This year marks the 40th anniversary of Historic Salisbury Foundation. On Tuesdays throughout the year, look for photographs and stories about the foundation’s past and its approach to preservation.
The photograph at left was taken April 12, 1972, at the charter meeting of Historic Salisbury Foundation. Minutes state that “more than 200 residents of Salisbury and Rowan County held an enthusiastic meeting” at the old Rowan County Courthouse, which is today’s Messinger Room at the Rowan Museum. Ed Clement, seen at the podium, presided. Historian James S. Brawley and David Setzer “gave a very informative and entertaining slide presentation, ‘A Walk through History,’ which featured 25 historic buildings and sites in the west section of Salisbury,” according to the minutes. The group elected 18 members to its first board of trustees. They included Brawley, Setzer, Clement, Graham Carlton, Hayden Clement, Ernest Hardin, Louis Harrison, J.H. Knox, Mrs. Clarence Mayfield, Mary Messinger, Mary Marshall Murdoch, John E. Ramsey, Blanche Robertson, Mrs. Philip Sowers, J.J. Summerell, Douglas Tennent, Thomas Thurston and Mrs. Nelson Woodson. “During a discussion period, several people noted that the foundation’s work will not be confined to Salisbury but later will be enlarged to include parts of Rowan County,” the minutes said. Secretary Edith Clark also reported that membership cards were handed out, and 170 people signed up at the charter meeting with pledges of nearly $5,000 “to get the organization off to a fine start.”