The Landscape South of St. Philips
During the early nineteenth century much of the landscape south of St. Philips Church was undeveloped or used for agricultural purposes. Beyond Salem Creek, which can still be seen running through Central Park, was Shuman's Plantation. This plantation was one of several farms around Salem established to feed the town's residents. Zigzag or snake rail fencing was used to define the various fields. These durable fences were easily constructed but used vast amounts of wood. After the Chestnut tree blight of the 1880s, barbed wire became the preferred agricultural fencing materials. The fence before you is constructed of split Locust Trees.
The rural landscape south of St. Philips was altered in 1820 with the construction of the Salem Flour Mill southwest of town. A millrace was built just beyond the fence line to channel the water to the mill's wheels. The clean running water of the race alleviated residents' fear of stagnant pond water as a cause of fever. In fact the race quickly became a recreational center for swimming and bathing among the town's young boys, often a concern to church leaders.
The millrace looped around St. Philips Church on its way to the mill. It was 4,521 feet in length and 10 feet wide and had such an enormous impact on the landscape that the southernmost street was named "Race Street." Although the flour mill burned in December 1902 and the race was lost to the construction of Salem Avenue in 1923, hints of the race can be seen today in the location of Race Street and in the bends of Salem Avenue as it follows the path of the original mill race.
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Location. 36° 5.049′ N, 80° 14.405′ W. Marker is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in Forsyth County. It is on South Church Street just north of Race Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 911 S Church St, Winston Salem NC 27101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont and specifically in Piedmont Triad. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Emancipation in Salem
Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 230 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
