Walking Wednesday Tour of Lindley Park

Quaker J. Van Lindley was renowned as an intrepid businessman. A Union veteran, he first established his reputation in the nursery business before diversifying into terra cotta pipe manufacturing and cotton-milling and taking a position as the president of Security Life and Annuity Co. Lindley donated 60 acres north of Spring Garden Street for use as a lake and amusement park. The park opened July 4, 1902 with promises of cool summer diversions. The Lindley Park amusement park was operated by the Greensboro Electric Co., and those seeking recreation utilized the company’s electric-powered street cars to visit attractions and attend shows. The park was a center for early Twentieth-Century diversions that included dances, horse races, and swimming and skating on the lake. When the 15-year lease for use of the park land ended in 1917, the lake and amusement park closed. Charlotte-based urban planner Earle Sumner Draper provided Lindley with redevelopment plans for the neighborhood bearing his name. The streets surrounding the park are composed of classic Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Post-War housing.

Now in our 18th season, our tours are free to the community, but we hope you will join our membership! Preservation Greensboro’s Community Outreach Director Kathryn McDowell will detail history and architectural styles of the neighborhood on a 60 – 75-minute tour. Tour canceled in case of rain/thunder, and updates will be made on our social media. Wear comfortable shoes! This tour is FREE to the public. Meet under the Lindley Park stone entry gates at 2700 Spring Garden Street.