The Moravians, a devout Protestant sect who immigrated to the New World from Central Europe, established Salem as a trade and crafts center. Music was part of their religious services and their everyday lives. Their love of the arts created a legacy of appreciation for art, crafts and music evident in Winston-Salem today. In the late 1800s the city of Winston was established as the county seat one mile north of Salem Square. Today both the arts and industry flourish in a community eager to preserve its heritage.
Trees shade the sloping streets, and rose-covered fences border major highways.
Many older neighborhoods have been renovated, providing comfortable housing in areas close to the Medical Center and downtown. The city's downtown area is also undergoing revitalization. The Stevens Center for the performing Arts and the Sawtooth Center for Visual Arts form the core of a downtown Art District that is bringing people back to the center city. The city is located in the Piedmont section of North Carolina. Sand, sun and surf on the Carolina coast, one of the nation's best, is an afternoon's drive away.