Old Salem
Old Salem is a living history museum, the United States is located inside of the restored downtown part of the Moravian settlement in Winston -Salem in the state of North Carolina. The non-profit company called Old Salem began its work in 1950, recognition as a National Historic Landmark by the name of Old Salem Historic District took place in 1966. The possession of the buildings and the land is divided between the Old Salem, Inc., the Wachovia Historical Society, the Salem College and the Moravian Church.
Historic Salem
Salem was originally in 1766, in the English Moravians, inhabited by members of the Moravian Church, members of a Protestant denomination, which in 1457 from followers of Jan Hus ( 1369-1415 ) in Bohemia and Moravia (English Moravia ) in today's Czech Republic was born. From an earlier settlement in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the Moravians came to the province of Carolina and founded the first temporary settlement in Bethabara (1753 ) and then in 1759 the first planned Moravian community in North Carolina called Bethania. As the center of a 400 square kilometer area, whose name Wachovia was borrowed from the Wachau, the Moravians were planning then Salem, construction began in the year in 1766. Residents focused more on trade and the craft as on agriculture.
The place was united in 1913 with the neighboring Winston. Many of the original historic building of Salem were obtained as in 1950 the non-profit organization Old Salem Inc. was formed for the protection of endangered buildings, the restoration of the site and the establishment of a museum.
Old Salem today
Today in the historic and restored buildings interpreters of living history that explain and reveal how the Moravian life in the 18th and 19th centuries the visitor. Among them are artisans, for example Zinnschmiede, blacksmiths, cobblers, gunsmiths, bakers and carpenters. About 70 % of the buildings in the historic district are actually received original, what makes this living museum unique.
In recent years, the historical and archaeological research, especially on the historic African American population, the majority ransomed from the church and usually converted slaves was concentrated. The Brethren taught the freed slaves in their community in reading and writing as well as in some skilled trades. Comprehensive studies that were focused on understanding the ethnic and cultural identity of African Americans Salem, have contributed important insights about the historical development in Old Salem.
Three other museums are housed in a modern building in the district, including the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts ( Mesda ) in Old Salem. This is the only museum devoted to the discovery and exhibition earlier historical decorative art of the South prescribed. It shows in 24 rooms and six galleries furniture, paintings, textiles, ceramics, silver and other metal goods from Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee until about 1820., The Old Salem Toy Museum displays a wide range of old and rare toys, mostly from the 19th and early 20th century. The Old Salem Children's Museum is aimed primarily at children between 4 to 9 years.
Sights of the village itself include the Salem Tavern, has spent two nights in the George Washington on May 31 and June 1, 1790 on the way through Carolina, the Single Brothers ' House, the Boys' School and the Winkler Bakery, various shops. Also noteworthy is the rebuilt church of St. Philips Moravian Church, which was built by the municipality in Salem for the liberated and free African Americans, to meet the requirement of a community vote to racial segregation in worship and thus the state law in North Carolina by 1816.
Within the historic district is the campus of Salem College and Academy of the auditorium as well as the restored Single Sisters ' House, which the college bookstore and the library Gramley Library. Students of the Governor's School of North Carolina to stay in the summer in the restored dormitories.
The Home Moravian Church, Church Hall of the Evangelical Brethren who are not located in the historic district, is open during the actual tourist season for visitors. Is also of the Church of the marketplace, the Salem Square supervised, on which round the year held a number of events, including a concert series in the summer. " Easter City", a traditional moravischer church service at sunrise on Easter, attracts thousands of visitors.
The coffee pot
The community of Old Salem ( Winston-Salem, and on the whole ) is often represented by a large coffee pot made of tin, which was originally created by the Moravians Julius Mickey in 1858 as an advertisement for his Zinnschmiede. Traditionally, it is said, they summarize 740 gallons of coffee ( about 2800 liters). It was originally located at the intersection Belews and Main Street, where they indicated the border between the two towns Winston and Salem, as the Moravians are still isolated from their neighbors. After the merger of the two towns in 1913 it became a symbol of togetherness.
1920 can was hit by a car and thrown out of their place, the city forced for reasons of traffic safety and competition law against fierce opposition from the population, the removal of the pitcher from her place. It was erected by a tough battle at the same intersection set back from the road again. In 1959 she had 40 soft, passing through the intersection, and today it stands at the intersection of Main Street and Brooks Avenue Town Interstate.