08.19.2024

Today’s Forecast

83º | 40% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:42 a.m. | Sunset 8:05 p.m.

City

Winston-Salem then vs. now

WStoday: Phoenix Hotel in Winston-Salem in 1895

The Phoenix Hotel was built in 1893 and located on the southwest corner of West Fourth and North Liberty Street but was later demolished in 1928. | Photo by Digital Forsyth

Have you ever wondered what our city used to look like? If you’re curious to know the shift that’s taken place in the Twin City, here are four places downtown that have evolved.

Let’s take a look at North Main Street. The street was filled with businesses and merchants throughout the corridor. Today, it’s lined with commercial buildings including the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel, which used to be the former RJ Reynolds headquarters.

WStoday: 400 block of N. Main St. looking north towards Fifth, Winston-Salem — 400 block of N. Main St. looking north towards 5th Street from 1958 (left) and 2022 (right).
|
Photos by Digital Forsyth (left), Google screenshot (right) by Hellen Schmeal.

First Baptist Church of Winston-Salem held regular worship services while it was located on the corner of 2nd and Church streets in 1876. Today, the Forsyth County Detention Center is on the same grounds. It opened in 1995.

WStoday: Forsyth County detention center before and after — You can see carriages coasted along the street which was made for people to get around.
|
Photo by Digital Forsyth (left), photo by WStoday (right)

City officials ordered Trade Street to close for a downtown mall in 1970. Although it’s not quite a mall today, Trade Street is still full of shops, galleries, and restaurants for residents and visitors to eat, shop, and play.

Check it out

Events

Tuesday, Aug. 20

Introduction to Knitting | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 6-8 p.m. | Generations Center | $65 | Learn the basics of knitting including how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off with different types of yarns and needles.
Paint Night | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 6-8 p.m. | Kernersville Community Recreation Center | $25-$30 | Pick from 100+ painting options on pre-traced canvas while the lead artist guides you through the process.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

Single and Mingle Night | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 7 p.m. | Joyner’s | Cost of purchase | Meet new friends or maybe a special someone over cocktails in a relaxed setting.

Thursday, Aug. 22

Tay Tay Dance Party with DJ Swiftie | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 7-9 p.m. | The Ramkat | $10-$20 | Dance to all your favorite Taylor Swift hits from “The Tortured Poets Department” to the “Lover” era.

Friday, Aug. 23

Salsa Dance at the Coal Pit | Friday, Aug. 23 | 7-11 p.m. | Coal Pit | $10 | Join a night of sizzling moves, starting with a beginner salsa or bachata class for the first hour followed by social dancing.

Saturday, Aug. 24

Night Swim Under the Lights | Saturday, Aug. 24 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Bolton Pool | $5 | Adults aged 18+ swim under the night sky and mingle with others — all swimming pool rules apply.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Sports

Bowman Gray Stadium will host part of the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time since 1971. The season-opening Clash exhibition race will return to the track on Feb. 2, 2025.

Traffic

Plan for an alternate route if you drive on Country Club Road. It will close to traffic between Westview Drive and Knollwood Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m starting today. Work is expected to be complete by Friday, Aug. 23 — weather permitting.

Development

Expect to see a new traffic pattern if you’re heading to Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. The hospital will temporarily close its main entrance on Silas Creek Parkway while crews work on the new south tower through the end of the month.

Environment

Learn ways the NC Division of Air Quality will address revised federal standards for fine particulate matter air pollution during an informational webinar today, Aug. 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Registration is free.

Coming Soon

More green space in our beloved city. Piedmont Land Conservancy is ramping up efforts to complete the Bashavia Creek Preserve by late 2025. The new nature preserve will have three to four miles of trails + wooded hillsides along creeks. (WXII 12 News)

Health

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has successfully implanted its first commercial Barostim device. The technology is used to improve heart function and alleviate heart failure symptoms for patients who don’t qualify for advanced therapies.

Featured

Help Winston-Salem band Proxevita get featured in Rolling Stone magazine and earn a chance to perform at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX (Hey, ATXtoday). Voting ends Thursday, Aug. 22.

Plan Ahead

Interested in hearing personal stories and insights from America’s movers and shakers? Go beyond their successes with The Face to Face Speaker Forum, exploring rarely-discussed topics from the big namers you know. First up: Peyton Manning kicks off the season on Sept. 11. Get tix.*

Eat

Soup season is nearly upon us (kind of), so we’re gearing up with an easy minestrone soup. This dish is delicious year-round, but it’s elevated with fresh summer veggies (think: tomatoes and basil). Get cooking.*

Trending

Keep it demure

Things that are “demure” in Winston-Salem

WStoday: Reading WStoday while sipping on ice tea at the Remedy

Telling a friend to subscribe to WStoday is very demure, very mindful. | Photo by WStoday

Just as one trend is ending along with summer, another one is on the rise. Don’t sleep on Gen Z because they are quick-witted. The latest viral trend taking the internet by storm: “demure.”

Let’s start with the definition. Demure refers to someone modest, reserved, or serious. Here are a few things that are “very demure, very mindful” in our city.

Returning your e-scooter to its designated place after using it (very demure, very mindful)
Helping out someone in need (very demure, very modest)
Going the appropriate speed on I-40 (very demure)
Inserting a lock symbolizing your love at the Quarry at Grant Park (very demure, very cutesy)
Being the friend who’s subscribed to WStoday (very demure, very cutesy)

What other things are demure in Winston-Salem?

Sharing is very demure of you

The Buy

The Buy 8.19.24 (Affiliate)

These reusable food storage bags. They’re made from food-grade silicone, making them dishwasher and microwave-safe, leak-free, and an eco-friendly solution to disposable plastic bags.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Kellina

From the editor

My friends and I saw “It Ends with Us” at a/perture cinema. It was my first time at the theater and was a lovely experience. The intimate environment makes it feel cozy and personal. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend checking out a film or two.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

›

Advertise with us to stand out.

›

Games | Crossword, Sudoku, and More

›

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY