With monuments from Pennsylvania and Maine, dedicated to the soldiers from those states who came to…read morethe South to fight in the Civil War, this is a peaceful and quiet place. I was here on Memorial Day Weekend with all of the flags laid out. A great tribute to our military. Prior to being a cemetery, the land was an abandoned cotton mill before it was converted into a military prison. At one time, it held as many as 10,000 men and in such a tight area, there was disease. Many died from malnutrition and were buried in mass graves. It is a column place and I was glad to have visited on this weekend. You won't be able to miss the Federal Monument to the Unknown Dead, a 38 foot tall granite obelisk. There are a number of context markers that explain the layout and history. [Review 1123 of 2024 - 3618 in North Carolina - 22147 overall]

This cemetery is the historic, original national cemetery. It's operated and run by the main annex…read moreon Statesville Blvd. near the VA Center, but is worth stopping by for the historical significance. The minute I drove in I could see the difference: the large cast iron gates and stone perimeter fence, the multiple plaques and monument to the unknown soldiers, the Maine and Pennsylvania monuments honoring the soldiers from those states that died in the prison camps of the 1860s. There's a lot to see in this 12 acres. The trees and vegetation are larger, more established, and there's less of frenetic pace here than in the newer location. It's what you would expect, the immediate emotion evident in the newer locale is here replaced by the bittersweet sadness of monuments to those who may no longer have living relatives or any who can come by regularly. There were only a few people at this spot, all elderly, paying respects to Korean or Vietnam war vets, buried here just before the new annex opened. There's a stateliness about this spot and a more intimate feeling. It's beautifully maintained. The state has kept this location as well groomed as the newer national cemetery annex. It's a fascinating location to visit and pay respects, before or after visiting the new cemetery, and it matters little if you're a history buff or not.

On the corner not far from downtown Salisbury, this marker points out some of the city's…read moreinvolvement in the Civil War. Now converted into a National Cemetery, it wasn't always this way. The marker reads, "Confederate Prison. Enclosure, 16 acres. Once held 10,000 men. Destroyed by Federals, 1865. Site one block south." The online essay has more information. It reads, " Shortly after Governor John W. Ellis led North Carolina out of the Union on May 20, 1861, the state assumed a prominent role in the Confederacy, providing soldiers and equipment to the rebel cause. While the its role as supplier endeared it to the Confederates, North Carolina became a target for Union raids designed to break southern supply lines and destroy key facilities, such as the Confederate prison in Salisbury. "Early in the war, the Confederacy purchased an old cotton mill in southeast Salisbury for $15,000 and converted the structure into a place of confinement. The prison's massive iron doors opened for the first time on December 9, 1861. Many of the incarcerated spent their time writing, whittling, or playing baseball--perhaps the first games hosted in the south. Indeed, one prisoner noted that life within the prison was "more endurable than any other part of Rebeldom." In time, however, the prison at Salisbury reached capacity, and in the autumn of 1864, contained almost 7,000 prisoners, far more than the facility was designed to accommodate. Statewide supply shortages and rampant disease led to a surge in death rates, forcing guards to prepare mass graves for deceased inmates, along with casualties from nearby hospitals. "Near the close of the war, conditions within the prison convinced leaders to conduct prisoner exchanges, the most notable of which occurred in February 1865. Three months later, Union General George Stoneman led his forces across western North Carolina. One of his main objectives was the liberation and destruction of the Salisbury prison. The prison had been abandoned and converted into a supply depot by the time the fire that consumed the complex was extinguished on April 13, 1865. Only the garrison house survived from the original prison camp, along with a few artifacts including a tattered Confederate flag. The Federal government acquired the makeshift prison cemetery in 1868, and two years later the sacred ground was designated Salisbury National Cemetery, honoring over 11,000 American soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who lost their lives during the war." This is marker L-2 and there is a parking lot here for an auto parts store. The prison is nearby and very much worth a visit. [Review 1135 of 2024 - 3630 in North Carolina - 22159 overall]

Located adjacent to the Rowan County Courthouse, this marker points out some of the darkness that…read moreexists in American history. It's important that these be erected so that these terrible acts aren't forgotten, even if no one was ever held to account. On the front side, "Lynching in America. Racial terror lynching claimed the lives of thousands of African Americans and created a legacy of injustice that can still be felt today. After slavery ended, many white people remained committed to racial hierarchy and used lethal violence and terror against Black communities to maintain a racial, economic and social order that oppressed and marginalized Black people. Lynching became the most public and notorious form of subordination directed at Black people and was frequently tolerated or even supported by law enforcement and elected officials. White mobs were usually permitted to engage in brutal violence with impunity. Many Black people were pulled out of jails or given over to mobs by law enforcement officials who were legally required to protect them. Terror lynchings often included burnings and mutilation, sometimes in front of crowds numbering in the thousands. Many of the victims of these acts of violence were not recorded and remain unknown, but over 120 lynchings have been documented in North Carolina. On January 15, 2019. Salisbury's City Council formally adopted a Resolution of Reconciliation, committing the city to enacting policies and practices to guarantee equity and justice as well as the publication of an annual report on the city's efforts to eliminate inequity. Memorializing this history is a critical step in advancing the continuing struggle for equality and dismantling systemic inequities." And on the reverse, "Lynching of African Americans in Rowan County. On June 11, 1902, a white mob of more than fifty men abducted two African American children, ages 13 and 11, named Harrison and James Gillespie from the Rowan County jail and lynched them in front of a crowd of over 400 people. The two boys had been arrested and accused of murder. The white mob hanged them and shot their bodies repeatedly. Four years later, on August 6, 1906, two African American men, Jack Dillingham and Nease Gillespie, and Mr. Gillespie's teenage son, John Gillespie, were abducted from the Rowan County jail in Salisbury and lynched by a white mob of more than two thousand people. Without any evidence of their guilt, they were accused of killing four members of a white family in their home in Unity Township in July 1906, primarily because they worked for the white homeowner. More than two decades later, Laura Wood, a 59-year-old African American woman, who was a farmer, wife, and mother, was lynched on February 11, 1930 in Barber. Mrs. Wood had been accused of stealing food from her white employer. After her family noticed she was missing, her body was found not far from her home hanged from a tree with an iron chain. During this era, the deep racial hostility that permeated Southern society burdened Black people with a presumption of guilt while lynching and other acts of racial terror denied them equal justice under the law. Almost all of the mob members escaped punishment for these acts of lynching." The marker was erected in 2021 by the Actions in Faith & Justice Remembrance Project and the Equal Justice Initiative. There is limited parking nearby. [Review 1125 of 2024 - 3620 in North Carolina - 22149 overall]

How I managed to live in North Carolina this long and not know we had a Cheerwine Festival is mind…read moreboggling to me. This was my first year attending the event. It was advertised that you could take a train to Salisbury, NC and then the festival was in walking distance. If you drove, you'd have to look for parking in the area and walk to the event. My friend and I arrived around noon. This. Was a good time, but in the fire I'd ago In my opinion they spaced out the different vendors well so it wasn't too crowded. You were able to move through the areas easily. At times, you would have to wait for people to move, but this is expected with any festival. I liked that their website listed the vendor participating and if the vendor created a Cheerwine themed item/dish. I believe it would've ben helpful it their website also included a map of where each vendor was so you could head to the vendor you wanted immediately. There was a main location at the festival that sold Cheerwine merchandise such as: beach towels, stickers, hats, t-shirts, and displays. They had a cash and card line. Some vendors took cash, but not all so it is good to have both on you. There were live performances occurring in their center city park. I was not prepared well for the event as I literally decided to go day of. In the future I'll make sure to pack a lawn towel or small chair to sit in the park and come earlier in the day when the event first starts so it's not as hot outside.

Bottom line: The Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury is a busy and popular street festival to celebrate…read morethe regional soft drink favorite. Saw lots of Cheerwine merch/logos everywhere but not Cheerwine itself. This festival is extremely crowded and there are long lines for absolutely everything, do know that going into this one. Bring cash, you'll need it. The Deets: My friends and I made plans to hit the The Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury, NC this year. Cheerwine is a local/regional soft drink favorite, a black cherry flavored soda. Cheerwine has been made since 1917 and has been produced by the same family in North Carolina for all those years (big accomplishment in the food/beverage industry). I've been a Cheerwine fan since childhood so I was up for going to a festival bearing its name. We went down and back on Amtrak as there is a train station near to the downtown area the festival is held. I recommend going by train if possible as finding parking is not that easy for this event. Salisbury is not a huge town so you would expect that to be so. If you are not a fan of big crowds and long lines, then this festival is not for you. This festival is very "people-y" and there are long lines for EVERYTHING...food, beer/beverages, merchandise, craft/art/novelty items, cash machines (bring cash, most things here are not cheap)...everything. Of course the sound stage had a crowd around it as well. We even ducked into a local bottle shop to find some peace (see my prior review for this business) which we indeed found. My pics I took are from a pocket of peace I found outside of the crowded area. Of note, I did see that there were plenty of port-a-potties everywhere, even down alleys between buildings. While I saw Cheerwine logos and merchandise a-plenty at the festival, I really can't recall seeing any actual Cheerwine itself. Sad face. Lots of beer opportunities...not Cheerwine though. If you love those crowded street festivals, this event is your golden ticket. I found it was great to visit and experience but I'm not sure I would go out of my way to come back again.

This was an interesting and quaint little museum in the center of town…read more Salisbury is a very unique Town filled with history. This museum has curated a sweet collection of artifacts from several eras of American and indigenous history. The volunteers were friendly and welcoming as well as knowledgeable. We stopped in during the annual Cheerwine festival and were pleasantly surprised. If you're ever in downtown Salisbury you should definitely take a peek inside!

They have several sites preserving the county history. Bravo! The history continues on the…read moresidewalks and cemeteries of downtown Salisbury.

I love this park! Its very large and there is always something going on. I mainly go to walk the…read moretrails. The main trail is a mile long and circles through the trees and around the lake on the other side. Its a very nice walk. You will pass families enjoying the picnic areas and grills, lots of families on the trails with their little ones on bikes, and fishing. Everyone you pass is normally pretty friendly with hellos and encouraging words as you pass each other. There is also a large trail that branches off from this trail. I see a lot of cross country runner teams and they have a lot of matches there. But you can still enjoy the trails during matches. There is also a Baseball Field and a large field for activities such as soccer. Times vary depending on the time of year but I highly recommend this park.

Cute little pottery store - looks like they gave classes too. It's a little pricey but we made a…read morepurchase while we were here. Saw some unique items and couldn't help but buy the shirt and pants - think we are going to put a stiff animal in it to bring it to life.

This is a really nice pottery gallery located in historic downtown Salisbury. By the way, for a…read moresmall city, Salisbury has a really nice downtown with a very good selection of shops and restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection and quality of the items here. The prices are also very reasonable. If you you looking for pottery for your house or as a gift then I would highly recommend checking out Pottery 101.

On a Sunday morning that was more rainy than drizzly, I stopped by the Rowan County Courthouse in…read moreSalisbury with umbrella deployed and it immediately felt like one of those buildings that deserves a slow walk even in bad weather. Rowan County was formed in 1753 and named for Mtthew Rowan, the acting governor of North Carolina, and Salisbury has served as the county seat from the start. The city's name comes from Salisbury in England, a choice that fit the British roots of the early settlers who laid out the town in the mid 1700s. The current courthouse went up in 1914 and was designed by Frank Pierce Milburn, and at this point I feel like I am on a Milburn tour of the South since I have seen so many of his works from Reidsville's courthouse just yesterday to Wilkes County's courthouse in Washington Georgia and even Wise County Courthouse in Virginia! Milburn's Rowan County Courthouse leans fully into the Classical Revival look with tall columns, a balanced facade, and the kind of stone and proportion that make a civic building feel grounded and permanent. Even with the rain coming down, the details stood out, and the place has that familiar Milburn mix of formality and approachability that shows up across his portfolio. Walking the grounds with the streets quiet and the pavement wet made it easy to appreciate how well the building sits on its corner and how it still carries the weight of a county seat that has been here since colonial days. [Review 640 of 2026 - 4728 in North Carolina - 25821 overall] [Rowan County is number 78 of my quest to visit all 100 North Carolina County Courthouses. See https://www.yelp.com/collection/bgSlwoF6jU6MHqVx1fJ_oA/.]

Estates department is non responsive, clerks in all departments are usually of zero to no help.read more

Black box theatre with consistently interesting seasons. They do both well known shows, lesser…read moreknown productions, and a few original works. The local theater community is active, and the actors are typically quite talented. The space is very nice, with an open lobby and a bar, which has a decent variety of beer and wine as well as some snacks. All of these can be brought in to the theater during the show. There are several nearby restaurants which are great for a pre-show dinner or drinks, and a few places open late, if you want to get something after the show. Actors are out in the lobby after the show to meet the audience. If you have a chance to see a show here you should grab it!

Great production values. Nice staff. Great locally made beverages. Highly enjoyed it. Will visit…read moreagain