Center City Park is in downtown Greensboro and has its history dating back to the early nineteenth century. As a part of the original plan for the town of Greensboro, Center City Park was located in the northeast corner of the forty-two-acre town plan. This part of the town largely remained residential until the 1940s and 50s. By the 1960s, however, homes were increasingly supplanted by parking lots and buildings, but the park offered respite from the industrial and business life.   In 2003, a workshop was held by the Project for Public Spaces to show the proposed new park in downtown Greensboro. Attempting to be a “people place” and not just some greenery, the park was decided to be in close proximity to the local YWCA, Library, and Cultural Center. On August 7, 2003, the ribbon was cut for the temporary park put in place in an attempt to experiment and work out the best plan for the permanent park. The interim park was opened in November, and in March of 2004 the city put out the request nationwide for proposals from park designers.   Halvorson Design Partnership Inc. was chosen and was assisted by the local J. Hyatt Hammond Associates, with the general contractor being Rentenbach Constructors, Inc. The park cost more than $12 million to build, with $6 million being for the cost of land, and approximately a little less than that spent on design and construction. The park features various sculptures representative of the seasonal stream beds from North Carolina’s Piedmont region, as well as a bandshell. The ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the re-opening of the park was held on December 1, 2006.

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Greensboro's Center City Park dates back to the early nineteenth century when it was established as part of the original 42-acre plan for the town. In the years that followed, the park has remained a place for enjoying nature even as the neighborhood transitioned from residential to commercial buildings. Center Park serves residents and visitors in downtown Greensboro thanks in part to a plan in 2003 to revitalize the park. The redevelopment plan cost more than $12 million, but with the support of local leaders, the new park was completed and officially opened on December 1, 2006. The park now features various sculptures as well as bandshell in addition to other features. 

Center City Park

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This walk through downtown Greensboro begins at the city's historic train depot and winds its way north through the downtown area to LeBauer Park and the Greensboro Historical Museum. Highlights of the tour include the International Civil Rights Museum, Blandwood Manson, and the Carolina Theatre. 

The J. Douglas
Galyon Depot was built in 1927 by a New York firm who specialized in train
stations. The building, which has a neoclassical style, replaced an earlier
depot that was located at 400 S. Elm Street. When the depot was built it was
the biggest and most elaborate station to ever be built in North Carolina.
Around 90 trains passed through the depot in Greensboro each day.

During segregation,
white passengers would enter the depot through a large arched entrance. Once
inside there were enough wooden benches to seat 1,000 passengers. African
Americans who traveled through the depot had to enter into a separate and
smaller waiting room located in the west wing. At some point in their travels, Blacks
and white travelers would briefly mingled while on the boarding platforms. The
conductors then directed the African Americans to the separate coaches. &nbsp; 
 
As cars and airplanes became a more popular way of traveling after World War
II, less people used trains. The Amtrak Crescent was the only train to pass
through the depot by 1979. The train depot closed later the same year. Southern
Railway donated the depot to the city who rented out it out for social events
and conferences. A teen center was also established at the depot. 
 
In 2003 the depot was reopened as a transportation center after the North
Carolina Department of Transportation restored it. In October 2005 Amtrak
trains returned to the depot. It is also used as a bus station. The restored
depot was named after Douglas Galyon, Chairman of the North Carolina Board of
Transportation. Galyon spent more than 30 years being actively involved in
Guilford County business, civic and political life.

The J. Douglas Galyon Depot was built in 1927 in Greensboro, North Carolina. It replaced another train depot that was located at 400 S. Elm Street. The depot was in operation until 1979. It was then donated by Southern Railway to the city. The depot was restored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and reopened in 2003. It now serves as a bus station and in 2005 started using the depot once again.

J. Douglas Galyon Depot

After being approved for the patent he joined J &amp; F Garrett &amp; Co. to manufacture the carbines. After obtaining a patent from C.S.A he joined J. &amp;F. Garrett &amp; Co. to produce the breech-loading carbine. Mainly supplying state units some were sold commercially, not many due to the factory only constructing a few hundred. The carbine was viewed as hard to service making it not very popular outside of the state. The carbine's dimensions are 8.5" H x 40" W x 2.25" D. Ammunition for this weapon included a .52 caliber round. The barrel was constructed out of unfinished brass and the stock was made out of wood. A major flaw with the carbine was the gas seal. Unable to prevent the gas from escaping. Every time the carbine was fired it created a bigger separation between the barrel and the breech-block. Marker Inscription - Confederate Arms Factory - The Tarpley breech-loading carbine was manufactured by Tarpley, Carrett &amp; Co. at the site of the old Pioneer Foundry, located 300 yards east. Jere A. Tarpley received a patent from the Confederate Government for the carbine of February 14, 1863. In partnership with J &amp; F Garrett, he produced carbines for the state of North Carolina and the Confederate States of America. It is believed over 400 carbines were produced during 1863 and 1864. - Erected January 19, 1988 by Col. John Sloan Camp, 1290 Sons of Confederate Veterans.

This marker is located near the site of a historic munitions factory that produced small arms for the Confederate army between 1863 and 1864. During that time, the majority of the estimated four hundred breech-loading carbines produced at this location were utilized by Confederate soldiers who were recruited locally and served in units throughout North Carolina. However, a few of the weapons were also sold commercially. Local arms producer Jere H. Tarpley received the patent for his carbine from Confederate officials on February 14, 1863. 

Confederate Arms Factory

At a time when rail was the chief method of transporting goods, Greensboro became known as the “Gate City” owing to its centrality to other cities throughout the region. The first railway to serve Greensboro was the North Carolina Railroad, which began in 1856 and ran from Morehead City to Charlotte. When they ceased operating a rolling railroad in the 1890’s they leased their tracks to Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern opened the old Southern Railway Station in downtown Greensboro on June 9, 1899, after being commissioned to be built by the Southern Railroad Company. The contract went to a firm from Knoxville, Tennessee, called D. Getaz and Company, who designed the brick depot in Richardsonian Romanesque style, and included a three-story turret at the corner of Elm Street and Smother’s Place.The railroad brought development to rural North Carolina and was known for transporting farming and lumber products. Prompting commercial business and allowing for economic growth, the eastern part of the state largely became dependent on the railways for their income and livelihoods. This economic spark led to the need for a larger depot, and in 1927 the 1899 depot was replaced with a bigger one. This new depot, now known as the J. Douglas Gaylon Depot, sits on East Washington Street and was used as a passenger railway until it’s closure in 1979.The 1899 depot was used for office space after the replacement and underwent a Neoclassical makeover. In 1982 the depot went into the National Register as part of the Downtown Greensboro Historic District. It is still used today as offices for Norfolk Southern. The building cost around $40,000 to be made and was made of Mt. Airy granite. Recognizable as one of the oldest historical places in Greensboro, the building marks the era of the Gate City, when the city was critical to the railway industry.

Used today as offices for Norfolk Southern, this building became the first Southern Railway passenger depot in Greensboro when it opened in 1899. Critical to the railroad industry for its location and key access point, Greensboro became known as the "Gate City," and the Southern Railway was part of this success. The brick depot was fashioned in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and features a three-story turret at the corner of Elm St. and Smother's Place. Sparked by the need for a bigger depot, this building was replaced by the J. Douglas Gaylon Depot on East Washington Street in 1927. Now used for office space for Norfolk Southern, the 1899 depot underwent architectural changes and was added to the National Register as part of the Downtown Greensboro Historic District in 1982. 

Norfolk Southern Offices

The Nathanael Greene Statue in Downtown Greensboro commemorates the American Revolutionary General Nathanael Greene, who led the American forces in the campaign for the South against the British Lord Charles Cornwallis. Greene led the American forces against the British, who had been fighting for control of the South for months against General Greene. They met at the Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781, with the battle lasting for less than three hours. Defending the area was Greene’s army of around 4,500 militia men and Continentals, and attacking was Cornwallis’ 1,900 British regulars, as well as some German allies. 	After facing the threat of being totally defeated, Greene took his troops and withdrew 15 miles away to the Troublesome Ironworks. Cornwallis’ army did not pursue the Americans, because even though they had won in holding the field, they had suffered grave damages to their army, losing more than a quarter of his army as dead or wounded. General Greene, however, only lost six percent of his troops. Shortly after, Cornwallis then went further southeast to Wilmington, where he restocked and refit his men before heading back to Virginia after abandoning the Carolinas. Later he surrendered to George Washington in Yorktown, hastening the end of the Revolutionary War. Though the Americans did not win this battle, it did much damage to the British army. They were greatly weakened after the Guilford Battle, which enabled their loss in the campaign for the South as well as in the War at large. 	The sculpture commemorating Nathanael Greene was dedicated March 26, 2008, which also was Greensboro’s bicentennial, something that the statue also signifies. The bronze statue was sculpted by James Barnhill and is twenty-two feet tall. It was sponsored by the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, and sits in the center of the Greene and McGee Street traffic circle. On the pedestal of the statue, it is inscribed with “’in the very name Greene are / remembered all the virtues and talents / which can illustrate the patriot, the / statesman, and the military leader.’ / Marquis de LaFayette.”

The Nathanael Greene Statue in Greensboro, North Carolina was erected to commemorate the Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene. He was instrumental in leading the American forces in the campaign for the South against the British. Fighting Lord Charles Cornwallis and his army at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Greene and his troops greatly damaged the British and helped to lead to their defeat several months later. Greene is the namesake of Greensboro, North Carolina. 

Nathanael Greene Statue 

The first show at the Carolina Theatre opened on Halloween night in 1927. The lavish and opulent building held 2,200 seats and was one of the first commercial buildings in the state to have air conditioning. The mayor, along with other notable Carolinian figures, were in attendance. The remarkable furnishings, decor, and architectural features were celebrated, along with the entertainment process itself.&nbsp;
The first programs were typical Vaudeville performances, including live performances, such as the Carolina Theatre Orchestra, audience sing-alongs, silent films, films accompanied by the theater organ, an impressive Robert Morton edition, and the Carolina News newsreel. The Vaudeville act was dropped following the development of sound films. The first sound film shown was Glorious Betsy, followed by The Jazz Singer.&nbsp;
The theater was built to include a segregated balcony and mezzanine. A back doorway was installed for Black patrons, who were only allowed to sit in the balcony. White patrons entered through the main doors, and were ushered to seats in the front of the building. &nbsp;The building continued to remain segregated until May of 1963. In coordination with the North Carolina A&amp;T University student Civil Rights&nbsp;protests, students blocked the theater entrance after they were refused admission to the main portion of the theater. &nbsp;
In the 1970s, the building was slated for demolition following a decline in attendance and structural integrity. The United Arts Council of Greensboro raised half a million dollars to purchase the building. When the sale was complete, they were able to refurbish the theater. The Carolina Theatre&nbsp;reopened to the public&nbsp;in 1978 as a performing arts and community center. The building continues to fill this role today.&nbsp;

The only remaining historic theater in this section of the state, the Carolina Theatre has been well-preserved and serves as a community center and center for the performing arts. Upon its creation in 1927, the building was dubbed “the showpiece of the Carolinas." Like many other downtown theaters throughout the United States, the building faced possible demolition as movie-goers began patronizing suburban metroplexes.  However, the building was saved in the 1970s thanks to the half-million-dollar campaign led by the United Arts Council of Greensboro.

Carolina Theatre 

The Blandwood Mansion was originally constructed in 1795 by
Charles Bland.1 The residence then became home to North Carolina Governor John
Motley Morehead. This farmhouse was transformed into an Italianate wonder in
1844 when A.J. Davis designed an addition. 

The house served as quarters for Confederate General P.G.T.
Beauregard during the Civil War. After the Confederacy fell, the house was
temporarily used as headquarters for Union Generals Jacob Dolson Cox and John
Schofield.&nbsp; On May 2, 1865, North
Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance surrendered to Cox and Schofield in the
Blandwood Mansion’s main parlor.2

The Blandwood Mansion was named a National Historic Landmark
in 1988. Today it operates as a museum. While visiting the mansion, visitors
can see 19th century art, architecture, furnishings, and landscapes.3

This local history museum is located in a historic mansion and features artifacts and furniture from the antebellum era. Charles Bland originally constructed Blandwood Mansion in 1795. The residence was home to North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead. During the Civil War, the mansion served as a headquarters for both Confederate and Union Generals. The mansion's place in history was sealed on March 2, 1865, when rebel Governor Zebulon B. Vance surrendered to Union Generals  Jon Schofield and Jacob Dolson Cox in the main parlor. 

Blandwood Mansion

West Market Street Methodist Church has its beginnings like many churches from centuries ago – with a group of believers meeting at unofficial locations to worship as there was no church in the area. This was in the time still of circuit riders, Methodist clergy who traveled around the rural land in search of ministering to the people. In 1830, a circuit rider named Peter Doub first established a congregation in Greensboro and encouraged them to establish and build a church. This led to the creation of the first church building being built in 1831, being a two-story brick building built on Elm Street. The first church built in Greensboro city limits, the congregation was sixty-four members, eighteen of them Black. The church was known as the Greensboro Station Methodist Episcopal Church. 	The church became West Market Street Methodist in 1851, when it was expanded to a bigger building in the West Market’s 400 block. Currently, the Masonic Lodge now occupies the site. The church congregation had more than doubled its size, to now having a population of 192. The church decided to move again and create a larger church for its congregation, and in 1892 the third church was planned to be built on the 300 block of West Market Street. Costing $52,000, the church was dedicated in 1901 when the debt was fully paid.            The architect for the new church was S. W. Foulk, from New Castle, Pennsylvania. He had designed a number of buildings, both churches and schools, and decided finally upon using the Richardsonian Romanesque style for the West Market Street Methodist. The church has rounded arches, contrasting exterior materials, and turrets. The church also has a bell tower, small cupola, and an entry porch recessed with three arches made of granite. The building had nineteenth century stained glass windows also, which were given as donations to the church. Two stories high, the building is rectangular shaped, and is open storied three sides of the building.            The West Market Street Methodist Church is responsible for the establishing of Greensboro College, which started as a preparatory school for girls in 1832. It experienced much success, and this led to the church sponsors to petition the church to make it a college, to which the church agreed and got a charter from North Carolina to make it the Greensboro Female College. This was the first college for women in North Carolina, and the third for women in the United States. In the 1840’s the college moved its campus to the West Market Street location.

The West Market Street Methodist Church is over 175 years old and has been faithfully serving it's Greensboro community during that time. Starting out at the urging of circuit rider Peter Doub, the first church was built in 1831. In 1851 the second building was created after doubling in size. The third and most recent building was erected in the year 1892 and was modeled after the Richardsonian Romanesque style, by architect S. W. Foulk. The church was instrumental in establishing the Greensboro College. 

West Market Street Methodist Church 

On February 1, 1960, four Black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (NCA&amp;T) organized a "sit-in" that would soon rapidly spread throughout the South. At the Woolworth Store in Greensboro, North Carolina, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair Jr., and David Richmond, performed a “sit-in” demonstration, where the students sat at the “whites only” lunch counter. These students were denied service but stayed until the store closed.  By the next day (Feb. 2nd), twenty NCA&amp;T students followed in the footsteps of the “Greensboro Four” by conducting a sit-in at the same Woolworth store in downtown Greensboro. By the third day, over three hundred students participated in the sit-in movement at, again, the same Woolworth store in Greensboro. Within the span of a week, the actions of the “Greensboro Four” started a wave of sit-in demonstrations and protests in Durham, Greensboro, and Raleigh. Local residents met many of these protestors and sit-in participants with hostility. Eventually, the Greensboro Woolworth store was forced to close its lunch counters.The actions by the four Black students in Greensboro led to the formation of the influential Civil Rights organization known as the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. Students at Shaw University founded “SNCC” in April, 1960. SNCC’s purpose was to train peaceful protesters and organize non-violent demonstrations that would target the segregation laws of Jim Crow. The sit-in movement, along with the help of SNCC, spread throughout the South in 1960, which was mainly in the form of "sit-in" at lunch counters. By the end of 1960, sit-in demonstrations occurred in seventy-eight towns and cities. Over fifty thousand students participated in the protests and over three thousand students were arrested. By July 26th, 1960, every Woolworth store became desegregated by order of the company themselves.The old Woolworth's is now home to the International Civil Rights Center &amp; Museum. The museum preserves the site of the February 1 sit-in and offers exhibits and archives that explain how it served as a catalyst for the direct-action protests in Greensboro and other cities. The museum’s traveling exhibits have in the past included “And Still I Rise”, “A Celebration of Progress”, and “Dr. King and the March on Washington”. The “And Still I Rise” exhibit, named after the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou, showcases famous artists and athletes who overcame racial barriers and excelled in their field.  Melvin “Skip” Alston and Earl F. Jones founded the museum. Alston was the first African-American Chairman of the Guilford County commissioner’s board. He was first elected to this position in 2003 and was reelected in 2009. He is an active member of the Guilford County Elected Officials Black Caucus, the North Carolina Association of Black Officials, and the NAACP. Jones represented District 60 in the North Carolina State Legislature from 2002-2011. He was also in charge of Greensboro’s anti-poverty program for 20 years and provided legal counsel for the NAACP.

On February 1, 1960, four students from the Agriculture and Technical College of North Carolina went to this Woolworth's building. Knowing that the lunch counter served whites only but also knowing that some African Americans had successfully challenged this policy in other cities, the four young men sat down and tried to order coffee. The waitress ignored the student and the manager called the police. When they came back to campus, word had quickly spread and others volunteered to join their protest. There were 29 protesters the next day and more than 60 the day after that. By the end of the week there were 400 people protesting. Months later, there were dozens of sit-ins throughout the South. 

Greensboro Sit-Ins and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum

Built in 1920 as the American Exchange National Bank Building, the nine-story building was built by the design of Greensboro native James Raleigh Hughes. This building was built at the turning point of North Carolina’s history in the making of skyscrapers and other industrial advancements. The American Exchange Bank first operated in 1907 from the Bank of South Greensboro on East Market Street, and after growing in success it merged with the Commercial National Bank in 1911. This is when the name American Exchange National Bank came to be.            Hughes was commissioned by the bank to design a new building, and in 1920 the building was constructed on North Elm street, making it the tallest building in Greensboro at the time. This building followed a general trend of having the operations on the lower floors and rentable office spaces in the upper floors. Because of its success, Greensboro architect Richard Burton was asked to build an additional annex at the east end of the building in 1927. This made the building take its “L” shape, wrapping behind the building.            Following the economic recession of the 1930’s the industrial and banking boom began to fade. The bank was taken over by the North Carolina Bank and Trust Company in 1929. On March 4, 1933, President Roosevelt declared a National Bank Holiday across the country, closing all banks, which allowed Congress to work on passing banking rules and regulations. Only two banks in Greensboro ever opened their doors again after that, and the North Carolina Bank and Trust Company was not one of them. They ceased operations on March 6, 1933.            Investor Ben Cone bought the assets of the Southeastern Realty Company one month later, which included the American Exchange National Bank Building, which is when the building became known as the Southeastern Building. It housed many different offices and businesses at that time. Since that time, the building has been increasingly modernized. In the 1940’s local architect Jack Pickens Coble was a part of this redesigning effort. The building had various owners and tenants in the late 20th century and was most recently purchased in 2005 by the 102 N. Elm Street Associates LLC. Places on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, the Southeastern Building stands as a remnant of the past and testament to the present.

The Southeastern Building was first known as the American Exchange National Bank Building and was first built in 1920 by the architect James Raleigh Hughes. Prior to this, the building was operated as the Bank of Southern Greensboro on East Market Street. It moved to its new building on North Elm Street in 1920, after merging with the Commercial National Bank, when it became known as the American Exchange National Bank. The bank rode the economic boom of the '20s until the 1930's hit when the economic recession began to take effect. After closing on a National Banking Holiday in 1933, the bank never reopened. The building was then bought by Ben Cones as part of the Southeastern Realty Company, which is when the building became known as the Southeastern Building. The building has increasingly become modernized and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. 

Southeastern Building

The Jefferson Standard Building started out as Jefferson Standard Life Insurance on August 7, 1907, in Raleigh, North Carolina as one of the largest corporations to be established in North Carolina. The name Jefferson is inspired by Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence. This inspiration gave rise to their motto “A Jefferson Standard Policy is a Declaration of Independence for the family.” The Insurance Company in Raleigh proved to be a popular success right away, and in 1912 the company moved to Greensboro after merging with the Greensboro Life Insurance Company and the Security Life and Annuity Company. The company rented office buildings until May 2, 1917, when the company was the highest bidder at the sale of the 1872 Guilford County Courthouse, paying $171,000 for the prime property at the corner of Elm and Market Streets. Charles C. Hartmann, an architect from New York, was offered the commission to design the new headquarters for Jefferson Standard if he’d move to Greensboro to set up his practice, which he did – designing multiple Greensboro buildings until his retirement in the 1960s. Much of the motivating force behind the Jefferson Standard Building was because of Julian Price, the company’s president from 1919 till his death in 1946. Vice president at the time, it was Price who offered the commission to Hartmann, and he continued to shape Greensboro during his time as president. Price also pushed for his operations to extend to all of the southern states, and he ended up in fourteen of them. He pushed outwards into the Midwest and west, building a reputation for himself and his company.Upon Julian Price's death in 1946, his son Ralph Clay Price took over for four years as president until replaced by Howard Holderness, who expanded upon Price’s ideals, and “the company embarked on a journey of steady and rapid expansion that propelled it to the forefront of the insurance company.”, as stated in the Jefferson-Pilot Company history. W. Rodger Soles took over from Holderness in 1967, and it was under him that the organization was turned into the holding company Jefferson-Pilot Corporation, reflecting their subsidiary Pilot Life. Replaced in 1993 by David A. Stonecipher, this new leader continued the trend and expanded the corporation farther than ever, acquiring rapid-growth and becoming a nationally recognized life-insurance company.At the time, the Jefferson Standard Building was the largest and tallest office building in the south. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is still considered a hallmark of Greensboro. It provides much in terms of economic revenue to the city and state, but it also provides a unique culture that comes with it. When built, it “contained 129 businesses and 1,000 employees.” Known as the “city in a city,” it was home to stores, amenities, and other goods, though they are not in use any longer. The building was modeled after a combination of the Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, and Art Deco styles. Eighteen stories tall, it has a steel frame structure with brick exterior walls sheathed with granite and terra cotta. The building is U-shaped with an unbroken, 186 ft. tall façade on the side of Elm Street. Atop the entrance to the building is a bust of the namesake, Thomas Jefferson.

Greensboro's Jefferson Standard Building is one of the largest and tallest office buildings in North Carolina. The building originally served as the headquarters of the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company which was chartered in 1907. That company was named in honor of former President and author of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson. This impressive structure was built for the company in 1923 after the vice-president of the company Julian Price contracted with architect Charles C. Hartmann to design the building. The company expanded and grew over the years, and is still active in the Greensboro community. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. 

Jefferson Standard Building

The LeBauer Park was named in honor of the late Carolyn Weill LeBauer, who passed away in March 2012. Native to Greensboro, she was active in the community and achieved much throughout her life. She made a bequest to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro with instructions that the money be spent constructing a park for the people of Greensboro. With a $10 million-dollar donation, the park was decided to be placed south of Davie Street between the Greensboro Historical Museum and the Greensboro Cultural Center.            The park was designed by the landscape architecture firm OJB, who worked with Frank Harmon Architecture to design the structures, which includes two food kiosks, a performance stage, bathrooms, and a maintenance building. The park includes a children’s garden and interactive water feature, reading room, dog park, a putting green, croquet lawn, and a games area, making this a place for all people and families to enjoy. The park was finally opened on August 6, 2016, and is enjoyed to this day.            The park also features a sculpture by famous artist Janet Echelman, titled “Where We Met”. It is a 200-foot by 130-foot sculpture hanging over the lawn and is made with a hard and soft net of fibers. Her inspiration for the piece came from North Carolina’s “converging railway lines that helped support the textile industry in the Triad and the state.” The sculpture was funded by a $1 million gift from the Edward M. Armfield Sr. Foundation with support from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and the Public Art Endowment.

LeBauer Park was named in honor of the late Carolyn Weill LeBauer, who passed away in March 2012. She made a bequest to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro with instructions for the money to be used to build a park for the people of Greensboro. Her $10 million donation enabled the park to be built south of Davie Street. It was designed to accommodate all of the public and offers different amenities and services to all people. It also features a sculpture by Janet Echelman, made of hard and soft netting. 

LeBauer Park

William Sidney Porter was born in Greensboro, North Carolina on September 11, 1862. Porter’s mother died when he was three years old and he was raised by his father and paternal grandmother. Porter enrolled in classes at his aunt’s elementary school and was tutored by her for years. As a young adult, Porter worked at a drug store and became a licensed pharmacist at the age of nineteen. In 1882, Porter moved to Texas. He worked on a sheep ranch, learning Spanish and German from immigrant ranch hands. Porter later moved to Austin, where he became involved in the city's social scene, including joining several drama and choral groups. During this time, Porter met seventeen-year-old Athol Estes. Athol’s parents were against the courtship, as the young girl had tuberculosis. However, the two eloped on July 1, 1867. The couple had a son who died in childbirth in 1888, and a daughter who lived, named Margaret, in 1889. Athol encouraged Porter to pursue writing. While he had taken a job drawing maps, he also contributed editorial writing pieces to magazines and papers. In the early 1900’s, Porter began drafting plots and creating characters and within the next decade would begin writing stories. In the 1890s, Porter was accused of embezzling from the bank where he was employed. He was fired from the position, and in 1896 federal charges were filed for embezzlement. Porter's father-in-law paid his bail. However, Porter made the decision to flee while on his way to a courthouse meeting and ended up in Honduras. It was here that he published “Cabbages and Kings,” the story that created the expression “banana republic.” Porter used the phrase to describe a small, unstable Latin American country dependent on a narrow economy based on the export of one commodity. During this time, Porter also sent his wife and daughter back to Texas, as Athol's illness had worsened. A short while later, it was determined that Athol was dying, and Porter returned to Austin. He surrendered in court, and his father reposted bail to allow him to spend his remaining time with Athol. Atoll died on July 25, 1897 and Porter was found guilty of embezzlement in February of 1898. He was sentenced to five years in prison. However, his education as a pharmacist allowed him an advantage in jail as he was able to work within the prison hospital as a druggist. Porter was provided with his own room off the hospital wing instead of a standard cell. While in prison, Porter assumed the pen name O. Henry and began publishing completed works. After three years, in 1901, Porter was released from prison for good behavior, and reunited with his daughter. In 1902, Porter’s literary career began to take off as he wrote for the New York World Sunday Magazine and published several successful short stories. However, Porter had also developed an alcohol problem. In 1910 Ported, passed away from complications due to alcoholism. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina. Today his monument stands in Greensboro, marking the town of his birth and childhood. Visitors are able to view the large bronze statues and read the information posted via plaques. Additionally, the nearby Greensboro Historical Museum contains an exhibit showcasing O. Henry's life.

Tucked away in a small plaza within downtown Greensboro is this three-piece memorial is dedicated to one of the city’s most notable residents, William Sydney Porter. Known to many by his pen name "O. Henry," Porter was the author of several famous pieces of American literature. His pieces were known to incorporate humor, wit, and surprise endings. His work includes “Cabbages and Kings,” “Roads of Destiny,” and “Whirligigs.” The statues include Porter, his dog, and a book representing his many short stories. 


O. Henry Statues

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The Greensboro Historical Museum was established in 1938. &nbsp;Before it was a museum, this building was home to the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro. &nbsp;When attending the museum, spectators should expect to see various exhibits about the history of North Carolina, along with the history of Civil War and the popular exhibit&nbsp;Voices of the City. The museum also offers a special exhibit dedicated to the&nbsp;sit-in that occurred in 1960. Visitors should also be sure to save time for the&nbsp;"Welcome to the Gate City" exhibit that offers a view of the city at the&nbsp;turn-of-the-century.&nbsp;This exhibit includes a look at early telephone communication, a historic pharmacy and other early businesses, and life for young people including daily chores and exhibits about&nbsp;some of the city's&nbsp;early schools.&nbsp; The museum also offers an exhibit that preserves the history of&nbsp;Warnersville an area of the city that was home to many&nbsp;African Americans--one of the first Black neighborhoods in the state. This exhibit offers a wealth of&nbsp;technological exhibits that show the history of Black businesses, churches, schools, and community groups through&nbsp;Ipads and kiosks that offer&nbsp;reference information.

The Greensboro Historical Museum is located in a former Presbyterian Church--it's home since the museum's creation in 1938.  The premiere history museum in the region, this institution offers a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits that preserve and share the history of Greensboro from the period when Native American tribes controlled the area to the arrival of settlers of European descent in the early 19th century. The museum's leading exhibits tell the story of early settlers, the Civil War, early businesses and commercial development, and famous residents and families from this section of the country. This museum also offers a variety of educational programs throughout the year.  Admission to the museum is available free of charge thanks to the museum's supporters. There are also special programs for educators as the museum staff work to support curriculum development in the North Carolina school system. 

Greensboro Historical Museum

After traveling around the country and visiting various children museums, Jerry Hyman was inspired to bring one to Greensboro. He developed the proposal to pitch to community leaders, which was eventually accepted. Three years later the children museum opened on May 15th, 1999. It was the first of its kind in Greensboro, and remains the only educational based museum in the city.
In 2004 the museum was selected as one of the top 50 Children’s museums in the country. In 2006 the Board launched an innovative planning program based on the museum’s history and successful programs. The new program will consolidate the most successful exhibits, promoting a purposeful future agenda.&nbsp;Today the museum is a hands on, interactive museum for children, families, classes, teachers, and school groups. The intention of the project is to inspire learning through fun and play in a safe and engaging environment. The Children's Museum&nbsp;continues to provide these daily opportunities to the Greensboro population and visitors.&nbsp;The Museum provides an opportunity for visiting kids&nbsp;to use an ATM and banking center, drive a fire truck, sound the siren on a police car, land a jet, build a house, and deliver mail, along with a toddler specific zone for younger children.&nbsp;

The Greensboro Children’s Museum is a hands on interactive play and exhibit center for children. Designed for kids under the age of ten, the museum’s learning stations are crafted to provide educational opportunities through creative interaction and play. Visiting children and adults can take part in permanent exhibits and rotating activity centers, all of which are designed to stimulate learning and creativity. 

Historic Greensboro North Carolina Walking Tour

Center City Park

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information