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April 1st, 2010 admin

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Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Visit Moravian Old Salem

Winston-Salem, North Carolina is not named after the cigarette brand. Salem came first: a theocratically planned town of the Moravian Sect. The Moravians are followers of John Huss, burned at the stake in the 15th century, for believing that Holy Communion should be shared by all of the congregation and not just merely the priest and that the Bible should be available in the vernacular. Both of these are now followed by the Roman Catholic Church. Let’s say he was a little ahead of his times, say five hundred years.

Old Salem is a living history museum and community. Private residences and public buildings exist side by side. Some of the private residences even allow the visitors to enter their gardens. For a fee you can go into some of the buildings and learn about life in the community. The town was started to make money for the Church and everyone learned a trade, which was useful to the community. Their clientele were the local farmers and the mountainmen, who could not afford the imports from Europe. Some of the trades, which are demonstrated, are gunsmithing, cobbling, pottery, tailoring, pewter and tin smithing, wood joining and turning. The town has an operating bakery (known for the delicate cookies). The town also ran a tavern, a hotel, and restaurant for the visitors who shopped there.

Society was divided into different choirs, i.e., gender and age groups. The single brothers and sisters lived in separate residences, where they learned their trades. When they were permitted to marry, they would then have their own home, which the Church really owned.

Pacifists in their beliefs, the Moravians bought themselves out of fighting during the Revolutionary War, by paying a triple tax. During the Civil War, they did the work of conscientious objectors: medics, tradesmen, etc.

Today the Church does not run Old Salem. The Church still has an influence in the town operating Salem College and Salem Academy. The Moravians also have a great musical tradition, which still exists today. They are in the process of publishing much of their church music.

Tobacco growers and textile owners founded Winston, which merged with Salem during the 1920s. In a way, this city was a closed society too, excluding certain groups.

About the Author

John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a full-time RVer, who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music., A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures, links, and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org.

Timeless – IBC Music Fest 2008 Indiana Bible College