The History And Art Trail brings Salisbury’s downtown history and art to life along sidewalks and on buildings. You can start at any point; there is no set order. Historic landmarks also include the local Downtown Historic District, which encompasses the entire downtown area, and West Square, the oldest designated historic district in Salisbury.

Historic Trails, Homes and Museums

The Historic Trolley Tours offer a different perspective: the tours take visitors through Downtown Salisbury, with narrators guiding them past historic landmarks. OctoberTour is an annual historic home tour that opens private homes and notable landmarks to visitors. Dates and the homes and landmarks featured vary. If you want to plan your stay around the tour, check the details for the relevant year’s event.

The Rowan Museum is located downtown on North Main Street. As a nonprofit museum, it preserves and shares Rowan County’s history through educational programs and exhibits. The 1857 Old Courthouse in Salisbury hosts changing exhibits on Rowan County history, spanning the period from its beginnings to the present day. The museum pairs its history programs with educational offerings; exhibits at the courthouse change to cover different topics and time periods.

Art and Public Spaces

Railwalk Studios and Gallery is a group of art studios with a shared gallery in Salisbury’s Railwalk Arts District. The Waterworks Visual Arts Center is a non-collecting art museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Visitors to Waterworks can explore a sculpture courtyard, sensory gardens and three changing exhibitions each year. The center is two blocks from the Amtrak station. The art venues have different focuses: Railwalk combines studios with a shared gallery, while Waterworks brings together exhibitions and outdoor spaces in an accredited museum.

The parks also offer options on different scales for a stay in the city. Salisbury Parks and Recreation maintains a total of 508 acres of parkland across 28 park properties and offers almost 20 miles of hiking and biking trails. Bell Tower Green is a three-acre downtown park with play areas, entertainment areas and green open spaces. This puts information about the overall park system alongside a specific downtown park with designated areas.

Events with Food and Culture

The annual Cheerwine Festival brings music, food and family entertainment to downtown Salisbury. It features Cheerwine-inspired food and drinks, arts and crafts, local vendors and artisans, and a family-friendly Fun Zone. Offerings and program details vary from year to year. History on Tap is also an annual event: it combines tours of three historic properties with tastings of local craft beer from New Sarum; dates vary. While the Cheerwine Festival brings together different kinds of entertainment and local offerings, History on Tap pairs house tours with beer tastings.

For planning purposes, these events differ from the History And Art Trail: on the trail, you choose your starting point and do not have to follow a set order. OctoberTour, History on Tap and the Cheerwine Festival are annual events whose dates, featured homes or program offerings vary. If one of these events determines your travel dates, check the details for the relevant year’s event.

More Destinations

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