The Historic
Dimension Series
A student publication series by the UNCG Department of Interior Architecture
Pubs in the Piedmont Triad:
Tavern History and the Modern NC Brewpub
Sarah Grahl Spring 2019
Taverns have held a
special place in the his-tory
of the United States.
In some cases with the early colonies, the
tavern served as one of the only places for
meetings among government officials. The
first official government building in New
England was constructed in 1658 in Boston,
meaning that before it was built, officials
had to meet at the local tavern and other
small meeting houses.
During colonial times, the tavern was a
courtroom, the first colonial post office,
a community center, and at times when
the meeting house was too cold, a church.
However, the tavern first-and-foremost was
a place for the weary traveler to rest awhile.
It was a place made to feel inviting. It was
the place for a colonist to find a beer, relax,
and enjoy the camaraderie of others. Drink-ing
beer was considered a part of maintain-ing
a healthy lifestyle, so much so that when
American insurance agencies first began
selling policies, beer drinkers were given a
discount. Estimations of beer consumption
show that colonists drank approximately
six gallons of absolute alcohol per year once
local taverns were established. Colonists
wrote that they needed the beer to maintain
health because the water was poor in quality
and was weakening them. In 1656, Massa-chusettes
county courts pushed the neces-sity
of having a tavern, and actually fined
residents of towns that did not have them.
This legislation shows how much of a role
the local tavern played in community.
Like this concept of the historic tavern, mod-ern
brewpubs provide a space for gathering
and relaxation. North Carolina’s historic
taverns have left their marks, and now
modern microbreweries are installing more
and more pubs throughout the state, many
in historic buildings and districts.
Historic Taverns of North Carolina
North Carolina has been home to a few
different historic taverns, three of which
being Isaac Hunter’s Tavern, Eagle Tavern,
and Salem Tavern. Hunter’s Tavern was
located in Raleigh and actually sat where
the lobby of the North Raleigh Hilton cur-rently
stands. There is not much left from
the building except for the foundation and
some wooden planks, which are now being
preserved so that they can be viewed. The
tavern played an important role in the plan-ning
of Raleigh, the story being that the city
founders demanded that the courthouse be
no more than ten miles away from it. In 1914
it became tenant housing. A man named
J.C. Biggs then moved into the Hardimont
House in 1922, and moved the tavern’s
structure about 100 yards behind his estate.
Some time later, it was turned into a stable.
The Wake County Historical Society rec-ognized
the tavern in 1969, with plans to
restore it and make it a museum. Due to
some legal issues, the society was unable
to start the project and the land was soon
bulldozed to make room for the new Hilton.
People thought that the tavern was com-pletely
gone. However, some of Hunter’s
descendents, along with local residents, kept
By
preserving
historic sites
and old
places in
historic
areas,
businesses,
such as
brewpubs,
are able to
help
communities
thrive.
UNCG The Historic Dimension Series: 2
Fig. 4: Salem Tavern still stands in Old Salem, allowing
visitors to understand how the Moravian community dif-fered
in its relationship with outside visitors.
searching for any indication of where the structure was
originally located. By using historic maps and docu-ments,
they were able to find the site of the original
foundation. In addition, they also found a remaining
part of the carriage trail. This could explain why Hunt-er’s
Tavern was so important to the area. Travelers had
easy access to it since it was right by the road. The North
Raleigh Hilton has set up a display of artifacts in their
lobby so that visitors are able to see what remains from
the old tavern.
Eagle Tavern, another historic tavern in the state, is
located in Halifax, NC. It was built during the 1820s and
was also called “Eagle Hotel.” It was made famous dur-ing
the 1825 visit of the Marquis de Lafeyette’s traveling
party. The tavern is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places and has its own highway marker.
Salem Tavern opened in 1772 in what is now the Old
Salem district of Winston-Salem, NC. The community
was Moravian and wanted to practice its traditions by
staying separate from most outside influences. Thus,
the tavern was located on the southern edge to keep it
separate from the rest of the town. The first building
was made from half wood, half brick, but burned down
in 1784 during the community’s first large fire. It was
immediately rebuilt, this time completely out of brick.
There were two areas for dining located on the first
floor. One room would serve meals at a communal table
at designated hours, while the other room provided
individual service.
Upstairs there were also two lodging experiences: a
person could choose between renting an entire room or
renting a bed in a shared space. Thus, on both levels,
there were options for visitors depending on what they
wanted to spend or could afford to spend. Salem Tavern
also became a site of political activity. The large porches
and spacious lawn served as areas for officials to meet
with people. For instance, people would meet there with
the sheriff to pay their taxes. During election time, the
space was used for polling.
Although there was much activity with the first genera-tion
of Moravians, by the 1840s, many of the commu-nity’s
businesses were suffering. The tavern was among
the list of those sold to individual Moravians. The area
underwent more changes with the establishment of
Forsyth County in 1849, and Salem Tavern was sold to
Adam Butner in 1850. Butner operated the tavern as a
hostel and hotel before it was sold again. The tavern
stopped operating as a lodging space in 1890. It was not
until the 1950s that restoration of Old Salem began and
the tavern was sold to the Wachovia Historical Society,
who then leased it to Old Salem, Inc. Being a part of Old
Salem, the building is now open to visitors of the com-
Fig. 2: Photograph of Isaac Hunter’s Tavern structure
after it had been used as tenant housing.
Fig. 3: Sign showing significance of Hunter’s Tavern in
the city of Raleigh.
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Fig. 5: Foothills Brewpub is located in downtown
Winston-Salem. According to an old city directory from
1933, the building used to be the site of an Automotive
retail shop.
Fig. 6: The building in which Natty Greene’s brewpub is
located was built in 1896 and was originally a wholesale
grocery store.
munity with a guided tour. The cozy interior and simple
wooden furntiure of the tavern are examples of what is
being replicated in modern brewpubs today.
Something’s Brewing in North Carolina
What we know today as our brewpubs in North Caro-lina
started with the brewing itself. In 1985, there were
only two breweries in the entire state: Stroh’s Brewery
in Winston-Salem and Miller Brewery in Eden. Stroh’s
closed in 1999 and sold its brands to Miller. However,
in 1986 the Weeping Radish opened in Manteo, NC,
becoming the first brewpub in the state. Highland Brew-ing,
Co. followed in 1994, being the first legal brew-ing
company in Asheville since Prohibition. The 1990s
continued to see several breweries open up across the
state. The 2000s were a bit slower, with several brewer-ies
closing up shop. However, both Natty Greene’s and
Foothills Brewing Co. opened during this time. North
Carolina now has more than 300 breweries and brew-pubs
across the state, boasting the most craft breweries
in the South.
In order to be considered a craft brewery, a brewer must
adhere to the aspects of the definition as layed out by
the Brewers Association. It defines the craft brewer as
small, independent, and traditional. “Small” means
that 6 million barrels or less are produced per year.
“Independent” requires that 25 percent of the brewery
is owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage indus-try
member who is not itself a craft brewer. Finally,
“traditional”means that the flavor of the total beverage
alcohol volume in beers from the brewer comes from
using traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and
fermentation. Many North Carolina craft brewpubs
(around 30% as of 2015) locate themselves in historic
downtown areas or historic buildings, providing a spe-cial,
engaging ambiance to serve their products.
Triad Brewpubs Embracing History
There are several brewpubs throughout the Triad, but
two of the most popular are Foothills Brewing Com-pany
and Natty Greene’s. Foothills’ brewpub, Footnote,
is located at 638 West Fourth Street in Winston-Salem.
The building was built around 1928. According to the
city directory from 1933, the building was once a site for
an automotive retail shop. The exterior of the building
maintains the brick facade and the cross-diamond brick
detail across the top.
Natty Greene’s brewpub building, sitting at 345 S. Elm
Street in Greensboro, was built in 1896 and was origi-nally
the home of J.W. Jones & Company Wholesale
Grocery. Natty Greene’s rehabilitated the building in
such a way as to adhere to the Secretary’s Standards for
Rehabilation. In doing so, Natty Greene’s was able to
utilize Historic Preservation Tax Credits. The brewing
company had to make certain that every change they
made was approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
In her thesis regarding place attachment, Dana Rojak
conducted a survey which asked participants to take
pictures of Natty Greene’s in order to draw on what
was important to them about the place of the brewpub.
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Her research showed that the physical environment of
the space related strongly to the attachment the patrons
had to the brewpub. The historic associations, Rojak
pointed out, were actually related more to the history
of the downtown and the area in which the building
was located. Rojak’s study also showed that even new
residents to the area were attracted to the space because
of its ambiance and historic location. This highlights
how new residents to an area help to form associations
through historic places in their new hometowns.
Mother Earth Brewing Company
Another brewpub which has located itself in a historic
area is Mother Earth Brewing Company in Kinston, NC.
Not only were the founders, Stephen Hill and his son-in-
law, Trent Mooring, set on being environmentally
conscious in the building they chose (an old downtown
building), but they also reused any materials they could
in rehabbing it, as well as using other recycled and sus-tainable
materials. Even the tap handles are a renewable
resource, having been custom made out of bamboo.
Hill did not stop with the brewery, though. He contin-ued
to take his vision of transforming Kinston by rehab-bing
more buildings downtown. He transformed an old
bank into a boutique hotel, and renovated an old motel
into the retro Mother Earth Motor Lodge. He has reno-vated
over 60 houses in the area with the hope of inject-ing
Kinston with more creativity. With an investment of
about $12 million, Hill has shown how one brewpub can
spiral into the revitalizaton of an entire town.
The Third Place
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg has been credited with coin-ing
the term third place. “Third place” refers to a social
space other than work or home in which a person will
spend a significant amount of time. Bryant Simon in
his book Everything but the Coffee, discusses why coffee
shops, specifically Starbucks, thrive in their business. He
says it is because of this third place mentality. People
do not simply want a product but an experience. He
discusses how Howard Shultz, former CEO of Star-bucks,
saw the chain as providing the third place. Simon
states, “it is not just the presence of different people or
even the arty murals on the walls that makes Starbucks
feel like busy third places; it is also the chatter and
the easy movement of people through the stores that
make them sound and look like public gathering spots,
important community building sites, and answers to the
widespread feeling of discontentedness” (Simon, 84).
The brand became more about building an environment
and community rather than being only focused on the
product.
The “third place” is not restricted to coffee shops, and
has in fact become common among downtown areas in
local brewpubs, just as in the case of Natty Greene’s and
Mother Earth Brewing Company. A person can find a
Starbucks in any major town, but the local places tend to
reflect the heart of the community. Simon observed that
having the hustle and bustle of people in a place provid-ed
a sense of social engagement. Natty Greene’s being
in the middle of downtown Greensboro provides an
example of such a space. People are always in and out,
grabbing a drink and relaxing inside or on the patio out-side,
looking out around the downtown. The brewpub
provides a meeting place as well as a space to absorb the
energy and identity of the area.
Conclusion
Modern brewpubs locating themselves in old buildings
may sound ironic, but doing so enriches the surrounding
community. In a time in which being environmentally
Fig. 8: This image shows the front window of Natty
Greene’s Pub covered in posters for local events, show-ing
a simple way in which it supports the community.
Fig. 7: Mother Earth Brewing Company is located in
Kinston, NC, in the historic downtown area.
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friendly is highly valued in society, what better way to
limit waste than by renovating old buildings? Following
the guideline to utilize Historic Preservation Tax Credits
is the ideal way to preserve history while benefitting
from the process. However, it is still good to preserve
the old structure and materials, even if it is not following
all the specific regulations required for the credits. As
in the case of Mother Earth Brewing Company, preser-vation
and revitalization do not have to stop with one
brewery. They can be the beginning that ignites an entire
community to treasure what they have and invest in it
so that it grows. Preservation Greensboro Incorporated’s
mission states: “We build thriving communities by
protecting and renewing our historic and architectural
treasures.” By preserving historic sites and old places in
historic areas, businesses, such as brewpubs, are able to
help communities thrive.
Providing the rustic or urban ambiance of an old struc-ture,
brewpubs located in historic buildings or districts
give a greater meaning to the “third place.” It is not just
a social gathering place outside of the workplace and
home. It is a space for longtime residents to reminisce
about the ever-changing (or maybe never-changing)
landscape of the area. It is a place for visitors to find
out more about the region. It is also a place for the new
residents in the area to find out more about their new
community and engage with people in a warm, inviting
atmosphere. As craft brewers are serving their prod-ucts,
the consumers are drinking in more than just the
ale; they are embracing the community surrounding
them. North Carolina brewpubs in historic buildings or
districts points back to the historic taverns like Salem
Tavern and Hunter’s Tavern. They provide space for
engaging in community and enjoying a good beer.
Bibliography
Forsyth County North Carolina Tax Department (2018),
638 W Fourth Street, Winston Salem, NC, Building Sum-mary,
http://tellus.co.forsyth.nc.us/lrcpwa/Building-
Details.
Garavaglia, C., & Swinnen, J. (2017). “The Craft Beer
Revolution: An International Perspective.” Choices, 32(3),
1-8.
Greensboro, N.C. directory 1905-’06, (1905), Richmond:
Hill Directory Co., North Carolina Collection (Greens-boro
Public Library), page 40.
Harris, Daniel. (2015), “State of Growth: The Rise of
North Carolina Beer,” All About Beer Magazine, http://
allaboutbeer.com/state-of-growth-the-rise-of-north-carolina-
beer/.
Hill’s Winston-Salem (North Carolina) City Directory
(1933), Richmond: Hill Directory Co., North Carolina
Collection (Greensboro Public Library), page 72.
Leah, Heather. (2019) “Isaac Hunter’s Tavern: A New
Future for the Forgotten History of a Place Critical to Ra-leigh’s
Past,” ABC11.com, ABC, Inc., WTVD-TV Raleigh-
Durham.
Lewis, Johanna Miller. (2006) “Inns and Taverns,” Ency-clopedia
of North Carolina. Retrieved from https://www.
ncpedia.org/inns-and-taverns.
“Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston, NC.” (2015) Livabil-ity.
com.
National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomi-
Fig. 10: North Carolina has the most craft brewpubs in
the South, providing many “third place” options.
Fig. 9: Mother Earth Motor Lodge is located in Kinston,
NC, and is one of many projects Stephen Hill has com-pleted.
UNCG The Historic Dimension Series: 6
nation Form: Downtown Greensboro Historic District, 1982; 2004, United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.
North Carolina Craft Brewer’s Guild. (2019). NC Beer Facts & Figures. Preservation Greensboro Inc. (2018) “Mission.” Preservationgreensboro.org.
Rao, H. (2009). “Evange-Ale-ists and the Renaissance of Microbrewing.” In Market Rebels: How Activists Make or Break Radical Innovations (pp. 43-68). Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press.
Rojak, D., & Cole, L. (2016). “Place Attachment and the Historic Brewpub: A Case Study in Greensboro, North Carolina.” Journal of Interior Design, 41(1), 33-50.
Sandoval-Strausz, A. K. (2010) “Spaces of Commerce: A Historiographic Introduction to Certain Architectures of Capitalism.” Winterthur Portfolio, 44 (2/3), pp. 143-158.
Williams, Allison. (2017). “Stephen Hill is Betting Art Will Transform Kinston.” Business North Carolina.
Simon, B. (2009). It Looks like a Third Place. In Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks (pp. 82-121). Berkeley; Los Angeles; London: University of California Press.
Sismondo, C. (2011). America Walks into a Bar: A Spirited History of Taverns and Saloons, Speakeasies, and Grog shops. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
“S. Elm and McGee Streets Hamburger Square,” Historical Walking Tour, Greensboro Public Library, https://library.greensboro-nc.gov/research/north-carolina-collection/historical-walking-tour/s-elm-and-mcgee-streets-hamburger-square.
Photo Credits
Figure 1: Photograph of painting courtesy of npai2013.blogspot.com.
Figure 2: Photograph courtesy of North Carolina State Archives.
Figure 3: Photograph courtesy of Craftfreedom.org.
Figure 4: Photograph courtesy of Busybeetraveler.wordpress.com.
Figure 5: Photograph courtesy of Tripadvisor.com.
Figure 6: Photograph courtesy of Greensborodailyphoto.com.
Figure 7: Photograph courtesy of Mother Earth Brewing via Buildipedia.com.
Figure 8: Photograph courtesy of Foursquare.com.
Figure 9: Photograph courtesy of Hotels.com.
Figure 10: Photograph courtesy of Ourcuttingboard.com.
Figure 11: Photograph courtesy of Greensborodailyphoto.com.
The Historic Dimension Series is a collection of briefs prepared by UNCG students under the direction of Professor Jo Ramsay Leimenstoll. For information on other topics in the series please visit the website at go.uncg.edu/hds
Fig. 11: Natty Greene’s provides indoor and outdoor seating, both of which allow customers to view the beautiful downtown Greensboro area.
