Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Kernersville (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Korner's Folly, Main Street Baptist, and Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden. Also, be sure to include Isaac Harrison McKaughan House in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Kernersville (North Carolina).
Table of Contents
Korner's Folly
Building in Kernersville, North Carolina. Körner's Folly is a historic home located at Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was built in 1880 by Jule Gilmer Körner, and is a 6,000 square foot, 3+1⁄2-story, eccentric brick dwelling with a shingled, cross-gable roof. It measures 48 feet on each side, with four bays. The house is said to have served originally as combination dwelling, stable, and carriage house, and featured an open carriageway running through the center of the house. Körner made his fortune by spearheading one of the first national advertising campaigns by painting murals of Bull Durham Smoking tobacco bulls on buildings and barns across the American east coast. In the 1870s he moved back to his hometown Kernersville, NC, to build Körner's Folly and start an interior decorating and design business. After marrying Polly Alice Masten and having two children, Gilmer and Dore, Körner closed the carriageway and renovated the house to its present floor plan. The 22-room interior features unusual architecture and many examples of Victorian furniture and interior decoration since Körner used the house to showcase his business. Also on the property is a brick outbuilding – a small-scale version of the main house – which functioned as the "privy."
The third floor of Körner's Folly contains "Cupids Park," which the museum says is the oldest private theater in America. Jule and Polly Alice Korner built the theater as part of their "Juvenile Lyceum," which was a philanthropic project providing local children with access to the arts. Today, the theater is used by local theatrical groups and by the Körner's Folly Foundation for a puppet show, which is performed several times a year for children and visiting school groups.
The 22-room mansion is now a historic house museum that is owned and operated by the Körner's Folly Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Visitors can view original furnishings and artwork, 15 fireplaces, cast-plaster details, carved woodwork, and elaborate hand-laid tiles. The house is open to the public for self-guided tours Wednesday through Sunday.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is located in the South Main Street Historic District.[1]
Address: 413 S Main St, 27284-2737 Kernersville
Main Street Baptist
Church in Kernersville, North Carolina. First Baptist Church, is a historic Baptist church located at 401 Oakhurst Street in Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was built in 1915–1916, and is a two-story cross-gabled brick building, with Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival style design elements. It has a cross-gable roof, three-stage corner entrance tower, and retains original furnishings.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[2]
Address: 126 N Main St, 27284-2878 Kernersville
Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden
Garden, Event space, Relax in park, Park
Address: 215 S Main St, 27284-2759 Kernersville
Isaac Harrison McKaughan House
Isaac Harrison McKaughan House is a historic home located at Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was built about 1875, and is a two-story, "L"-shaped Italianate style brick farmhouse. It has a central hall plan and two-room rear ell.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[3]
Stuart Motor Company
Stuart Motor Company is a historic automobile showroom building located at Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was built in 1926, and is a utilitarian brick building with a two-story front section and a tall one-story rear section. The building previously featured "STUART MOTOR COMPANY" in Art Deco lettering.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[4]
South Main Street Historic District
South Main Street Historic District is a national historic district located at Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 53 contributing buildings, 2 contributing sites, and 2 contributing objects in Kernersville. They include residential and commercial buildings built between about 1834 and 1930 in a variety of popular architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and Bungalow / American Craftsman style. Located in the district is the separately listed Korner's Folly. Other notable buildings include Spears House, Dr. Elias Kerner House, Elias Kerner Huff House, Greenfield and Kerner Tobacco Factory, Bank of Kernersville, DeWitt Harmon's Office, Kernersville Moravian Church, and Main Street United Methodist Church.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[5]