TOWN OF SEDALIA

Sedalia is a quaint, proud community that is located near the eastern side of Guilford County. The town covers roughly 2.00 square miles and has less than 700 residents. Although the community had existed for more than a century, the town of Sedalia wasn’t officially incorporated until 1997.

Sedalia got its name through Robert Boston Andrew (1868-1931), who owned the general store in what was then a small community. Andrew also served as Postmaster, and his post office (established in 1901) played a role in formalizing the name “Sedalia.”

A major institution in the community was Palmer Memorial Institute, founded in 1902 by Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown. It was a preparatory school for African-American students, serving as a center of educational excellence until its closure in the 1970s. The site now houses the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum.