Siouan-speaking tribes such as theCheraw and theKeyauwee Indians inhabited the area. Followers of theMoravian Church had interacted withCherokees.[10][11] The city of Winston-Salem is a product of the merging of the two neighboring towns of Winston and Salem in 1913.
On November 17, 1753, the first settlers arrived at what would later become the town ofBethabara. This town, despite its rapid growth, was not designed to be the primary settlement on the tract. Some residents expanded to a nearby settlement, calledBethania, in 1759. Finally, lots were drawn to select among suitable sites for the location of a new town.
The town established on the chosen site was given the name of Salem (from "Shalom", Hebrew meaning "Peace", after the Canaanite city mentioned in theBook of Genesis) chosen for it by the Moravians' late patron CountZinzendorf. On January 6, 1766, the first tree was felled for the building of Salem. Salem was a typical Moravian settlement congregation, with the public buildings of the congregation grouped around a central square (todaySalem Square). These included the church, a Brethren's House, and a Sisters' House for the unmarried members of the congregation, which owned all the property in town. For many years, only members of the Moravian Church were permitted to live in the settlement. This practice had ended by theAmerican Civil War. Many of the original buildings in the settlement have been restored or rebuilt and are now part ofOld Salem Museums & Gardens.[12]
Salem was incorporated as a town in December 1856.[13] Salem Square andGod's Acre Cemetery, the Moravian graveyard, have been the site of the Moraviansunrise service eachEaster morning since 1772. This service, sponsored by all the Moravian church parishes in the city, attracts thousands of worshipers each year, some from overseas.[14]
In 1849, the Salem Congregation sold land north of Salem to the newly formedForsyth County for a county seat. The new town was called "the county town" or Salem until 1851, when it was renamed Winston for a local hero of theRevolutionary War,Joseph Winston.[15] For its first two decades, Winston was a sleepy community. In 1868, work began by Salem and Winston business leaders to connect the town to theNorth Carolina Railroad.[16] By the 1880s, there were many different tobacco factories in the town, with notable ones owned by Pleasant Hanes andR.J. Reynolds.[17] Pleasant Hanes would later go on to foundHanes (formerly called Shamrock Knitting Mills) in 1900.[18]
Robert Gray, as a featured speaker at the 1876 centennial celebration, was the first to mention the two towns as one. In the 1880s, the US Post Office began referring to the two towns together as Winston-Salem. In 1899, after nearly a decade of contention, theUnited States Post Office Department established the Winston-Salem post office in Winston, with the former Salem office serving as a branch. After a referendum the towns were officially incorporated as "Winston-Salem" in 1913.
TheReynolds family, namesake of theR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, played a large role in the history and public life of Winston-Salem. By the 1940s, 60% of Winston-Salem workers worked either for Reynolds or in the Hanes textile factories.[19] The Reynolds company imported so much French cigarette paper and Turkish tobacco forCamel cigarettes that Winston-Salem was designated by the United States federal government as an official port of entry for the United States, despite the city being 200 miles (320 km) inland.[19] Winston-Salem was the eighth-largest port of entry in the United States by 1916.[19] In 1917, the Reynolds company bought 84 acres (340,000 m2) of property in Winston-Salem and built 180 houses that it sold at cost to workers, to form a development called "Reynoldstown".[19] By the timeR.J. Reynolds died in 1918, his company owned 121 buildings in Winston-Salem.[19]
In 1929, theReynolds Building was completed in Winston-Salem. Designed byWilliam F. Lamb from the architectural firmShreve, Lamb and Harmon, the Reynolds Building is a 314-foot (96 m) skyscraper that has 21 floors.[23][24] When completed as the headquarters of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, it was the tallest building in the United States south ofBaltimore, Maryland, and it was named the best building of the year by theAmerican Institute of Architects.[25] The building is well known for being the predecessor and prototype for the much largerEmpire State Building, which was built in 1931 in New York City.[26]
Winston-Salem was officially dubbed the "City of Arts and Innovation" in 2014.[29]
On January 31, 2022, a major fire broke out at the Winston Weaver fertilizer plant in North Winston-Salem. The facility contained over 600 tons ofammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical, prompting the evacuation of approximately 6,500 residents from 2,500 homes within a one-mile radius.[30]
In 1799, theC. Winkler Bakery, noted for itsMoravian cookies, was commissioned, and in 1807, the congregation brought inChristian Winkler of Pennsylvania to operate the bakery; his family owned and operated the business until 1929. It continues to operate today as part ofOld Salem.
In 1875, R. J. Reynolds foundedR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, later famous for branded products such as Prince Albert pipe tobacco (1907) andCamel cigarettes (1913). Other brands that it made famous areWinston,Salem,Doral, andEclipse cigarettes. The Winston-Salem area is still the primary international manufacturing center for Reynolds brands of cigarettes, although employment is down from its peak of nearly 30,000 to under 3,000.
In 1906, the Bennett Bottling Company produced Bennett's Cola, a "Fine Carbonic Drink". The name was changed to Winston-Salem Bottling Works in 1915.
In 1911,Wachovia Bank and Trust was formed by the merger of Wachovia National Bank (founded in 1879 by James Alexander Gray and William Lemly) and Wachovia Loan and Trust (founded 1893). The company was purchased byFirst Union in 2001, which changed its name to Wachovia. Wachovia was purchased byWells Fargo in 2009, and the Wachovia name was retired in 2011.[31]
In 1928, Miller's Clothing Store was opened by Mrs. Henry Miller. Miller's Variety Store operated at the same location at 622 North Trade Street until closing at the end of 2016.[32] Miller's was the first store in Winston-Salem to offerbell-bottoms in the area in the 1960s. Miller's was listed byPlayboy magazine in 1968 as a popular place to shop.[33]
In 1929, the local T.W. Garner Foods introducedTexas Pete, a popular hot sauce.[34]
In 1929, Quality Oil Company was organized in December 1929, initially to launch a distributorship for the then-little-knownShell Oil Company.
In 1934,Malcolm Purcell McLean formed McLean Trucking Co. The firm benefited from the tobacco and textile industry headquartered in Winston-Salem, and became the second-largest trucking firm in the nation.[35]
In 1937,Krispy Kreme opened its first doughnut shop on South Main Street.[36]
In 1948,Piedmont Airlines was formed out of the old Camel City Flying Service. The airline was based atSmith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem but marked its first commercial flight out ofWilmington, North Carolina, on February 20, 1948. Piedmont grew to become one of the top airlines in the country before its purchase by USAir (laterUS Airways, merged withAmerican Airlines in 2015) in 1987. American Airlines maintains a reservation center in the old Piedmont reservations office.
Winston-Salem is in the northwestPiedmont area of North Carolina, situated 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the geographic center of the state. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 134.74 square miles (349.0 km2), of which 1.21 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.90%) is covered by water.[7] The city lies within theYadkin–Pee Dee River Basin, draining mainly via Salem Creek, Peters Creek, Silas Creek, and Muddy Creek.
Less than 30 miles (50 km) north of Winston-Salem are the remains of the ancientSauratown Mountains, named for the Saura people who once lived in much of the Piedmont area, including what is now Winston-Salem.[37]
The city of Winston-Salem consists of 66 constituent neighborhoods, covering 25ZIP codes and a total area of 135 square miles. Winston-Salem is the84th-largest city by area in the United States and the fifth-largest city in North Carolina by population.
One of the most notable neighborhoods in the city, West End features theWest End Historic District, which covers an area of 229 acres and is predominantly residential. Most of the buildings in West End were built between 1887 and 1930. Majorthoroughfares in West End are West End Boulevard, Northwest Boulevard, and West First Street, which leads into downtown Winston-Salem. The neighborhood offers anurban lifestyle, withshops,parks,restaurants, andservices all located within the neighborhood.
Ardmore, the largest neighborhood in Winston-Salem, features theArdmore Historic District, which contains over 2,000 buildings and two sites. Ardmore is nearWake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the second-largest hospital in North Carolina. Wake Forest Baptist Health is the largest employer inForsyth County, with over 13,000 employees, and servesNorth Carolina,Virginia,Tennessee, andSouth Carolina. Major thoroughfares in Ardmore are South Hawthorne Road, Miller Street, Cloverdale Avenue, and Queen Street.[45]
Sitting northwest of downtown, Buena Vista is close to a wide range of activities and services, such as theReynolda House andReynolda Gardens. It is known around Winston-Salem for its quiet, tree-lined streets, which give it an "exclusive" feel; most homes in Buena Vista cost between $600,000 and several million dollars. The neighborhood is about ten minutes from downtown and five minutes from one of the city's upscale shopping centers, Thruway. Thruway Center features national chains such asTrader Joe's, Athleta, andJ.Crew.[46]
Located seven miles southwest of downtown is the busiest shopping district in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The corridor offers a variety of national "big box" retailers, includingTarget,Costco, andEthan Allen. Two major companies,Novant Health andTruliant Federal Credit Union, call the boulevard home. The intersection ofHanes Mall Boulevard and Stratford Road is the second-busiest intersection in Winston-Salem, with an average daily traffic count of 54,000.[47]
North Winston is located three miles northeast of downtown, with Patterson Avenue running north to south and 25th Street serving as the east–west thoroughfare. The area is bound by University Parkway to the west andU.S. Route 52 to the east, stretching from 13th Street to 30th Street.
Community renovations are planned for the corner ofPeters Creek Parkway and Academy Street. On September 11, 2018, theWinston-Salem Journal reported that the City of Winston-Salem Committee had approved the Peters Creek Community Initiative project, which is a collaboration of The Shalom Project, the North Carolina Housing Foundation, and The National Development Council. The group plans to purchase the former Budget Inn property and build 60 apartment units with a 4,000-square-foot community space.[49] PCCI plans to build a four-story building that will house the Shalom Project in the bottom floor, along with other businesses.[50]
Winston-Salem has ahumid subtropical climate, characterized by cool winters and warm, humid summers. Throughout the year, temperatures typically stay between 32 °F (0 °C) and 88 °F (31 °C), rarely dropping below 19 °F (−7 °C) or exceeding 94 °F (34 °C). TheKöppen climate classification subtype for this climate isCfa.[51] The average high temperatures range from around 49 °F (9 °C) in the winter to 89 °F (32 °C) in the summer. The average low temperatures range from around 28 °F (−2 °C) in the winter to 69 °F (21 °C) in the summer.[52]
Climate data for Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Smith Reynolds Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1899–present
Winston-Salem city, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Winston-Salem was 53.0% female, and 27.8% of its firms were owned by women. Themedian age was 35 years. 23.9% of the population was under 18 years old, and 13.7% of the population was 65 years or older.[61]
38.4% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.06.[63]
The median household income was $41,228, and the median family income was $53,222. Themean household income was $60,637, and the mean family income was $74,938. Males had a median income of $41,064, versus $33,683 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $24,728. 20.6% of the population and 15.7% of all families were below thepoverty line. 26.2% of the total population, 31.6% of those under the age of 18, and 8.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.[63]
About 54.14% of the population identifies as being religiously affiliated. Christianity is the largest religion, withBaptists (15.77%) making up the largest religious denomination, followed byMethodists (12.79%) andCatholics (4.39%).Pentecostals (2.97%),Episcopalians (1.3%),Presbyterians (2.59%),Lutherans (0.96%),Latter-Day Saints (0.90%) make up a significant amount of the Christian population as well. The remaining Christian population (11.93%) is affiliated with other churches such as theMoravians and theUnited Church of Christ.Islam (0.43%) is the second-largest religion, after Christianity, followed byJudaism (0.20%).Eastern religions (0.02%) make up the religious minority.[64]
The city's long history with the Moravian church has had a lasting cultural effect. The Moravian star is used as the city's official Christmas street decoration. In addition, a 31-foot Moravian star, one of the largest in the world, sits atop the North Tower ofWake Forest Baptist Medical Center during the Advent and Christmas seasons.[65] Another star sits underWake Forest University's Wait Chapel during the Advent and Christmas seasons as well. Moravian star images also decorate the lobby of the city's landmark Reynolds Building.
Winston-Salem is the location of the corporate headquarters ofHanesBrands, Inc.,Lowes Foods Stores,[66] Quality Oil Company,Reynolds American (parent ofR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company), Reynolda Manufacturing Solutions,K&W Cafeterias (until 2022),[67][68] andTW Garner Food Company (makers ofTexas Pete).[69]Blue Rhino, the nation's largest propane exchange company and a division ofFerrellgas, is also headquartered in Winston-Salem.Wachovia Corporation was based in Winston-Salem until it merged withFirst Union Corporation in September 2001; the corporate headquarters of the combined company was located in Charlotte, until the company was purchased by Wells Fargo in December 2008.PepsiCo has its customer service center located in Winston-Salem.BB&T was also based in Winston-Salem until it was merged withSunTrust Banks in December 2019; the corporate headquarters of the combined company were relocated to Charlotte.
Although traditionally associated with the textile and tobacco industries, Winston-Salem is transforming itself to be a leader in thenanotech, high-tech and biotech fields.[70] Medical research is a fast-growing local industry, andAtrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is the largest employer in Winston-Salem. In December 2004, the city entered into a deal withDell, providing millions of dollars in incentives to build a computer assembly plant nearby in southeastern Forsyth County. Dell closed its Winston-Salem facility in January 2010 due to the poor economy.[71] In January 2015, Herbalife opened a manufacturing facility in the space left vacant by Dell.[72]
Public and private investment of $713 million has created theWake Forest Innovation Quarter, aninnovation district in downtown Winston-Salem which features business, education in biomedical research and engineering, information technology and digital media, as well as public gathering spaces, apartment living, restaurants, and community events.[73]
According to the Winston-Salem Business Inc.'s 2012 data report on major industries,[75] the major industries in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County are by percentage:
The east end of downtown Winston-Salem is anchored by theInnovation Quarter, one of the fastest-growing urban-based districts in the United States. Governed by theWake Forest School of Medicine, the Innovation Quarter is home to 90 companies, over 3,600 workers, 1,800 students seeking a college degree, and more than 8,000 workforce trainees. The Innovation Quarter is a place for research, business, biomedical science, digital media, and clinical services. It consists of over 1,900,000 square feet (180,000 m2) feet of office, laboratory, and educational space covering more than 330 acres (130 hectares). There are more than 1,000 residential units within the Innovation Quarter. The goal is to drive even moreeconomic development and create programs for tenants and residents for new ideas. Because of its location in downtown Winston-Salem, the Innovation Quarter serves as a creative and welcoming urban place for scientists, innovators, and technology leaders.[76] In 2019, the Innovation Quarter became one of the first nine steering committee members of the Global Institute on Innovation Districts, making it one of the leading districts of its kind in the world.[77]
Winston-Salem is home toHanes Mall, one of the largestshopping malls in North Carolina. The area surrounding the mall along Stratford Road and Hanes Mall Boulevard has become one of the city's largest shopping districts.[78]
Other notable shopping areas exist in the city, includingThruway Center (the city's first shopping center), Hanes Point Shopping Center, Hanes Commons, Stratford Commons, Stratford Village, Reynolda Village, Pavilions, Shoppes at Hanestowne Village, Burke Mill Village Shopping Center, Oak Summit Shopping Center, Stone's Throw Plaza, Cloverdale Plaza Shopping Center Silas Creek Crossing, and theMarketplace Mall.
Old Salem is a restoredMoravian settlement founded in 1766. Seventy percent of the buildings are original, and the village is aliving history museum with skilled tinsmiths, blacksmiths, cobblers, gunsmiths, bakers and carpenters practicing their trades while interacting with visitors.[79] Along with the original 18th-century buildings, Old Salem is also home to theMuseum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), a gallery of 18th- and early 19th-century furniture,ceramics, and textiles. In addition, Old Salem hosts the Cobblestone Farmers Market every Saturday during the spring season through early autumn.[80] The market is dedicated to providing the public access to sustainably grown food and products.[81]
Bethabara Historic District is a site where Moravians from Pennsylvania first settled in North Carolina. The 195-acre (0.79 km2) area includes a museum and a Moravian church and offers hiking, birdwatching and many varieties of trees and plants.
TheReynolda House Museum of American Art features collections from the colonial period to the present day. The museum was built in 1917 by Katherine Smith Reynolds and her husbandR.J. Reynolds. The facility became an art museum in 1967 and first started as a center for education and arts in 1965. Behind the house is a 16-acre lake called "Lake Katherine", which was reverted into wetlands and has a wide variety of wildlife. Many of buildings were changed into shops, boutiques, and restaurants that still operate today. This house still is a main attraction in Winston-Salem.[82]
TheSoutheastern Center for Contemporary Art is a multimedia contemporary art gallery in Winston-Salem that was founded in 1956 and accredited by theAmerican Alliance of Museums in 1979, one of 300 museums to receive this accreditation. There is no permanent collection of art exhibits but includes art by artists with regional, national, and international recognition. SECCA has three exhibit halls, with 9,000 square feet, and a 300-seat auditorium.[83]
Kaleideum is an interactive children's museum which offers exhibits and programs designed to develop creative thinking, strengthen language skills, and encourage curiosity for children. It was formed through a merger of two older museums, the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks. The new four-story building opened in downtown Winston-Salem on February 17, 2024, and featured both old exhibits from the previous museums, as well as new exhibits and halls, a rooftop playground, and an updated planetarium[84]
New Winston Museum is the community history museum for Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. It focuses on time periods since 1850 and features exhibitions and public programs.[85]
The Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology is an anthropological museum maintained byWake Forest University that has many artifacts and other pieces of history.
The city created the firstarts council in the United States (Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County), founded in 1949, because of the local art schools and attractions. These include theUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts, The Little Theatre of W-S, Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance, Spirit Gum Theatre Co., the Piedmont Opera Theater, the Winston-Salem Symphony, theStevens Center for the Performing Arts, the Downtown Arts District, the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, the Hanesbrands Theater, Piedmont Craftsmen, and the Sawtooth School for Visual Arts.
Baity's Backstreet Music Garden, a popular live-music venue, once stood on Baity Street, at its former intersection with 30th Street. Owned by Tim Mabe, the venue was established in 1982. It burned down in 1993. Artists who played there include theRamones, R.E.M.,Guns N' Roses andBlue Öyster Cult.[93]
The city is also home to Carolina Music Ways, a grassroots arts organization focusing on the area's diverse, interconnected music traditions, includingbluegrass, blues, jazz, gospel, old-time stringband, and Moravian music.[94] Once a year the city is also the home of the Heavy Rebel Weekender music festival, featuring over 70 bands, primarily rockabilly, punk and honky tonk, over three days.
Reynolda Gardens is a 4-acre (16,000 m2) formal garden set within a larger woodland site, originally part of theR. J. Reynolds country estate.[98]
Tanglewood Park is a recreation center located on the Yadkin River betweenClemmons andBermuda Run with a pool, lazy river, tennis courts, paddle boats, golf, walking trails, and other recreation. Tanglewood Park also hosts the Festival of Lights every year, a drive-through light show that celebrates the holidays.
TheWinston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex is an event venue that hosts theCarolina Classic Fair (formerly Dixie Classic Fair) every year in autumn. The fair is located across from the Lawrence Joel Coliseum. In 2007 it had a record-breaking attendance, with over 371,000 visitors. The Winston-Salem Fairgrounds also holds hundreds of events and has a capacity of 7,000.[99]
Salem Lake is located in southeastern Winston-Salem. Salem Lake features a seven-mile dirt trail, a lake, and wildlife. The walking trail offers an abundance of activities such as hiking, walking, fishing, biking, dog leashing, running, and more. Salem Lake is often referred to as the "hidden diamond in the city".[100]
NASCARWhelen All-American Series racing takes place from March until August atBowman Gray Stadium. TheK&N Pro Series East also races here. It is NASCAR's longest-running racing series, dating to the 1940s. In the fall, the stadium is used for Winston-Salem State Rams football games.
The governing body for the City of Winston-Salem is an eight-memberCity Council (called the Board of Aldermen until December 2002[108]). Voters go to the polls every four years in November to elect the mayor and council. The mayor is electedat large; council members are elected by citizens in each of the eightwards within the city. The City Council is responsible for adopting and providing for all ordinances, rules and regulations as necessary for the general welfare of the city. It approves the city budget and sets property taxes and user fees. The Council appoints thecity manager andcity attorney, and approves appointments to city boards and commissions.[109]
As of August 2025[update], the mayor of Winston-Salem wasAllen Joines (D), who was first elected in 2001 and is the longest-serving mayor in the history of the city.[110] The members of the City Council were Mayor Pro Tempore Denise "D.D." Adams (D–North Ward), Barbara Hanes Burke (D–Northeast Ward), Annette Scippio (D–East Ward), James Taylor Jr. (D–Southeast Ward), Vivián V. Joiner (D–South Ward), Scott Andree-Bowen (D–Southwest Ward), Robert C. Clark (R–West Ward), and Regina Ford Hall (D–Northwest Ward).[111]City officials appointed by the City Council include the city attorney – Angela Carmon – and the city manager.[112] Longtime city manager Lee Garrity retired on June 23, 2023, after serving for 17 years.[113] He was replaced by William Patrick "Pat" Pate on November 6, 2023.[114]
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has most of its schools inside Winston-Salem. WS/FC Schools include 51 elementary schools, 25 middle schools and 13 high schools. The school with the largest student body population isWest Forsyth High School, with over 2,400 students as of the 2017–2018 school year. The district is the most diverse school system inNorth Carolina. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System is the fourth-largest school system inNorth Carolina, with about 59,000 students and over 90 schools operating in the district.[118]
Private and parochial schools also make up a significant portion of Winston-Salem's educational establishment. Catholic elementary schools include St. Leo The Great andOur Lady of Mercy. Protestant Christian schools include Winston-Salem Christian School,[119] Calvary Day School (Baptist),[120] Gospel Light Christian School, Salem Baptist Christian School,[121] Redeemer School (Presbyterian), St. John's Lutheran, Cedar Forest Christian School, Winston-Salem Street School,[122] Salem Montessori School,[123] Berean Baptist Christian School and Woodland Baptist Christian School.[124] Until 2001, Winston-Salem was home toBishop McGuinness Catholic High School.[125]
Theseradio stations are located in Winston-Salem, and are listed by call letters, station number, and name. Many more radio stations can be picked up in Winston-Salem that are not located in town.
WFDD, 88.5 FM, Wake Forest University (NPR Affiliate)
WBFJ, 89.3 FM, Your Family Station (Contemporary Christian music)
WSNC, 90.5 FM, Winston-Salem State University (Jazz)
Winston-Salem makes up part of the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point televisiondesignated market area. These stations are listed by call letters, channel number, network and city of license.
The Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) has the responsibility of providing public transportation. It took over from the Safe Bus Company, founded in the 1920s as the largest black-owned transportation company in the United States, in 1972.[138] Operating out of the Clark Campbell Transportation Center at 100 West Fifth Street, WSTA operates 30 daytime bus routes, 24 of which also provide night service; 24 routes that operate from morning until midnight on Saturday; and 16 Sunday routes. WSTA makes nearly 3 million passenger-trips annually. In February 2010 WSTA added 10 diesel–electric buses to its fleet.
The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) operates a daily schedule from the Campbell Center connecting Winston-Salem toBoone,Mt. Airy, High Point and Greensboro, where other systems provide in-state routes to points east. PART also offers Route 5 (the Amtrak Connector), which provides daily service to and from theAmtrak station in High Point multiple times during the day.[139]
I-40 traverses east–west, connecting the city to Greensboro to the east andStatesville to the west.I-74 will be routed onto eastern section of the under-constructionWinston-Salem Northern Beltway, traversing inside the east outskirts of the city and the eastern areas of the greater Winston-Salem area. I-74 will also connect lots of the north areas of the city, directly to I-40. The overall beltway is currently designated to loop around the city, mostly to the north. This will include Auxiliary RouteI-274 on the western section.[140][141]I-285 runs concurrent withUS 52 andNC 8, connecting I-40 with I-85, in the north-south orientation. In the future, I-285 will be extended further north onto US 52 and NC 8, heading into the heart of downtown and merging with I-74 in the area north of the city center.US 421 uses a four-lane freeway in the western area of the city west (signed north), connecting I-40, toWilkesboro andBoone, North Carolina.Salem Parkway carries US 421 andUS 158, serving Downtown Winston-Salem between I-40 west of Downtown, to I-74 (Winston-Salem Beltway) east of the core of the city.Silas Creek Parkway functions between anexpresswayspur connecting Salem Parkway with the northern areas of the city, also leading to Wake Forest University and the LJVM Coliseum. While the section south of Salem Parkway is mostly boulevard-grade, leading into the developed southern areas includingHanes Mall and the surrounding Hanes Mall retail district,Forsyth Tech, among others.[142]
Major arterial thoroughfares in Winston-Salem include Reynolda Road (which also carriesNC 67 for a portion of its length),NC 150 (Peters Creek Parkway), Stratford Road (which also carries US 158), University Parkway, Hanes Mall Boulevard, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, North Point Boulevard, Country Club Road, Jonestown Road, Patterson Avenue, Fourth Street, Trade Street, Third Street, Liberty Street, and Main Street.
Winston-Salem Civil Air Patrol Composite Squadron patch
Winston-Salem is served byPiedmont Triad International Airport, which is located inGreensboro. The airport also serves much of the surroundingPiedmont Triad area, includingHigh Point; the Authority that manages the airport is governed by board members appointed by all three cities as well as both of their counties, Guilford and Forsyth.[143]
A smaller airport, known asSmith Reynolds Airport, is located within the city limits, just northeast of downtown.[144] It is mainly used forgeneral aviation and charter flights. Every year, Smith Reynolds Airport hosts an air show for the general public. The Smith Reynolds Airport is home to the Winston-SalemCivil Air Patrol Composite Squadron, also known as NC-082. The Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit volunteer organization.
Winston-Salem is one of the larger cities in the South that are not directly served byAmtrak. However, anAmtrak Thruway operates three times daily in each direction between Winston-Salem and the Amtrak station in nearbyHigh Point, 16 miles east. Buses depart from the Winston-Salem Transportation Center, then stop on the Winston-Salem State University campus before traveling to High Point. From the High Point station, riders can board theCrescent,Carolinian orPiedmont line. These lines run directly to local North Carolina destinations as well as cities across the Southeast, as far west asNew Orleans and as far north as New York City.
^Daniel, Fran (January 15, 2012)."K&W turns 75".Winston-Salem Journal. Archived fromthe original on January 27, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 15, 2012. – "Headquarters: 1391 Plaza West Road, off Healy Drive in Winston-Salem"