Greensboro was established in 1808 as Guilford’s county seat on a site selected not for natural advantages but for its location at the exact geographic center. In fact, the site had disadvantages since it was in a low area covered by water with ducks swimming where the town should be built. There is a marker in Fisher Park east of Elm that cites this history. Forty-two acres were purchased from Ralph Gorrell for $98 and the town was laid out in blocks of lots. Originally it was a paper town without buildings or residents, named for a Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene.

Growth was gradual and the first census in 1829 recorded 369 white residents, 101 slaves, 26 free blacks, five stores and three saloons. Greensboro was truly a frontier town during the early decades. Four developments before the Civil War were important in shaping the future city.

First, in 1828, Henry Humphreys (the wealthiest man in town) began operating a steam-powered cotton mill north of courthouse square, the first of its kind in North Carolina. By 1833 75 looms were in production, and cotton material was being exported to neighboring counties and states. Textile manufacturing took an early lead in Greensboro’s economic life. Greensboro has since moved toward the technology sector.