Founded in 1766 by the Moravians—a Protestant religious group first organized in what is now the Czech Republic in the 15th century—Salem was developed as a central hub for the outlying congregations in the Wachovia Tract. Due to the meticulous records kept by the Moravian Church and the people of Salem, there exists a wealth of knowledge about the lives, traditions, buildings, and evolution into the town of Winston-Salem. It is due to these records that the landscapes surrounded the Historic town buildings, about 3/4 of which are original, are accurate in depicting the setting of this 18th-century town.