Winston-Salem, North Carolina | city, county seat

 city, county seat

City with an estimated population of 224,889 in 2009. European settlement began in 1753, when this area was purchased on behalf of the Moravian Church and named "die Wachau" after the Austrian estate of Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf. The Latinized version of this name, Wachovia, was taken by the major bank that was founded in this area. In 1766, settlement began at Salem, its name derived from the Hebrew word for peace, shalom. It remained primarily a Moravian Church settlement for many years. In 1849 the nearby town of Winston was founded, named for local Revolutionary War hero Joseph Winston. In 1851 Winston was designated the county seat of Forsyth County.

Within years plans were developed to connect the two towns, which were formally combined into one city in 1913. Development of the city in the early 20th century was chiefly due to the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company, which employed a great deal of the city's citizens.

Three universities and one college call Winston-Salem home. Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, UNC School of the Arts and Salem College are all in Winston-Salem.

Winston-Salem is home to a number of major corporations including HanesBrands, BB&T bank, Reynolds American (parent of R.J. Reynolds tobacco), Krispy Kreme, T.W. Garner (makers of Texas Pete), and Blue Rhino. Wachovia Bank, now based in Charlotte, originated here.

Winston-Salem is also the location of the Piedmont Triad Research Park, a growing center of Biotechnology research and application.

www.cityofws.org