Old Salem Field Trip

The town of Salem was founded in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in 1766 by members of the Moravian Church. Only members of this particular church could live in Salem. At the time, Salem's population was only about 200 people, but it was a major center of trade during the early history of North Carolina. People, as far as the Coastal Plain, would come to Salem seeking shoes, nails, wagons, spinning wheels, and pottery made by Moravian craftsmen.

Today, Old Salem is a popular tourist destination for anyone wishing to experience the tranquility of less stressful times from two centuries ago. As part of the fourth grade social studies curriculum, students were able to visit the very town they had spent time studying in class during of a unit of study based on the immigrants of North Carolina. From the Single Brothers House to the Shoemaker Shop, Woodlawn fourth graders had the opportunity to stroll the streets of this once thriving community as re-enactors told them the stories of the people who actually lived and worked in Salem. The highlights of the day included: a visit to the Winkler Bakery, where even today breads and other baked goods are still made and sold as part of Winkler family tradition, and a stop at the Tavern, where the students caught a glimpse of the room President George Washington stayed for an evening as he passed through town.