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Originally, Greensboro was inhabited by Native Americans known as Saura, until in 1754, 40 Quaker families established the New Garden Monthly Meeting. Eventually, the Quaker settlement grew to be the most important Quaker community in the state of North Carolina. The town became known as Greensboro, named for Major General Nathanael Greene who commanded American forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781. Despite the fact that the colonists lost the battle, Greene’s forces caused substantial damage to the British Army. Wealthy cotton trading and merchandising led to the construction of several historic homes, all of which are still standing today, in Greensboro. For those traveling to the area, a visit to these locations will bring the history of Greensboro to life.
Blandwood Mansion and Gardens
Charles Bland built this beautiful mansion on the crest of a hill on the wooded farm he owned, completing the oldest sections in 1795. The original section of the home was a simple, two-story farmhouse with just four rooms. In 1822, Henry Humphreys, a businessman who founded the first steam-powered textile mill in the state, expanded the home to six rooms after purchasing the farmhouse. In 1827, the home was purchased by John Motley Morehead, who would eventually become the Governor of North Carolina. Governor Morehead lived in the six-room farmhouse with his wife and eight children, and after being elected governor, he commissioned Alexander Jackson Davis, who helped design the North Carolina State Capital, to create a substantial addition to Blandwood, and the addition was completed in 1846. It more than doubled the size of the mansion, and it is the oldest surviving sample of Italianate style in the United States. After the death of Emma Morehead Gray, the last member of the Morehead family to live in the home, it became the residence of the Keeley Institute, which conducted treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. The Keeley Institute closed in 1961, and the mansion fell into disrepair. In 1966, Preservation Greensboro undertook the task of restoring the historic building, and it was opened to the public in 1976. Today, Blandwood is a National Historic Landmark and operates as a museum on Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Troy-Bumpas Inn
Located at 114 South Mendenhall Street, the Troy-Bumpas Inn not only offers a look back in history at the origins of Greensboro, but it is also a place for travelers to stay, surrounded by that history. The home’s design was based on a painting of the Parthenon in the home of Reverend Sidney D. Bumpas’ father-in-law. Reverend Bumpass became the Presiding Elder of the Salisbury District for the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was part of the North Carolina Conference. He became a trustee of the Greensboro Female College and moved his pregnant wife and two daughters into a dormitory until he purchased two acres of land for $122. Soon after, construction began on the red brick structure with a row of four white Doric columns that were Reverend Bumpas’ salute to the Parthenon. In 1872, a tract of land adjacent to the Bumpas home was deeded to one of the daughters, Duella, and her husband Reverend Robert P. Troy, while Eugenia remained in the “Old Home.” Eventually, all surviving members of the home moved into what became known as the “Bumpass-Troy Home.” After the last surviving member, Ethel Troy, died in 1975, the home became the property of Greensboro College, but the university did not have the means to restore it to its previous glory. In 1977, the home was sold to William and Margaret Stevens, who rented apartments in the home. In 1992, the property was purchased by Gwen and Charles Brown who updated the kitchen and opened a bed and breakfast known as “Aunt B’s Troy-Bumpas Inn.” In the early 2000s, the home was purchased by Dr. John Wimmer and his wife, Andrea, who renamed it “Andrea’s Troy Bumpas Inn.” In 2011, the inn was purchased by Judy and Larry Horn, and they still own it today.
Visitors to the Blandwood Mansion can view Greensboro history as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries while those who enjoy being surrounded by history will love a stay at the Troy-Bumpas Inn Bed and Breakfast. For more information, please contact a travel agent in Greensboro.
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