Goldsboro West Side Community Historical Assocation Inc.

The Goldsboro West Side Community Historical Association, Inc. is home to the Goldsboro Museum, Francis Oliver Cultural Arts and Goldsboro Welcome Center, Crooms Academy Museum, Goldsboro Art Square, The Goldsboro Heritage & Art Garden, and Page Jackson Cemetery.

The Goldsboro Museum: On December 1, 1891 the town of Goldsboro was the second black incorporated City in the United States. The Goldsboro Museum showcases and preserves the history, heritage, livelihood, and culture of Goldsboro, Florida. 

Francis Oliver Cultural Arts and Goldsboro Welcome Center: The Francis Oliver Cultural Arts Center illustrates exhibits from local current Artist’s in Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre. The Francis Oliver Cultural Arts Center has live author readings, musical, poetry, and theatre performances.

Crooms Academy Museum: Crooms Academy, an all black institute, was constructed in 1926 due to the westward movement by the Black population of the Goldsboro Community, once known as the “Celery Belt”. The history of Crooms Academy is a wide-ranging collection of pictures, year books, and other artifacts and memorabilia depicting the Crooms story.

Goldsboro Art Square: The Goldsboro Art Square features “Pop Art” from artist Jeff Sonksen, The Crealdé School of Art, and Local Artists. A multi-color fence borders painting’s, coordinated tree borders, and vegetable and flower gardens’s. The Art Square is used to promote local artists, beautification, and outdoor events featuring the extraordinary heritage of Goldsboro.

The Goldsboro Heritage & Art Garden:  The Garden helps us engage at-risk youth, serve residents, reclaim our farming roots, and educate our community. The Garden is a win-win situation, we provide fresh fruits and vegetables to our community, provide at-risk youth a trade, STEAM education, and we take a small step to stop a harmful cycle by providing a constructive outlet and platform to thrive on.

Page Jackson Cemetery: Page Jackson ‘s Cemetery was established in 1830 as the main burial ground for former slaves and their descents residing in Goldsboro. At the time of its conception it was known as the “Colored Cemetery,” and is located approximately on 2 acres of land that gave African Americans the opportunity to give their loved ones a final respectful resting place. The extraordinary heritage of African American community leaders, businessmen, educators, politicians, farmworkers, railroad labors, domestics, indigents, all who were early settlers before the incorporation of Goldsboro and the City of Sanford are all buried side by side. Within its boundaries also lies the final resting place for African American Civil War, World War I, World War II Veterans.