Historic Markers
The City of High Point facilitates the placement of historic markers in recognition of important people and events in the history of the city. All applications for a marker must first be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission after determining whether or not the request meets the following minimum criteria:
- The site, event, or individual contribution being recognized is at least 50 years old.
- There are no other markers within the city currently recognizing the historic site, event, or contribution.
- The location being recognized is within the city limits of High Point and within public view.
If the request meets the minimum criteria, it is then evaluated based on relevant criteria determined by the Commission. If approved, a recommendation with the final marker title and inscription is forwarded to the City Council for final approval.
Each marker must be the same size, shape, and general design, and will be installed within a public right-of-way near the site. The City does not provide funds for markers, but may accept funds from an organization, private individual or other government entity. No marker will be approved prior to funding being secured.
A full description of the City's policy for historic markers is available under the helpful links on this page. See the map and table below for information about current historic markers approved by the City.
If you have questions related to the City of High Point's historic marker program contact the Planning & Development Dept. at (336) 883-3328.
Historic Markers in High Point
| Map # | Name | Date Established | Marker Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Cotton Mills Village | April 4, 2016 | Mill Ave. & S. Elm St. |
| 2 | Tri-City Speedway | July 18, 2016 | Skeet Club Rd. & Lumsden Ln. |
| 3 | High Point Speedway | July 18, 2016 | Johnson St. & Scarlett Dr. |
| 4 | Oakwood Memorial Cemetery | Oct. 3, 2016 | Forrest St. & Mint Ave. |
| 5 | Washington St. Historic District | June 18, 2018 | Washington St. & N. Centennial St. |
| 6 | City Transfer & Storage Co. | Dec. 3, 2018 | 100 Block of W. High Ave. |
| 7 | John Coltrane Boyhood Home | Feb. 18, 2019 | 118 Underhill St. |
| 8 | Rev. Benjamin Elton Cox | July 15, 2019 | 400 Block of W. Taylor Ave. |
| 9 | The Ragan and Mills Building | N/A | 135 S. Main St. (S. Main St. side) |
| 10 | Woolworth Students Sit-In | N/A | 135 S. Main St. (S. Wrenn St. side) |
North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program
The state also has a program for the placement of markers along state or federal highways, excluding interstates, restricted access routes, and city maintained streets. Established in 1935, it is one of the oldest such programs in the country.
Similar to the process for markers approved by the City, there are criteria for ensuring the state highway markers only designate places, events, and persons of documented statewide historical significance. The program is the joint responsibility of the state's Dept. of Cultural Resources and Dept. of Transportation with an advisory committee appointed to approve or disapprove each application.
There are several of these silver and black markers in High Point. The best way to find more information about them is by searching on the N.C. markers website using a key word or by county. This will pull up information about each marker, including photos, and provide a link to "View GIS Map" that will show its location.
Other Markers
Other markers have been placed around High Point by many organizations. For more information about specific signs, please contact the Heritage Research Center at the High Point Library or the High Point Museum. Please provide the location, topic, and description of the marker. Listings and information about these markers will be added to this page in the future.