Downtown Winston-Salem in Forsyth County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Little Red Factory

Photographed by Bruce InCharlotte, May 23, 2026

1. The Little Red Factory Marker

Inscription. The Little Red Factory, also known as the Old Red Factory, was built in 1875 by Richard Joshua (R.J.) Reynolds as the first home of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Situated on land purchased from the Moravian town of Salem, this modest two-story structure was strategically located at the nexus of two key commercial advantages: the thriving flue-cured tobacco market and a newly constructed railroad line. R.J. Reynolds emerged as a prominent figure in the community, and the Reynolds family played a pivotal role in shaping the history and growth of Winston-Salem.

Erected 2025. (Marker Number 77.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.

Location. 36° 5.73′ N, 80° 14.493′ W. Marker is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in Forsyth County. It is in Downtown Winston-Salem. It is on North Chestnut Street north of East First Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 N Chestnut 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: George Henry Black Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); City Hall (about 600 feet away);

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Richard Joshua Reynolds (about 600 feet away); Former Dividing Line Between Winston and Salem (about 600 feet away); Wm. Cyrus Briggs (about 700 feet away); Site of First House Erected in Winston (about 700 feet away); Thomas J. Wilson (about 700 feet away); The Honorable Willie Jones of Halifax (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winston-Salem.

Regarding The Little Red Factory. Winston-Salem’s early growth is inseparable from the rise of the tobacco industry, especially the influence of R.J. Reynolds. When Reynolds arrived in Winston in 1874, he purchased a small lot near the railroad and built a bright red, two‑story factory that became known as the Little Red Factory. Production began in 1875, and the operation quickly expanded as demand surged. By 1892, a much larger complex, Factory Number 256, replaced the original building and helped propel the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company into one of the city’s dominant economic forces. By the early 1900s, Reynolds had absorbed most local competitors, produced a quarter of the nation’s chewing tobacco, and launched major national

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advertising campaigns, including Prince Albert in 1907 and Camel in 1913, which became the country’s most popular cigarette.

Through the mid‑20th century, the company continued to grow, shaping Winston-Salem’s skyline and identity, most notably through the 1929 Reynolds Building, later used as inspiration for the Empire State Building. Reynolds introduced major brands like Winston and Salem in the 1950s and employed thousands in vast downtown factories. But as health concerns and regulations increased, the industry contracted. R.J. Reynolds merged with Nabisco in 1989 and moved its headquarters to Atlanta in 1999, ending more than a century of local corporate presence. Factory Number 256, built over the Little Red Factory site, was destroyed in a massive 1998 fire during renovation work, but the company’s legacy remains deeply woven into the city’s industrial and architectural history.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2026, by Bruce InCharlotte of Charlotte, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Bruce InCharlotte of Charlotte, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.