Located in the North Carolina's north central Piedmont region, Greensboro is named for Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. Nearly equidistant between Raleigh, the capital, and Charlotte, the thriving city to the southwest, Greensboro is one of the three cities of the Triad, the other two being High Point, a furniture manufacturing center that's virtually adjacent to Greensboro, and historic Winston-Salem, just 30 miles west.


The three cities constitute a Metropolitan Statistical Area whose population is 1.3 million, while Greensboro itself totals about 224,000. That figure represents more than half the residents of Guilford County, for which Greensboro is the seat of government. Piedmont Triad International Airport serves the tri-city area, the 36th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Interstates 40, 73 and 85 intersect in the Triad for surface transportation


A rich history and the amenities of contemporary life give Greensboro its charm and viability as a modern city. Surprises await the history buff, who will delight in the fact that Dolly Madison was born here in 1768, when the town was named New Garden. German settlers had begun to populate the area just 20 years earlier, with English, Welsh and Scots-Irish following in their footsteps. The legendary Battle of Guilford Courthouse, March 15, 1781, at which Nathaniael Greene commanded the forces of the Continental Army, led directly to Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown just seven months later.


The famous American author O. Henry was born in Guilford County in 1862. The O. Henry Hotel in Downtown Greensboro, replacing an earlier hotel by the same name, looks as though it's occupied this spot for years when in fact it opened in 1998. Little more than a century after O.Henry's birth, four students from North Carolina A & T State University staged a sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter, a protest that must be counted as one of the launch moments of the Civil Rights Movement. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum is open at that same site, honoring their courageous action.


These two sites are symbolic of the revitalization that has gripped Downtown Greensboro, as nonprofit agencies, private businesses and government join forces to refurbish the city's central business district. New businesses, cultural institutions and restaurants are capitalizing on this momentum. Upscale housing in Downtown Greensboro adds to the city's lively urban style.


On solid footing economically, Greensboro and the Triad provide a well-educated work force. Some 13 post-secondary academic institutions with a total student population of about 40,000 grant degrees ranging from bachelors to doctorates. Not only do the students supply a good part-time labor force, they often remain in the area, elevating the quality of the labor supply. Services and manufacturing are the major industries, together accounting for 45% of the employment distribution in Guilford County.


Recreational facilities and cultural resources, including an opera and a symphony, are among the values that attract residents, both growing families and retirees. But there's more: Professional soccer with the Carolina Dynamo and the Greensboro Grasshoppers, a South Atlantic League Class A Farm Club of the Florida Marlins, make great opportunities for family fun. . .


Greensboro's future looks bright indeed. The state has no inventory tax, a benefit that's attractive to small businesses and large. A recent addition to the business line-up, Amcan Fibers has located a facility in Greensboro that will, when up to speed, employ 80 workers. Amcan's operations include recycling used clothing into industrial wipes and rags. Even more exciting for the future, FedEx will open its new Mid-Atlantic hub here in 2009. That will mean a 9,000-foot third parallel runway will be built at Piedmont Triad International Airport to service this cargo business. It's estimated that the new facility will generate 20,000 new jobs over a 16-year period, and add more than $9 billion in economic impact to the region.


When business, the arts, and government work together, as they do in Greensboro, everybody wins. With a median household income of $36,000, and a low cost of living, households earning this amount of money can afford 83% of the available for purchase housing units. That's a great start for enjoying life in Greensboro, NC.