and Fifth Avenue. Some homes are already restored to their full glory; others, are works in progress. The above house, asa the crow flies, is only about a mile from downtown Greensboro. From the greenery surrounding the yard, it is hard to believe it is so close to town.

Fallen Tree & More Rain

In the past seven days in the Greensboro area, it has rained almost seven inches. When it rains so much in a short period of time, the soil gets soft and soggy and trees become vulnerable. Leaves retain moisture and get a lot heavier; roots loosen. The above photo features a fallen tree at a house in High Point on Ferndale Boulevard, across from High Point Central High School. The owners were working to cut the limbs into manageable pieces so that they could be hauled away. It appears that, fortunately, the house was spared. We didn't get a chance to ask our friend who teaches there if school traffic was affected.

Did you know there is a South Atlantic Water Science Center in North Carolina? They have a precipitation gauges throughout the state, including one at Horse Pen Creek at US 220. See here, if you want to keep up with "real time" rainfall near you. Somehow, we think the young couple in the yard above are more concerned about getting that tree out of their yard than they are about how much rain fell. 

Today and Sunday it is not scheduled to rain; however, it is on Saturday and Monday. Monday is May first. We'll all be ready to say goodbye to April showers and hello to May flowers. Wouldn't it be nice if somebody would leave some flowers at this couple's front entrance. They could use a little encouragement. This has been quite a lot of work for them!

N is for Neighborhood

Greensboro neighborhoods have very distinct personalities. Sunset Hills is known for their location, convenient to Friendly Center and to downtown, and their lighted chicken wire decorations at Christmas. The above photo features the oldest house in Sunset Hills, located at 2702 West Market Street. This two-story home, in the Colonial Revival style, was built in 1895 and was relocated to the present lot in the early 1930s.

According to their National Register of Historic Homes application, the Sunset Hills neighborhood comprises 280 acres west of downtown Greensboro. It was developed in the 1920s, so having a house from the 19th century is unusual. The giant magnolia trees on either side of the lot hide the home from the street on this heavily-traveled section of West Market Street. The owners, who are only second owners since 1977, probably like the protection from road noise; however, it would be nice to be able to see more of their historic home. You can actually get a better look of the 3,000+ sq. ft. structure from the Elam Street side.

Today is ABC Wednesday, and for Round 20, "N" is for "Neighborhood, " specifically, the Sunset Hills neighborhood which, in addition to the Christmas ball decorations, is known for having neighborly neighbors who are frequently out walking along the tree-lined sidewalks.

House on West Market Street

This stone house with the green tile roof at 2002 West Market Street is a show stopper, especially in springtime. This single family home, built around 1925,  is approximately 3,660 square feet. It was built for Pearl and James M. Crutchfield. The stone exterior is a technique known as uncoursed, or stone that is not placed in an orderly, linear fashion. A lot of the stone used in construction during the early 20th century was mined in Mt. Airy. Also another likely location connection is the green tile roof. It could have been produced at the Pamona Terra Cotta Manufacturing Company with clay from Chatham County. Pamona Terra Cotta operated on West Market Street from 1996 to 1976.

We checked, but didn't find an online history of the above house. Situated on only .73 acres, the property, with its surrounding plantings, is stately and commands attention. Located at the southeastern most corner of Sunset Hills, it is part of the neighborhood's National Register of Historic Places.

JL Sawyer House

Today rounds out our Tour of Historic Homes in Oak Ridge. Above is the J. L. Sawyer House, built in 1919 and, like the Whitaker house down the street, also in National Folk style.  It also has two external chimneys. This architecture, however, differs from the house featured yesterday in that the Sawyer house has a double-sloped gambrel roof and side-gabled carriage porch. If you enlarge the photo, you will notice the stone foundation. During the 1930's the Black Lantern Tea Room was also located on this site.

According to the historic marker at the road, Mr. Sawyer was a barber at Oak Ridge Military Institute (its early 20th century name). You can imagine that the barber at the military institute was kept busy, subjecting cadets to those first haircuts.

Tropical House of 2017

This house, located at the corner of West Friendly Avenue and East Greenway Drive North, is a bit out of character for the Sunset Hills neighborhood. In a part of town where homes are usually very traditional colors, to see an aqua and purple house is definitely attention getting- especially on this prominent corner lot. The pink flamingo, perched on a tree stump by the entrance walkway, hints at the fact that there is a story behind this color scheme. Painting a house is a commitment to a look as well as a financial investment. It is not something you do as a prank. We hope to find out the story about the house, which only recently was painted these colors.

Do you know the story behind this house? What do you think? Freedom of expression? Challenging the status quo? By the way, those of you that know Greensboro well know that the house has a cousin on North Mendenhall Street. Since it's the weekend, perhaps we'll see people working in the yard and can ask them. We have a couple of pink flamingos stored in the attic. Perhaps we can stop by and give them to the homeowners.

Have a great weekend and check out the brightest house in your neighborhood.

 

Happy Friday!

For many, it is the end of the workweek and time to rest. For others, it is time to head to a second job. Regardless of how your weekends are organized, consider driving around town and marveling in the beauty of the area- especially this time of year. The above photo is part of our documenting changes around Horse Pen Creek Road. On the Battleground end of Horse Pen Creek, this lot has has the remains of a little wooden house that burned: a fireplace and some porch columns. The jury is out on the old oak tree. We'll have to wait until the other trees begin leafing out to see if it is still alive. The lot itself is waiting to be reimagined as a 21st-century, revenue-generating venue. The urban loop is about to go under Horse Pen Creek Road;  Daystar Church is building church on farmland directly across from the Montessori School; so much continues to change on this road. Documenting change in one's community is fun; with some changes being more welcomed than others.

If you are looking for more concrete things to do in Greensboro this evening, remember it is First Friday and there will be opportunities for gallery hopping downtown. If you are near State Street at 6:00 p.m., Greensboro artist Liz McKinnon will read her new children's book at Vida Pour Tea. The reading promises to be delightful. Bundle up and enjoy the weekend! 

In Summerfield

The stark winter landscape can be hauntingly beautiful. The above photo was taken of an old country property in Summerfield, not too far from Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road. The empty building seems to accentuate the trees without leaves. Summerfield is an area northwest of Greensboro, consisting of about 27 acres and approximately 11,000 people. The community is completely within Guilford County and the students attend the Northwest Schools.

Summer field is known for its horse farms and wooded countryside interspersed with residential neighborhoods. The community has an Historical Committee as well as a Trails and Open Space Committee. Both groups work very hard to ensure that Summerfield has plenty of green space and areas for public enjoyment. If you are looking for something peaceful this weekend, plan to drive around in Summerfield.  We hope to take the same photo in about three months, when the trees will be in full foliage, the grass will be greener, and our community will be in bloom.

Mill House Maple Street

This house on Maple Street is located in the backyard of Revolution Mill and in the Cone Mills neighborhood. Built in 1941, this 798 sq.ft. home is typical of the mill houses in the mill communities. An overwhelming majority of employees in the textile mills lived in the mill villages. The company supplied the homes and many community resources, including schools. All the tenants had to do was supply mill workers, usually one per occupied room.* Today, these mill houses are privately owned and many of the mills have closed or been repurposed.

With all of the new occupants at Revolution Mill, this part of East Greensboro is experiencing a great revival. Let's hope the sense of community that characterized the mill villages remains and that people sit on those front porches, play music (actual instruments, not downloaded playlists), and have great conversations with one another. Great things are happening in Greensboro and the tiny house movement is making these small houses more appealing than ever.

*reference, here.

This Old House

This old house is located along Highway 150 in rural Guilford County. Likely, as with the leaves on the trees to its left, the house is not long for this world. It is one of those fixer-uppers that not even Chip and Joanna Gaines (of HGTV fame) would undertake. Yet on this fall day, with the sun low in the sky, it takes on a warm, nostalgic glow. So often these rural homes are loved for generations, until the current generation decides to sell and take off for city life, or the changing surrounding properties make the home obsolete. In the case of the above property, we suspect it is a little bit of both.

Part of the reward we get  out of publishing Greensboro Daily Photo is keeping our finger on the pulse of our community. The Greensboro area has always been a nice blend of country living and urban fun. While the urban fun has burgeoned in the last decade, hopefully, there is still room for country living. We are grateful to have this photo, even if it serves only a as memory of the tin-roofed, little yellow house that was.

Lovely Country Home

Historically, eastern Guilford County is the part of the county with multi-acre properties, farms, including dairy farms, in a bucolic setting. 4-H has been well represented in this part of the county. The above wooden farm house, located on Bethel Church Road, is representative of the rural side of eastern properties. It evokes the simpler style of life in previous centuries, back in the day when people worked the land, worked hard, and family mattered- above all.  The rectangular architecture, large front porch and large trees are inviting. This is the view from the road. In the rear of the property are implements needed to work the land.

The manicured, green grass helps us transition from summer and warm weather. The trees have started losing their leaves, hinting that winter is on the horizon. We wish we could have been there last night to have watched the moon rise. There is so little light pollution; the super moon must have looked stunning.

Lindley Park Neighborhood

The Lindley Park neighborhood stretches from the Greensboro Arboretum to the corner of Walker and Elam and a little beyond in each direction. It is located across Market Street from Sunset Hills and down the road from UNCG. The above house, located on Beechwood Street, is a little more artsy that the majority of the houses, but it evokes the vibe and energy of the neighborhood. Lindley Park is an inviting neighborhood with stores within walking distance of most homes. They have a strong neighborhood association, a community newsletter, a farmers market on Saturday morning, a coffee shop, a grocery store, restaurants, and more. It has been described as magical, inviting, artsy, 60-acre place where even adults have play dates.

Lindley Park was established in 1917 by local businessman, horticulturalist, and Quaker, John van Lindley. In 2004, they developed a Neighborhood Plan to find out the needs of the residents, largely in owner-occupied homes.  The neighborhood was build on land that had formerly been an amusement park. It seems that the spirit of playfulness, so typical of amusement parks, remains in Lindley Park.  Imagine living near the above house with the knitted tree cover, the large, cozy front porch, and a globe in the window.