WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A golf course in the Piedmont Triad that was built for African Americans during segregation could soon be added to a list of nationally recognized historic places.
During a meeting Wednesday night in front of the Historic Resources Commission, Winston-Salem City Council Member Annette Scippio asked for their approval to nominate Winston Lake Golf Course to the National Register of Historic Places.
The course that was first established in 1956 was a social hub for African Americans in the Piedmont Triad when there was nowhere else for them to play during segregation.
“That was the way it was for the Black community,” Scippio said. “We had to go to public facilities in cities that had parks that were designated for African Americans. Thomasville had one. High Point had one … Winston Salem had Winston Lake Park.”
The park was also a go-to destination for Black golfers up and down the East Coast.
Tim Grant, the former Winston-Salem Parks and Recreation Director, says he’s been playing golf at Winston Lake since 1988.
The spot was so widely known in the Black community, that it even helped him reconnect with his friend Charles whom he hadn’t seen since childhood. After 30 minutes of testimonies, the Historic Resources Commission approved the nomination.
A move that Scippio says will keep Black history preserved for future generations to learn from.
“It’s one of the last institutions that was really for Black people to use,” Scippio said. “Now, of course, it’s for anyone in the city use. However, we must not forget why it’s there.”
Scippio says they’ll have to get the nomination approved by the Winston-Salem City Council during a meeting in October.
If it’s approved, it’ll be reviewed by the National Register of Historic Places at a later date.