Why Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a major city in northwestern North Carolina, serving as the county seat of Forsyth County in the Piedmont Triad region. Positioned roughly 65 miles northwest of the state's geographic center and near the Appalachian Mountains, the city sits within the Yadkin–Pee Dee River Basin, drained by waterways such as Salem Creek and Muddy Creek. Located less than 30 miles south of the ancient Sauratown Mountains, it offers convenient highway access via Interstates 40, 74, and 285.
Historically inhabited by tribes including the Cheraw and Keyauwee, the area saw Moravian settlement in the mid-eighteenth century on a tract called Wachovia. The current city was formed in 1913 by combining Salem, established in 1766, and Winston, founded in 1849. The municipality expanded as a commercial center for tobacco, textiles, and banking, driven by enterprises such as the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Hanes, and Wachovia. Over time, the local economy broadened to encompass healthcare, educational institutions, research, and general services.
Dubbed the "City of Arts and Innovation," Winston-Salem is home to several higher-education campuses, including Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Salem College. Downtown features Fourth Street—a hub for dining, lodging, and retail—alongside the Innovation Quarter, Truist Stadium, and the Benton Convention Center. Distinct historic neighborhoods include West End, lined with structures erected between 1887 and 1930, and Ardmore.
Visitors can explore a wealth of cultural and historical landmarks. Old Salem Museums & Gardens features restored and reconstructed Moravian buildings around Salem Square, including the C. Winkler Bakery, commissioned in 1799. Salem Square and the adjacent God's Acre Cemetery have hosted an annual Easter morning Moravian sunrise service since 1772. Additional prominent destinations include the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, NCMA Winston-Salem, and the National Black Theatre Festival. Distinctive architectural sites include the 21-story Reynolds Building, completed in 1929 as an architectural predecessor to the Empire State Building.
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