Winston-Salem has a diverse and fascinating history. Did you know that two towns were merged to form Winston-Salem? Did you know that Winston-Salem was among the ten best places to retire in the United States by CBS MoneyWatch? Did you know that Krispy Kreme Doughnut was invented here? Did you know that Winston-Salem only enjoyed the status of “Twin City” since 1913? Here’s are some more interesting facts about the “Twin City.”
Image By Alexisrael (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Geographic and Demographic Fast Facts of Winston-Salem
- It is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- It is the fifth largest city in the North Carolina, United States.
- The city has two hidden bodies of water- the Bath Branch Falls and the Vulcan Quarry.
- The official elevation is 963 feet above sea level.
- The ethnic composition of Winston-Salem includes- White- 51.2%, Black or African American- 34.7%, Asian American- 2%, Native American-0.1%, Pacific Native alone and Native Hawaiian- 0.08%, and two or more races-2.4%, Latino or Hispanic of any race- 14.7%.
- It is the most religious city in the state with approximately 54.14% religious affiliation population.
- The largest religion is Christianity.
History Fast Facts of Winston-Salem
- In 1849, Winston was founded.
- Winston was formed as the county seat in 1851.
- In 1874, Richard Reynolds formed one of the largest tobacco firms in the world in Winston-Salem. The Reynolds family has a great contribution to the history of Winston-Salem.
- In 1913, after the referendum, two neighboring towns were officially merged, which led to the formation of Winston-Salem.
- Many businesses started during the 20th century in Winston-Salem. In 1937, the first doughnut shop was opened.
- In 1948, the Piedmont Airlines was officially started.
Government and Economy Fast Facts of Winston-Salem
- Winston-Salem has a council-manager form of government.
- The city has a diverse business base, including finance, healthcare research and manufacturing.
- It is referred as the City of Arts and Innovation.
- The city serves as headquarters of many companies, including Reynolds American, Branch Banking and Trust Company, Lowes Food Stores, Blue Rhino, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc., and many more.
Winston-Salem Important and Interesting Fast Facts
- Winston-Salem is nicknamed as Twin City, City of Arts and Innovation, The Dash, Winston, and Camel City.
- The popular Krispy Kreme Doughnut was invented in the Twin City.
- The city has the oldest symphony in the state, formed in 1946.
- It has the tallest office building in the region- the Well-Fargo Center.
- Winston-Salem’s main daily newspaper is Winston-Salem Journal.