offers a great deal of opportunities for the community to interact with each other by supporting local non-profit venues such as The Cobblestone Farmers Market. The Cobblestone Farmers Market encourages community engagement by creating a space to support low income households. This is accomplished by providing vendors to the community that allow purchases of healthy foods through EBT and SNAP. Hidden Town Project Starting in December 2016, substantial historical and archaeological research has focused on Salem's historical African-American population. Moravians educated enslaved members of their community, teaching literacy skills and some professional trades. Holistic studies directed toward understanding ethnicity and cultural identity of African-Americans in Salem have resulted in significant additions to the historical interpretation presented at Old Salem. These additions include newly identified slave dwellings and the updated number of slaves who lived in Salem from 1790-1860. The goals of this project are to: To locate the sites of dwelling places of enslaved people throughout the entire historic district To archaeologically investigate the sites. To fully integrate the narrative of the enslaved into the visitor experience. To connect with descendants of the Salem enslaved population and form an Advisory Committee to help direct future efforts at Old Salem. To interpret through contemporary art forms, salon discussions, and public gatherings. Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts A part of Old Salem Museums & Gardens and located in a modern building in the historic district, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) is dedicated to exhibiting and researching the regional decorative arts of the early South. MESDA opened to the public on January 5, 1965. MESDA was founded by Frank L. Horton and his mother Theodosia “Theo” L. Taliaferro, antiques dealers and collectors who spent most of their lives raising awareness of and appreciating domestic objects made in the south. In its galleries, MESDA showcases the architecture, needlework, furniture, paintings, textiles, ceramics, silver, and other metalwares made and used in Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee through the early 19th century. The majority of the MESDA collection is accessible online. Town features Highlights of the town include the Salem Tavern, where George Washington spent two nights (May 31 and June 1, 1791), while passing through North Carolina during his "Southern Tour"; the Single Brothers' House; Boys' School; Winkler Bakery; and a host of restored homes and shops, and several stores including T. Bagge Merchant and the Moravian Book