A VISIT TO GUILFORD COURTHOUSE NATIONAL MILITARY PARK IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
By Jo Clark

Greensboro is one of those cities with a story hiding around every corner. Sitting about 90 miles west of Raleigh, it is the third-largest city in North Carolina, with about 308,000 residents. But numbers don't tell you much about a place. For that, you have to dig a little deeper.

And Greensboro has plenty to dig into.

Watch the Big Blend Radio “JO Goes Everywhere” Podcast episode on Greensboro below or download/listen to the audio version on Podbean:

The city has sent some pretty interesting people into the world, including O. Henry, the author of The Gift of the Magi and other beloved short stories, and Edward R. Murrow, the legendary broadcaster whose World War II reports brought the war into American living rooms and who later became known for his stand against Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Long before Greensboro was a city—or even a crossroads—the Piedmont was home to the Saura (rhymes with Laura) and Keyauwee (kEE-uh-wEE) Indians. Later, Germans, Welsh and English Quakers, and Scotch-Irish settlers moved south from the northern colonies and began settling the area in the 1740s.

Churches were among the first buildings these new communities built. Greensboro's religious history is still evident today; in 2010, Men's Health dubbed it the second-holiest city in America, based on its places of worship, religious organizations, and the number of volunteers supporting them.

The Revolutionary War Comes to Greensboro
Then came the Revolution.

Greensboro was named for Gen. Nathanael Greene, the Continental Army commander who faced Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781. In 1808, the 42 acres that would become Greensboro were purchased for a total of $98. The city was originally spelled Greensborough, and exactly when the final "e" disappeared from the name remains a mystery. It didn't disappear completely, though—you'll still find it hanging around in street and school names.

The 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse was a brutal fight. Greene had about 4,400 American troops arranged in three lines to meet roughly 1,900 British soldiers under Lord Cornwallis' command. Cornwallis won the battle, but at a staggering cost: he lost roughly a quarter of his force. Those losses weakened the British army and helped turn what looked like a victory on the battlefield into a strategic disaster.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
2332 New Garden Rd. Free entry
Park grounds 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. • Visitor Center 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday

This National Military Park is about six miles north of downtown Greensboro, but still inside the city limits. The 250-acre park has three miles of gravel footpaths and a 2.25-mile one-way paved loop road for driving tours. The NPS offers self-guided cell phone tours for its four walking trails and driving loop, which you can easily download.

Maps are available in the Visitor's Center, and rangers are happy to answer questions or help get the tour started on your phone. The Center's exhibits detail the Southern Campaign and the Battle of Guilford Courthouse through a 30-minute live-action interpretive video. There is also a gift shop and restrooms.

For the hikers among you, the park's paths connect to the Atlantic & Yadkin (A&Y) Greenway trail system, and to trails leading from Country Park.

The Battle Story
The March 15, 1781, Battle of Guilford Courthouse was a significant one in the Southern Campaign.

"I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons," said Lt. General Charles, Earl Cornwallis, after facing General Greene's troops at this small courthouse community.

Greene knew the North Carolina militia was largely untested and would be no real match for Cornwallis' trained British troops. But he believed the militia could fire on the advancing British, slow them down, and weaken the enemy before the more experienced American troops took over.

Along New Garden Road, more than a thousand North Carolina militiamen were divided into two brigades. When the firing began, some of the militia fled, sparking a panic. But not everyone simply disappeared into the woods. Some joined the Virginia forces of Lighthorse Harry Lee and William Campbell, while others withdrew, pulling two of Cornwallis' regiments away from the main fight.

The battle continued through the afternoon, with the Americans gradually falling back through their three lines. Cornwallis finally held the field, but his victory had come at an enormous price. The British had suffered heavy casualties, while Greene's army remained intact enough to continue the fight elsewhere.

And that is what makes Guilford Courthouse so important. Cornwallis had technically won the battle—but he had paid so dearly for it that the victory did little to help the British cause. Those losses left Cornwallis' army badly weakened. After the battle, he moved his army into Virginia, where the Southern Campaign would eventually end at Yorktown.

Today, the military park preserves the battlefield and tells the story of the soldiers and civilians caught up in the fight. You can follow the battle's path through the walking trails and driving loop and get a much better sense of just how close these armies were fighting. Battlefield tours are offered during the summer.

Historic Hoskins Farm
The area of the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park known as the Historic Hoskins Farm portrays the Hoskins family farmstead and 18th-century life. Joseph and Hannah Hoskins moved to the area in 1778 from Pennsylvania, building a 150-acre farm. They moved away from war-torn Pennsylvania (or so they thought), coming south down the Great Wagon Road through western Virginia and into Piedmont North Carolina. Little more than three years later, the farmstead served as a staging area only a quarter mile from the Americans' first line, during the March 15, 1781, Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Lord Cornwallis' British forces used the farm's fields to line up and launch attacks against local rebel troops under the command of General Greene. After the battle, the house became a field hospital.

Hoskins descendants continued to farm and live on the property until 1925. The log farmhouse standing there today was built by the Hoskins' son Ellis sometime between 1810 and 1857, so it postdates the battle itself. The property changed hands after the Hoskins family left, and the Guilford Battleground Company acquired the farmhouse and remaining land in the 1980s to preserve its connection to the battle. It wasn't until 2009 that the site was transferred to the National Park Service and formally became part of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. A separate, still-operating Greensboro city park nearby, Tannenbaum Historic Park, also preserves Hoskins family history with its own reconstructed period buildings.

Where to Eat & Drink
Greensboro is filled with interesting and tasty places to stick a fork into. But if you are anything like me, you want a few tried-and-true suggestions.

Sàigòn Cuisine Restaurant
Sàigòn Cuisine Restaurant — the place for Vietnamese cuisine. If you want a bowl or cup of Tomato Egg Drop Soup, you have to arrive early. They only make it for lunch. Everything is delightfully fresh, but you don't want to miss out on this soup. The restaurant closes between lunch and dinner, from 2 to 5 pm (except on Sunday), and is closed on Wednesday. The servings are large, and spring rolls come in three styles—I especially love the papaya and shrimp with a peanut dipping sauce.

Machete
Machete is one place where "small plates" definitely does NOT mean small flavors!

A James Beard nominee, Machete serves creative, shareable dishes, which is a brilliant idea since choosing just one is nearly impossible. Add an inventive cocktail—or two—and you've got the perfect excuse to order another round of everything. The crab croquettes filled with corn, green tomato, and preserved lemon left my taste buds tingling for another bite. And the pork belly, liberally laced with melon and Thai basil, has me craving another plate. Hickory barbequed duck wings? Need I say more?

And that layered chocolate dessert? Yum! Dig down deep to make sure you get all the layers: white chocolate, dark chocolate mousse, toasted coconut, and browned butter!

Being just up the street from Angel's B&B made it even better. Good food, great drinks, and a walk home? Now THAT is my kind of travel day!

Lewis and Elm
Enjoy an elegant, relaxed space or sit at the large central bar. You'll feel right at home in either place at Lewis and Elm. This place is a bit tricky to locate (just kidding). The bar is right downtown, on the corner of Lewis and Elm (facing Elm), and conveniently around the corner from the Fainting Goat.

The food ranges from handhelds and small plates to charcuterie boards. Weekly wine flights are a great way to try three new wines and pair them with small bites. My favorite was the Blind Date—a date stuffed with brie, covered in prosciutto, molasses peppercorn butter, honey, and balsamic vinegar. And for Heaven's sake, don't pass up the warmed olives and spiced nuts—yum!

If you're feeling adventurous, the bar will shake up a cocktail for you. Try the Liquid Sunshine or a Coconut Hibiscus Mojito.

O. Henry Hotel
Named for Greensboro native and short story writer O. Henry (William Sydney Porter), the O. Henry Hotel offers jazz on Thursdays (and some Saturdays) in the Green Valley Grill. They specialize in European-inspired cuisine and small bites; a glass of wine and jazz make for a perfect evening.

The Grill's 500-bottle wine list receives Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence" each year and features more than 75 wines by the glass. I paired my crisp Riesling with warm blue crab and spinach tarts, truffle fries with Parmesan-lime aioli, and heirloom tomato bruschetta. Sadly, I never saw the bottle, so I don't have a picture to jog my memory about the winery.

Arrive early if you want a seat with a view of the band. If you don't manage that, you can hear just fine from the next room, and enjoy the view of your food.

Fainting Goat Spirits
I discovered there's a whole lot more than a cute name going on at the Fainting Goat Spirits in Greensboro. Don't miss their nod to a family nickname—sample their "Tiny Cat" vodka inside their cozy tasting room.

The local, family-owned distillery started with a 3-gallon still, football Sundays, and two spirit aficionados. In just three weeks, Master Distiller Andrew and Executive Chef Bill were hooked. And when I call this a "local" distillery, that includes the grains, too. Their grains all come from a Union County, North Carolina farm, with the exception of the barley. The Fainting Goat makes vodka, gin, single-malt whiskey, straight rye whiskey, and Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.

If you need help thinking of things to do with all those spirits, the distillery in downtown Greensboro will be happy to help you out. On the weekend, they pour house-made cocktails. Stop in for a sip the next time you're in town.

Where to Stay: Angels Bed and Breakfast

When I travel, I enjoy searching out small, hidden gems. And boy! Did Angels Bed & Breakfast deliver! On North Elm Street at the edge of downtown in the historic Fisher Park neighborhood, Angel's sits atop a hill, surveying a secluded park. It's far enough from downtown to avoid the noise and traffic, but close enough to walk to lots of spots and burn off a few calories at the same time.

The house is sparkling clean, filled with hospitality and happy thoughts. She really has thought of everything, including a cabinet full of the little things you discover you forgot to pack. The private rooms are quiet and comfortable, with a spot to use as your office while you're away from your usual desk.

The kitchen is shared among the occupants of the three bedrooms and has more goodies than a corner market! The refrigerator is crammed full of anything you could want for breakfast, and the table is large enough to seat everyone in the house. This is a spot to return to often! Angel will leave the lights on for you!

Read more about Jo’s adventures in Greensboro: "Greensboro: 1781 Battlefield to Jeansboro," on RecipesTravelCulture.com.

Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer based in South Carolina's Grand Strand. She has a thirst for knowledge, history, great food, and wine! She does her very best to live up to her podcast title and Instagram handle, "Jo Goes Everywhere!" Follow her there and on her Facebook page. She is the editor of RecipesTravelCulture.com.

Learn more about Jo on her Big Blend Expert Page.

Check out the Jo Goes Everywhere! Digital Podcast Magazine.

🎧 New episodes of Big Blend Radio's Jo Goes Everywhere! Podcast air every 2nd Sunday.