Remembering Winston-Salem

In 1766, Moravian settlers, most having migrated to the Crown colony of North Carolina from Pennsylvania, established the town of Salem. Over eight decades, Salem became a key transportation nexus for both east-west and north-south traffic, yet never lost its Moravian trappings. In 1849, North Carolina established Forsyth County and incorporated Winston as its county seat. In the aftermath of the Civil War, this virtually undamaged region of the state began a rapid period of industrial and economic development, spurred by the pungent aroma of Bright Leaf tobacco. Population growth accompanied prosperity, and in 1913, the towns merged into a single municipality: Winston-Salem.

With a selection of fine historic images from his best-selling book Historic Photos of Winston-Salem, Wade G. Dudley provides a valuable and revealing historical retrospective on the growth and development of Winston-Salem. Its history is as diverse as the two towns from which it arose, one steeped in religious values and the other born from political expediency. Remembering Winston-Salem captures that diverse history in more than 125 vividly reproduced and captioned photographs, a tribute to the citizens, past and present, of the fine city of Winston-Salem.