Greensboro tourist information
Greensboro, the county seat of Greene County, was first chartered in 1786. The city, spelled Greensborough at the time, was the first town in America to be burned to the ground and its inhabitants killed by Native Americans. The city was later incorporated December 10, 1803. Greene County's courthouse, constructed around 1848, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historic monuments include the Iron House, a massive 2,000-pound structure and the "Gaol", a Bastille-like jail that is one of the oldest penal structures in Georgia.
Greensboro participates in the Better Hometown Program run by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. This community development program is a public-private partnership intended to revitalize small communities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000. These cities have access to technical assistance and fiscal resources designed to stimulate downtown revitalization.
According to 2000 Census, the City of Greensboro had a population of 3,238 persons. Between 1990 and 2000, the city experienced a population increase of 12.5%, compared to the state growth during this period of 26.4%
Visitors will find Greensboro and its surrounding area full of fascinating spots to pass spare time between meetings or before and after convention or event activities. This city's devotion to the arts is underscored by the many art galleries scattered throughout the city.
Those interested in history are definitely not left out, as there are many wonderful historical and cultural sites to see. More attuned to sports - and golf? Greensboro has got you covered with many sporting and golfing events occurring throughout the year, including the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. Greensboro has been hosting this tournament for over sixty years!
Maybe you're just in the mood to relax by a quiet lake or take shade under some trees. Our many beautiful parks and recreational areas are exactly what you need.
Saura and Keyauwee Indians were the earliest inhabitants of Piedmont North Carolina. The first settlers in the Greensboro area were mostly Germans, Quakers of Welsh and English descent and Scotch-Irish who came to the Piedmont from Northern colonies. These pioneers worked the land and shaped the future for generations to come. Permanent settlement began around 1740.
To thwart the invasion of North Carolina by 1,900 redcoats under Lord Cornwallis, American Major General Nathanael Greene deployed 4,400 rebels in three battle lines at Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781. Cornwallis held the field after an intense, two-hour fight, but lost one-quarter of his army, which hastened his eventual defeat at Yorktown seven months later.
In 1807, the residents of the area voted to create a new, more centrally located seat of government. The following year, elected officials mapped out a 42-acre tract of land, paid $98 to purchase it and suggested that it be named Greensborough after the patriot commander Nathanael Greene.
The new town prospered and it wasn’t long before it became a center for educational and economic opportunities. Greensboro was and continues to be a "chosen center."
A quest for diversity is a part of Greensboro’s historical matrix, with significant events forming the content and context of African-American history. An informed tour of Greensboro’s African-American attractions can serve to reveal an important part of that history.
As early as 1830, Quaker anti-slave advocate Vestal Coffin was prominent in the movement of slaves from Greensboro. From 1830 until the end of the Civil War, Vestal and his cousin Levi helped to operate the Underground Railroad, which provided shelter and assistance to hundreds of escaped slaves who were fleeing to the North. Levi later relocated to Ohio, where he was known as "President of the Underground Railroad." Greensboro’s Guilford College campus is the location of the "Hiding Place," or "Underground Railway Depot."
In the early 1900s, Dr. Charlotte Hawkins founded a preparatory school for African-Americans called the Palmer Memorial Institute. Located just east of Greensboro, the school operated until 1971, when integration and adequate high schools lessened the appeal of a separate black school. The school is now the location of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown State Historic Site, the first state historic site honoring a black woman.
Two college communities have also played a part in shaping African-American history in the Greensboro area. Bennett is now a liberal arts school for African-American women. N.C. A&T, the largest African-American school in North Carolina, boasts alumni astronaut Ron McNair and civil rights activist and minister Jesse Jackson among many others.
The first civil rights "sit-in" in the nation was held at the F.W. Woolworth Co. on February 1, 1960, when four N.C. A&T State University students sat down at the segregated lunch counter and asked for service. Their actions fueled the campaign for racial integration in the South.
To commemorate this event, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum plans to open by 2007 in the former Woolworth Building in downtown Greensboro. The Center and Museum will not only chronicle civil rights history, but will focus on current civil rights events around the world.
Greensboro aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Greensboro aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Greensboro.
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