Greensboro was founded in 1808, and was named after General Nathanael Greene. In 1781 Greene won one of the most fierce and decisive battles of the Revolutionary War at Guilford Courthouse. Although the British held the field after the battle, they lost one-quarter of their army while Greene and his troops slipped away.
Famed William Sydney Porter, whose pen name is O. Henry, he remains a favorite son of Greensboro and is saluted by his hometown. A three-piece bronze sculpture of him is downtown and he is brought to memory through an exhibit at the Greensboro Historical Museum.
Greensboro has been known for being on the forefront of racial equality issues, sometimes resulting in nationally known events. As a part of its' history, the railroad helped to smuggle runaway slaves to freedom in the North.
Though the city developed slowly, early wealth generated from cotton trade and merchandising led to the construction of several notable buildings. The earliest building was built in 1846.
