Sedalia in Guilford County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Introduction & Welcome
Welcome to the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, located on the former campus of the Palmer Memorial Institute. Follow the path to our Visitors Center to access a restroom, water fountain, and guided tours, and to visit our gift shop.
In 1902, Charlotte Hawkins founded a school for local African American children with the support of their parents, local clergy and Northern philanthropists. In its early years the school offered students agricultural education. It later evolved into an internationally known boarding school offering a liberal arts education.
Palmer closed in 1971. In 1987, as the result of efforts by Sedalia residents and Palmer alumni, the former campus opened as North Carolina's first state-owned historic site created to honor an African American and a woman.
The mission of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum is to preserve and interpret the history and legacy of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Palmer Memorial Institute, and African American education in North Carolina.
[Sidebar:]
Self Guided Tour
Take a self-guided walking tour of the site by following wayside markers across campus and discover the fascinating story of this unique school and its founder. EAch wayside has a QR code, which you can scan to access additional information and photos. Follow the sidewalk to the tour's first stop at Canary Cottage.
Erected by NC
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1902.
Location. 36° 4.086′ N, 79° 37.49′ W. Marker is in Sedalia, North Carolina, in Guilford County. It is on Burlington Road west of Palmer Farm Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6136 Burlington Rd, Gibsonville NC 27249, 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 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
Other markers no longer nearby. Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Origins of Palmer Memorial Institute (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Charles W. Eliot Hall (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Canary Cottage (was about 300 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 61 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 26, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
