In our imagination, time travel moves fast, but in Guilford Woods, it’s at the speed of a single step.
Here in the old-growth forest at the eastern edge of Guilford College, a tree stands as a sentinel over friends, families, and couples who’ve come to enjoy a stroll through the 200-acre woods. Those trekkers may or may not know about the Underground Railroad Tree — but the ones who do know that these woods are more than just a peaceful place for a walk. The long-standing trees once served as a haven for people in search of freedom whose own visits involved much higher stakes. For those unfamiliar with the history, they soon learn it when they reach the viewing platform next to the 300-year-old tulip poplar, complete with a sign detailing the tree’s significance.
Like the tree in Guilford Woods, Greensboro’s other historical sites teach visitors about this area’s intricate past. Read on for six landmarks where you can discover the Gate City through the ages.
You’re Welcome in Greensboro — where history leaps off the page. Walk in the footsteps of revolutionaries, trailblazers, and champions. From the Revolutionary War to Jeansboro, Civil Rights, and Tournament Town — plan your adventure and explore Greensboro today!
Re-enactors portray British forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
In 1781, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse turned the tide for the Revolutionary War’s Southern Campaign. Although American forces lost, the British suffered massive casualties, leaving them with 25 percent fewer men. “I never saw such fighting since God made me,” Cornwallis wrote. “The Americans fought like demons.” Today, the site of the battle has been preserved as a 250-acre national park on New Garden Road.
Beyond re-enactments, the national park includes historians and enthusiasts eager to educate visitors on the nuances of the American-British battle. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
Start your visit at the visitor center, where interpretive exhibits shed light on the battle’s nuances. Next, venture out along the wooded trails — either on your own or with a guided tour. As you make your way around the park, birdsong fills the air, and monuments stand as silent tributes to the fallen soldiers who fought here. Those who prefer a guided tour can take their pick of three: a tour of the on-site Historic Hoskins Farm, an 18th-century working farm; a walking or driving tour that extends from the Hoskins Farm to the Courthouse and back; and a tour of the monuments.
Just on the fringe of Guilford College, commuters and students unknowingly traverse a second battlefield. At the intersection of what is today New Garden and Guilford College roads, a brief, 30-minute clash between British and American soldiers on March 15, 1781, set the stage for the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. By inflicting casualties and weakening the tired British troops, the continental forces slowed their adversary’s advances later in the day.
Today, a historical marker on the Guilford College campus tells the story of this lesser-known prelude battle.
A viewing platform and sign at the Underground Railroad Tree signal to visitors that they are walking in a place of significant history. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
The 300-year-old poplar in Guilford Woods is the second-largest in the state. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
Starting in the early 19th century, freedom-seekers found refuge in the wild edges of Guilford Woods. Undeveloped because of its undulating terrain and creek ravines, the land offered opportunities for wild foraging and protection.
Often, Greensboro Quakers helped passengers find their way north. “Their next stop was usually Indiana because of Quaker community connections,” says Tony VanWinkle, a Guilford College professor. “The Underground Railroad Tree stood witness to all of that.”
The Underground Railroad Trail gives present-day visitors an understanding of the path freedom-seekers took to reach the Underground Railroad Tree. Follow the route, which ends at a viewing platform where visitors can spend a quiet moment of reflection with the 300-year-old tree.
VanWinkle remembers his first visit to the Underground Railroad Tree four years ago. “It’s the second-largest poplar in the state,” he says. “To see a tree of this magnitude in an old-growth forest is impressive.”
The scent of fresh coffee lingers at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, housed in the former Woolworth’s building on Elm Street. Here, on February 1, 1960, four North Carolina A&T students ignited a national sit-in movement — the same lunch counter, complete with vinyl-covered barstools, still stands.
Through interactive exhibits and guided tours, guests hear firsthand accounts of the courage it took to defy segregation. The counter, frozen in time, serves as a powerful reminder of how a seemingly simple act changed the course of history.
Located on Gorrell Street, The Historic Magnolia House catches the eyes of passersby with its elegant porch and mint-green trim. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
Pages from the Green Book hang on the walls at The Historic Magnolia House. Photography courtesy of Visit Greensboro
On Sunday mornings, the sound of jazz envelops brunch guests at The Historic Magnolia House, where an elegant menu features shrimp and grits, biscuits, fried chicken, and other Southern classics. Originally built 75 years ago, the Magnolia House was recently restored as a four-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast. During the 20th century, the hotel welcomed famous guests from Ray Charles to Jackie Robinson to James Brown, who helped define a time of resilience and cultural growth. Listed in the Green Book, a guidebook for Black travelers during the Jim Crow era, the Magnolia House served as a safe haven for travelers who were denied access to other restaurants and hotels.
These travelers relied on “shoebox meals,” or shoeboxes packed with foods that wouldn’t spoil easily. Today, Magnolia House honors this history with Lunch N Learns that serve lunches inspired by the shoebox meals. Owner Natalie Miller says these lunch experiences offer a powerful reminder of the journey toward freedom and equality. Through a meal of fried fish, chicken, and pound cake (plus a vegan option), the boxes bring history to modern-day diners. “We literally recreate history and the historical Black travel experience in this space,” Miller says.
Learn more about Greensboro’s textile production history by visiting the Voices of a City: Denim Capital exhibit at Greensboro History Museum. Photography courtesy of Greensboro History Museum
Throughout Greensboro, visitors notice a surprising collection of statues: 3D denim pants. What started as a contest for local high school students transformed into a public art project, where painted jeans celebrate the town’s textile claim to fame.
Greensboro, dubbed “Jeansboro” in 2015, has been the heart of American denim production for more than a century. In 1922, a journalist paints a striking image of the fabric’s impact: “In one year, the Greensboro mills produce nearly 75,000 miles of cloth … three times around the earth with bolts of cloth made in Greensboro cotton mills in one year.” By the 1930s, more denim was produced in Greensboro than anywhere else in the world.
White Oak Cotton Mill employees change spools and monitor the operations. Photography courtesy of © Carol W. Martin/Greensboro History Museum Collection, conedenim.com
Today, the city is home to Kontoor Brands, Inc., with iconic brands like Wrangler and Lee. And Cone Denim, which once ran the largest denim mill in the world at Greensboro’s White Oak Cotton Mill, now has its division office inside the revitalized Revolution Mill, home to shops, restaurants, office spaces, and apartments. But you don’t have to be in the textile game to notice denim’s prevailing legacy throughout Greensboro. You can visit Revolution Mill today to check out the Fabric of Memory exhibit, which shares oral histories from former mill village inhabitants who worked at Cone Denim. Afterwards, explore the mill’s campus: swing by Cugino Forno for a slice of pizza or pick up an espresso and pastry from Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie to enjoy as you wander through the building’s sunny halls.
Ready to take your own trip through the moments and landmarks that shaped the Gate City? Whether you choose a walk through the woods, a lunch or stay in a historic bed and breakfast, or a trip to a revitalized mill, immersive experiences await. Click here to start planning your visit.
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