An Afternoon in Salem

"Old Salem, Salem was founded in 1766 by the Moravians – a Protestant group of people that began in what is now known as the Czech Republic.  The Moravian Church and Salem residents kept meticulous records and accounts of their lives, their interactions, their buildings and landscapes, and their evolution into the town of Winston-Salem. These records, diaries, and accounts provide accurate details to tell the stories of those living and working in Salem. From the tavern keeper to the doctor, the gunsmith to the boys’ schoolteacher, every person in Salem played a vital role. Today, visitors can interact with costumed staff members through engaging conversation and by participating in hands-on activities." 

Old Salem was a prime field trip destination for elementary schools all over North Carolina.  I went there a few times through my elementary-middle school career.  However being under the age of 16, I was more excited to be out of the classroom then I was to be visiting somewhere new.  So at the end of a hard week, Vlad surprised me with afternoon tickets to Old Salem on Friday!  We got to spend  a little time in the sunshine and fresh air.

It's always interesting when you find places that embrace the time past and the present.  It's a unique moment when you can almost straddle the line between the two and see how far we've come and where we once were.  At the inn you can stand in the parlor were President George Washington once stood on those very same floorboards in a time where a women's s ribbon was a symbol of her marital status.  It's good to be reminded that time moves on and that it always continues to move forward with the good or the bad;  It carries us through.