Clemmons is a village located in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and is a suburb of Winston-Salem. As of 2018, the small community had a population of 20,562. 

Clemmons, NC was founded by Peter Clemmons in 1802. He moved to the area with his wife, Harriet “Hattie” Butner, from Delaware, along with their 14 children! He originally purchased 216 acres in the area for $542. Mr. Clemmons was credited with bringing his neighbors together to form the community that eventually became the Village of Clemmons. 

If you visit Clemmons and find yourself just west of the United Methodist Church, you’ll see that his house is still standing. Slightly west of his former home you’ll find a bridge crossing the Yadkin River. This was the first bridge to cross the body of water, and Peter Clemmons built it. 

Mr. Clemmons’ great-grandson, Edwin T. Clemmons, took a fond interest in stagecoaches as a young boy. The interest followed him into adulthood when, according to the census of 1870, he became a mail and stage contractor after receiving his education from Salem’s Congregation.  His stagecoach lines ran from Salem, NC, to stops in Clemmons, Raleigh, Asheville, High Point, and even Wytheville, Virginia. His coach business was highly successful. 

The railroad brought a lot of opportunity to North Carolina in the 1870s but did take business away for the coach industry. Edwin responded to the change in the industry by moving his business to Asheville. However, he returned home to Clemmons in 1896 shortly before he passed away. He left money in his will for the construction of a local school and the Clemmons Moravian Church. His most prized coach, which he had lovingly named “Hattie Butner”, was donated to the Wachovia Society upon his widow’s death in 1910.

Clemmons was incorporated as a municipality in December 1986. The Wachovia Society gave the “Hattie Butner” on permanent loan to the Village in 1993. The coach was restored around 1995 using donations raised by Clemmon’s Historical Society and is now on display at the Village Hall. 

The Village of Clemmons has grown to become a small city, with nearly 20,000 residents. It is heralded as a pleasant place to live with favorable employment opportunities.