Preservation Forsyth

- For this month's walking Wednesday adventure, put on your walking shoes and head over to Union Cross Park where you can take an up-close look at the five-story, poured concrete radar tower (see yesterday's terminology Tuesday post).

Located at 1935 Union Cross Road in Winston-Salem, "Union Cross Park was once a self-contained community." Built in the 1950s as a surveillance post, the "site included a NCO Club, several miscellaneous buildings, a lighted softball field, 1 tennis court and a 5-story concrete radar tower...The property was abandoned by the Air Force and Forsyth County petitioned the Department of Interior to transfer ownership of the land to the County for public recreation purposes. On April 5, 1974, Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department received its first public park...Today, Union Cross Park is a fully developed park and well used by its patrons."

Information and photos courtesy of Forsyth County Parks and Recreation - https://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/Parks/UnionCross/

: Poured Concrete

Poured concrete refers to a construction method where a fluid mixture of cement, water, aggregates, and sometimes additives, is poured into temporary molds or forms to create a solid, monolithic structure on site.

Photograph shows the mid-twentieth century "five-story poured-concrete radar tower" located at 1931 Union Cross Road in Winston-Salem.

Definition from HPD Consult; information about radar tower from Winston-Salem's Architectural Heritage by Heather Fearnbach; and photograph courtesy of Forsyth County Parks and Recreation.

: Carport

A carport uses minimal building materials to shelter vehicles from the elements. Carports can be free-standing or attached to a building. Frank Lloyd Wright, "a pioneer of mid-century modern architecture," popularized the carport in the 1930s when he began incorporating them into his designs. Carports saw a surge in popularity/use from the 1950s through the 1970s.

A carport can be seen on the 1950 Martha V. Slather House located at 154 Crepe Myrtle Circle in Winston-Salem.

Definition from midmodcorner.com; information about photo from ncmodernist.org; and photo courtesy of Google maps.

Have you reserved your spot for our upcoming A Mid-Century Modern Time Capsule Tour? If not, be sure to sign up today!

Learn more and/or register at - https://preservationforsyth.org/event-6765420

Photo by J. Sinclair; courtesy of Winston-Salem Magazine

: Butterfly Roof

A butterfly roof is technically an inverted pitched roof, characterized by two opposing roof surfaces that angle downward toward a central valley. The visual result resembles a butterfly’s wings in flight, a dynamic silhouette that contrasts with the static triangle of a standard gable roof. This central depression, known as the valley, serves as the singular point for water collection and drainage, a defining feature of the structure. The style gained widespread recognition during the mid-century modern movement and was an icon of post-war residential architecture.

Image shows a butterfly roof on a house in Raleigh, North Carolina, that was designed by architect Frank Harmon, FAIA.

Definition from engineerfix.com; photograph courtesy of Home Design & Decor Magazine.

The correct answer to yesterday's trivia question is (C) Rainbow roof.

Congratulations to everyone who chose the right answer👏and thanks to everyone who played along. Be sure to join us again next month for another round of third Thursday trivia.

- What type of roof can be seen over the one-bay porch on the Reed-McKaughan House located at 115 Cascade Avenue in Winston-Salem? Is it:

A. Gambrel roof
B. Butterfly roof
C. Rainbow roof

Hint - This type of roof is also referred to as a barrel vault roof. Leave your answer in the comments and come back tomorrow at noon to see if you were correct.

: Basket-weave-patterned Brick

Basket-weave-patterned brick is a type of brickwork that resembles the weaving of a basket. This method produces a checkerboard-like texture with clean, geometric lines, giving the surface a distinctive look that can be uniform or varied in brick size and color for decorative effect.

The John M. and Ada Adams House at 818 Twenty-Fifth Street in Winston-Salem, was built in 1955 and features "basket-weave-patterned brick walls created by alternating smooth stretchers and textured headers."

Definition from design-encyclopedia.com; information about Adams House from Winston-Salem's Architectural Heritage by Heather Fearnbach; and photos courtesy of Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate.

What a nice follow up to last week's Terminology Tuesday post! Thank you, Fat Cat Barbershop, for sharing these great photos of your Spanish Revival-style building and its recent updates.