May 2026 Lawn and Garden -Refresh Your Recreational Spaces

As the warm weather settles in, it’s a great time to focus on reviving your outdoor space, especially your patio or deck if you plan on doing any entertaining. While other parts of your home’s exterior also need attention, this spot is where you and your guests will gather. And between ice, snow, rain, and whatever else Mother Nature might have hit it with, it’s likely a little worse for wear. That’s why now is the perfect time to give it some extra care, ensuring that it’s prepped and ready for you to enjoy in the months ahead. Start with a thorough cleaning Whether your outdoor structure is made of wood, concrete, or composite, it’s important to give it a cleaning at least once a year. Mildew, algae, and grime build up more quickly than you might think, especially in shaded or damp areas. Left unchecked, they can make the surface slippery and dull and even lead to decay. This season, dedicate a day to clearing off any furniture, sweeping away debris, and rinsing the surface with a ho...

Explore Bethabara, NC


Bethabara (from the Hebrew, meaning "House of Passage" and pronounced beth-AB-bruh, the name of the traditional site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ) is a village located in Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was the site where fifteen men from the Moravian Church first settled in 1753 in an abandoned cabin in the hundred-thousand acre (400 km²) tract of land the church had purchased from Lord Granville and dubbed Wachovia.

Its early settlers were noted for advanced agricultural practices, especially their "Medicine Garden," which produced over fifty kinds of herbs. Bethabara grew slowly and today is known locally as "Old Town".

Although later parties of Moravians joined the first fifteen, including women and children, Bethabara was never meant to be a permanent settlement. It was intended to house the Moravians until a more suitable location for their central village could be found. In 1771, that place was completed: Salem. Many of the settlers moved to Salem, and Bethabara became an outlying farm to supply the residents of Salem and other Moravian villages with food.

In 1788, a slave, Johann Samuel, was named superintendent of the farm; he was freed in 1801, though he continued to rent the land from the church. However, the village of Bethabara, as it existed, was no longer needed, and it fell into disuse. The original buildings collapsed, and their foundations were filled in to make more farm land. Only the Church and a couple of other buildings continued in regular use.

Today, what remains of the village, including the excavated foundations of the original buildings, the restored Gemeinhaus, and the reconstructed palisade and colonial gardens, is part of Historic Bethabara Park, which is a National Historic Site serving Forsyth County. The 183-acre park and wildlife preserve is located in Winston-Salem and is operated by the City of Winston-Salem Recreation & Parks Department as an open air museum. The site also features 20 miles of nature trails.

There are frequent festivals and reenactments on the weekends, such as the Independence Weekend Celebration held the weekend prior to or during Independence Day. Winston-Salem State University also runs a summer archaeology program featuring on-site excavation.

Comments