 Forsyth County
Historic Resources Commission
In 2002, the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission (HRC) was created from the merger of the Forsyth County Joint Historic Properties Commission and the Winston-Salem Historic District Commission. North Carolina's historic districts and landmarks statute, NCGS 160A-400.1 through 400.14, states that the historical heritage of our state is one of our most valued and important assets. This legislation also finds that the conservation and preservation of historic resources stabilizes and increases property values and strengthens the overall economy.
In order to maintain and enhance the character of historic resources in Forsyth County, the HRC's role is to protect and enrich the County's cultural, historical, architectural, and archaeological heritage through the identification, designation, and preservation of historic resources. To that end, the Commission strives to promote the use and conservation of historic properties for the education, pleasure, and enrichment of the residents of Forsyth County and North Carolina.
The twelve-member Commission [pdf/31kb] consists of five appointed representatives from Forsyth County, five from the City of Winston-Salem, one from the Town of Kernersville, and one from the Village of Clemmons. The HRC meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. in Public Meeting Room of the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building (formally City Hall South), Fifth Floor, 100 East First Street, Winston-Salem. See the 2008 calendar [pdf/42kb] showing meeting dates and submittal deadlines or the agenda for the upcoming HRC meeting.
Additional Activities
In addition to administering local historic districts and landmarks, the Commission is involved in various activities relating to historic resources throughout the county, such as architectural inventories, historic markers, and National Register nominations. For more information regarding the HRC, please contact LeAnn Pegram, Historic Resource Officer at (336) 747-7054, or via email at leannp@cityofws.org , or Michelle McCullough, Historic Resource Coordinator at (336)747-7063, or via email at michellem@cityofws.org. HRC staffis is provided through the City-County Planning staff. Please visit this page in the future for additional information and updates.
Historic Resources Sourcebook Now Available
 Hi there, everyone. I’m Hiram the Historatortoise and have I got great news! Historic Resources in Forsyth County:A Sourcebook, your new guide to all things preservation-related, is now available.
The Sourcebook is a comprehensive manual that references the many aspects of historic preservation for Forsyth County’s citizens. It provides information on such items as organizations, agencies, programs, techniques, and styles relating to historic resources. You can find the Sourcebook here on our web site (35.2 MB, PDF). I’ll be your guide throughout the book pointing you in the right direction along the way.
Copies of the Sourcebook are available at the City-County Planning Board office, at a cost of $33.00. Additionally, the Sourcebook can be mailed to you at a cost of $42.00, including shipping and handling. The City-County Planning Board is located in the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, Second Floor, 100 East First Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101.
For more information on the Sourcebook, contact:
LeAnn Pegram, Project Planner
City-County Planning Board
P.O. Box 2511 Winston-Salem, NC 27102
Phone: 336-747-7054 Email: leannp@cityofws.org
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Reynoldstown Historic District
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Over the last two years, Langdon Oppermann has researched and inventoried the historic neighborhood Reynoldstown. Reynoldstown is roughly bounded by Tenth Street on the north, Camel Avenue to the east, Eighth Street and Mount Zion Place to the south, and Jackson Street to the west. On October 11, 2007, the North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee voted to recommend the district to the Keeper of the National Register for listing. Official notification of listing is expected by early 2008.
The area is historically significant in the areas of community planning and development and African-American heritage. The Reynoldstown neighborhood was started by R. J. Reynolds and the Reynolds Tobacco Company during World War I to reduce the housing shortage. The first houses were occupied in 1920 and were rental properties available to the white workers of Reynolds Tobacco Company. However, in 1931 Atkins High School was constructed for the African-American residents of Winston-Salem, and within a year the neighborhood was solidly African-American. The neighborhood thrived for the next several decades and transitioned from rental properties to owner-occupied homes by 1942. Additionally, the district is significant in the areas of architecture and engineering. The neighborhood features a collection of houses designed by the Minter Homes Company and a collection of twentieth-century residential architecture. As for the area of engineering, there is a concrete bridge over Falling Branch creek. It is the only bridge of the mushroom column design in North Carolina and one of the few known examples in the eastern United States.
For more information, please contact LeAnn Pegram at (336)-747-7054 or by email at leannp@cityofws.org. | |
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