Plus, when leaf collection will begin this year.
 
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78º | 90% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:13 a.m. | Sunset 7:09 p.m.
 

Grand visions go up in smoke

How a hotel fire altered Winston-Salem’s vision of becoming a resort city
WStoday_hotel zinzendorf construction
The hotel was named after Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, who led the Moravian settlers to Salem and laid out the town. | Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection via Digital Forsyth
Today, there are plenty of unique places to stay in Winston-Salem. At the turn of the 20th century, tourism was just taking off, which meant visitors drawn to the towns of Winston and Salem needed somewhere to enjoy the spoils of the area’s recent economic boom.

Some of the cities’ greatest industrialists like RJ Reynolds and PH Hanes formed the West End Hotel and Land Company. Its goal? To build a resort city complete with a grand hotel on one of the highest elevations in Winston.

The company bought the land on West Fourth Street (near what is now Glade Street) and started construction on the Hotel Zinzendorf. Sources disagree on whether construction started in 1890 or 1891, but the four-story hotel opened to visitors in May 1892. The lavish spot was as long as a football field and was regarded as the finest in the South.

But the splendor of the Zinzendorf wasn’t to last. Just months later on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 24, a fire started in the hotel laundry and spread to the dining hall. When fire crews from Winston and Salem arrived, they found hydrants had insufficient water pressure to fight the fire. Everyone inside made it out safely, but the hotel — with its wood furnishings and cedar shingles — succumbed to the flames in just two hours.

Black and white photograph with people on lawn watching smoking building.

A crowd gathered to watch the hotel go up in smoke.

|

Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection via Digital Forsyth

Insurance partially covered the loss but the economic depression of 1893 made securing funds for a rebuild difficult. West End Hotel and Land Company dissolved in 1905 but some of the shareholders formed Forsyth Hotel Corporation. It opened a six-story Zinzendorf Hotel on Sept. 28, 1906, this time on Main Street near Third Street. It operated until 1970 and was demolished the following year.

Today, a historic marker is all that remains of the original Hotel Zinzendorf. You can see it across from Grace Court.
Asked

What was the main driver of Winston’s economic growth and prosperity in the late 19th century?
A. Improved health care and more hospitals
B. The tobacco industry
C. Trains made travel easier and promoted tourism
D. The arts and music scene
Show us the money
 
Events
Editor’s note: Some events may be canceled, changed, or postponed due to inclement weather.

Friday, Sept. 27
  • Book Signing and Screening with Director Susan Seidelman | Friday, Sept. 27 | 6-10 p.m. | UNC School of the Arts, ACE Exhibition Complex | Free | The visionary director will discuss her new book, then answer questions about her film “Desperately Seeking Susan” after the screening.
Saturday, Sept. 28
  • Apple Festival | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Historic Bethabara Park | Free entry | Explore history with 18th century craftsmen, play colonial games, taste plenty of apples, and more.
  • Fall Plant Sale | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Reynolda Gardens | Cost of purchase | Choose from a selection of native plants and staff favorites.
  • Pregnant in the Piedmont | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 12-4 p.m. | Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center | Free | Anyone planning for a new addition to the family can meet vendors, find workshops, and get birth and baby resources.
Sunday, Sept. 29
  • Foothills Brewing Farmer’s Market | Sunday, Sept. 29 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Foothills Brewing Tasting Room | Cost of purchase | Bring the family and shop from 20+ vendors at the last market of the year — happening rain or shine.
Monday, Sept. 30
  • Secrest Series: Icarus Quartet | Monday, Sept. 30 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Wake Forest University, Brendle Recital Hall | $5+ | An ensemble of two pianists and two percussionists perform Béla Bartók masterpieces and three newly commissioned works.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
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News Notes
Weather
  • Heavy rain totaling one to three inches + wind gusts between 35 and 45 mph are possible today, Sept. 27 due to a weakening Hurricane Helene. Winston-Salem Field Operations crews have been cleaning curblines and checking drainage systems to reduce the risk of flooding. (WFMY News 2)
Announced
  • Southern Charm at the Farm’s fall show scheduled for tomorrow, Sept. 28 at Tanglewood Park has been canceled because of bad weather. If you purchased a ticket online, it will be valid at the spring show scheduled for April 26, 2025.
Number
  • $50,000. That’s how much a/perture cinema has received in donations in the last week. The art house cinema announced it needs to raise $100,000 by Dec. 31 to continue operations in 2025. Tax-deductible donations can be made online. (Winston-Salem Journal)
Edu
  • A new Ashley Elementary School is one step closer to reality. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted 8-1 to allocate funding to translate the schematic design into construction documents. That process is expected to cost ~$700,000 and take about six months. (WFDD)
Festival
  • The ninth annual hip-hop festival, the Winston-Salem Rap Round Robin, is happening at Hoots Roller Bar tomorrow, Sept. 28. Artists from the Triad and the East Coast will debut new beats starting at 9 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door.
Closing
  • You’ll need to wait until the afternoon to explore the trail around Salem Lake tomorrow, Sept. 28. It will be closed until 12:30 p.m. for the Salem Lake Trail Races.
Seasonal
  • Get your rakes ready. Leaf collection begins Friday, Nov. 1. Download the Winston-Salem Collects app to keep up with schedules and to know when crews are expected in your neighborhood.
Feel Good
  • A local 8-year-old is already a published author. Alice Flores Euceda, a second grader at Mineral Springs Elementary School, wrote “Always Be Happy” to encourage people of all ages to be themselves and accept differences that make people unique. It’s available in English and Spanish. (FOX8 WGHP)
Health
Job
Correction
  • Downtown Winston-Salem’s Trolley Pub will celebrate its comeback on Friday, Oct. 4 from 12 to 2 p.m. at 1355 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. The 14-people trolley will makes pit stops along 4th and Trade Streets. (Yes Weekly)
 
Weather

🗝️ Preparation is key

Prepare for potential emergencies using this local resource
Open suitcase with various supplies laid out on a table representing items you need in an emergency.
Packing your emergency kit in a suitcase will make everything portable and easy to store. | Photo by WStoday
With Hurricane Helene impacting Winston-Salem, emergency officials stress preparation is essential to staying safe in potential disasters.

ReadyForsyth is a resource for residents to learn everything from local flood zones to how to find public shelters set up in case of emergencies. Here are a few items to include in your household emergency kit:
  • Extra medication
  • First aid kit
  • Water (one gallon per person, per day)
  • Sanitation and personal hygiene supplies
  • Battery-powered flashlight + radio with extra batteries
  • Non-perishable food
  • Pet supplies
Officials say stockpiling a few supplies at a time is a good way to keep costs reasonable and avoid panicking if you find yourself in an emergency situation.

First responders caution that phone lines and cell towers might not work during a disaster, which is why being prepared + alert is so important. You’ll still want to keep the Forsyth County non-emergency number handy — it’s 336-727-2222.
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The Wrap
 
Cambridge Wrege.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Cambridge
From the editor
The Twin City is going big the final weekend in September. Not only is the 19th annual Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors underway, it’s family weekend at Wake Forest University + Winston-Salem State takes on Bowie State University at Bowman Gray Stadium. Be sure to check out lots of other fun activities on our events calendar.
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