Greensboro, or The Boro, is dotted with endless options of entertainment, tourist-friendly activities, and significant locations with startling beauty. If we see the transformation saga of Greensboro from the date of its inception till the times of today, we will come to know how and why the city achieved a worldwide reputation of being a must-visit place amongst the travelers. The city has its own way to celebrate its achievements so far. Hence, you could be lucky enough on your first visit by witnessing the city immersed into its local and national festivals and events. A colorful time it could be for you. Be it culture, art, history, buildings, hotels, restaurants, weather, residents, or festivals, all are the testaments of Greensboro's distinct treasure of beauty and assets making it must-go place before you take your last breath.
Greensboro, the county seat of Guilford County, was founded in 1771. It was named after a Revolutionary War general, Nathanael Greene who fought like a real hero in the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Guilford Courthouse. To honor his courage and contribution in war, though the result was not in his favor, a 42 acres city was named after him, i.e., Greensborough which means "Town of Greene". In 1895, the name of the city changed from Greensborough to Greensboro. City's growth became evident with the arrival of 1800s. The city got its first textile mill opened in 1828, and first insurance company in 1850. In 1837, North Carolina got its first co-educational institution- Guilford College, founded by Quakers. They also established Greensboro's first Underground Railroad in 1830s.
The nineteenth century brought a remarkable growth with itself, and the entire credit goes to John Motley Morehead who was the then governor from 1841 to 1845. He laid the foundation of railroad tracks in the city. As a corollary, Greensboro was being called "Gate City". The synergy of Cone brothers incredibly established textile industry in the city. The insurance industry set up in the city brought the establishment of Greensboro's tallest building, i.e., Jefferson Standard Building in 1990. In 1960, the city became the site of the first Civil Rights Movement. This event brought a tremendous economic change to the city. It witnessed the establishment of CIBA-GEIGY Corporation (now Novartis), tobacco plants, Powell Co., Piedmont Triad International Airport, FedEx, and many more international firms and companies.
Important Locations in Greensboro
Greensboro Science Center
The Greensboro Science Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote science education, evoke scientific curiosity and educate people on evolution of life and the natural world. It incorporates three major attractions: an Aquarium (The Carolina SciQuarium), Zoo (Animal Discovery Zoological Park), and a Museum.
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Greensboro Arboretum
This 17-acre garden opened its gates for visitors in 1991. It boasts the splendid collection of plethora of plants, namely, Greensboro Council of Garden Clubs Winter Garden Collection, William R. Findley Memorial Sun Shrub Collection, Dwarf Conifer Collection, Gate City Kiwanis Club Shade Garden Collection, Irene H. McIver Vine Collection & Nursery Sequence of Bloom Collection. Apart from these plants collections, Greensboro Arboretum also features display gardens, like, Green Hill Farm Hosta Garden, Kaplan Family Rose Garden & Arbor, James Newlin Memorial Holly Garden, R.R. Allen Family Butterfly Garden & Fountain, Beeson Rhododendron Garden, Woodland Trail, and Pattie Newlin Memorial Bouquet Garden.
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Blandwood Mansion and Gardens
Blandwood Mansion was once belonged to John Motley Morehead, who was North Carolina governor from 1841 to 1844. It boasts Italian Villa Style of architecture. It preserves the historic and architectural assets of the American community. Blandwood Mansion and Gardens boasts Architectural Salvage, the Blandwood Carriage House, Blandwood historic house museum, and a library. To promote neighborhoods and architecture amongst people, it conducts seminars, educational tours, special events, online publications, and publications.
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Greensboro Historical Museum
Greensboro Historical Museum is a source of information on the history of the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The Greensboro Historical Museum educates people on the local culture of Greensboro and its vital place in the history of United States. It boasts a splendid collections documenting a dozens of nationalities whose contribution towards the country was remarkable: Germans, Native Americans, Quakers, African Americans, and Scots-Irish. The museum also showcases the archives and artifacts representing the lives of Guilford County residents, namely, David Caldwell, Governor John Motley Morehead, First Lady Dolley Madison, educator Charles Henry Moore, and author O. Henry.
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The Bog Garden
The Bog Garden is popular as a nature preserve cum botanical garden. It was an incredible effort of Dr. Joe Christian, who was a local physician and thought of rehabilitating the park into a wetland environment by using native plants. The Bog Garden is also marked with a bog and a lake. Its plantation includes indigenous vegetation, ferns, shrubs, bamboo, wild roses, and wildflowers. Native and migratory birds also call it their home. In 2008, a bronze statue was built to pay tribute to Dr. Joe for his altruistic efforts in developing the Bog Garden.
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Greensboro Children's Museum
Greensboro Children's Museum was a dream of Jerry Hyman and opened its doors to children and their families on May 15, 1999. The Greensboro Children’s Museum was specially designed to inspire children to learn through play-way method in a safe and enthusiastic environment. Sprawling across 37,000 square feet, Greensboro Children's Museum features more than 20 permanent hands-on exhibits showcased in “Our Town” and Edible Schoolyard that are designed in a way to accentuate and flourish kid's imaginations.
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Carolina Theatre of Greensboro
The Carolina Theatre, or “The Showplace of the Carolinas,” was built in 1927 as a vaudeville theater. Today, it is home to Greensboro Ballet, Greensboro Opera, Community Theatre of Greensboro, and many other local groups of artists showcasing performing arts. It is also packed with special spaces on rent to conduct business meetings, seminars, weddings, and receptions. The theatre became the first commercial building in North Carolina to get its air conditioner installed.
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Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park opened its gates on March 2, 1917, and it was built in the commemoration of the Battle of Guilford Court House, which was led by Major General Nathanael Greene. The site has been preserved as a National Military Park. This historic park boasts a visitor center, where you can easily get detailed information about the battle and the park itself. The park also conducts the exhibitions and audio visual programs that transport you to the era of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. The park also presents a live-action theater film, "Another Such Victory," an animated Battle Map Program showcasing the tactics used during the battle, and also showcased original artifacts, ammunition, and weaponry.
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Weatherspoon Art Museum
The Weatherspoon Art Museum was founded by Gregory Ivy in 1941. The museum is engaged into preserving and exhibiting modern as well as contemporary art of America to educate the visitors coming from near and far. The splendid collection that the museum. has been boasting since years include the artworks of Sol Le Witt, John Marin, Alexander Calder, Robert Henri, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, Louise Nevelson, Henri Matisse, and Lenoir C. Wright.
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International Civil Rights Center & Museum
To get the insights of the American civil rights movement, swing by International Civil Rights Center & Museum. It was built to memorialize the courage of North Carolina A&T State College students whose efforts resulted into desegregation of the Woolworth lunch counter on February 1, 1960. The guided tours of International Civil Rights Center & Museum take you to the exhibitions, audio/video programs based on narration and composed of artifacts, pictorials, and video reenactments.
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People and Culture of Greensboro
Approx. 282,586 people call Greensboro their home. This number is really a diverse one as the city is a melting pot of a cluster of races, ethnic groups, religious groups, and institutions. It is a pick 'n' mix of Whites, Blacks or African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, Non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics or Latinos. The religious groups in Greensboro are a hybrid of Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Latter-Day Saints, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, Moravian, Quaker, Church of Christ, Islam, Judaism, and Eastern religions. Christianity is largely followed in Greensboro. Greensboro's culture and art scene is rich in terms of all-year round event and festival celebration. You can never fall short on entertainment as the city gets always buzzed with its cultural programs, shows, events, and festivals.Eastern Music Festival, Greensboro Opera, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, The Barn Dinner Theater, War Memorial Auditorium, Greensboro Historical Museum, International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro Science Center, and many others symbolize the Greensboro's art & culture scene remarkably.
Time Zone and Phone Codes of Greensboro
Greensboro is in Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5). The Summer Daylight Saving Time Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4).
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT-5 hours
Daylight saving time: 1 hour
Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT-4 hour
Time zone abbreviation: EDT
Phone Code of Greensboro: 336
Best Time to Visit Greensboro
Spring is considered the perfect time to get the real taste of Greensboro's beauty. Don't forget to bring your umbrella or raincoat as it rains during the mid of March. In fact, you are most probably to witness snowfall during the end of March. You will like roaming around during the month of March as the city receives gentle breeze booming a love sense throughout the city. During the month of April, the relative humidity remains quite low making the air dry and the city comfortable to roam around. The days mid-April afterwards are considered the ideal time to make your vacation memorable one. Other than springs, June is considered the one of the suitable time periods to plan your getaway to Greensboro. During this month, the air remains neither muggy nor dry. Moreover, the time period between September 12 and October 27 is also believed to be agreeable time to plan your holiday as the air remains neither muggy nor dry.
March-MaySouthern Ideal Home Show ~ GreensboroCarolina Blues Festival
