Town guide · Coastal Plain
Goldsboro
The Wayne County seat in the Coastal Plain, a railroad junction town that is home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
35.38° N · -77.97° W · Wayne County
DRay Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓The town
About Goldsboro
Goldsboro grew around a hotel where the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad met the New Bern Road in the 1840s, and it took its name from railroad engineer Matthew T. Goldsborough. It incorporated in 1847 and replaced Waynesborough as the Wayne County seat, and the spelling became Goldsboro in 1869. As a rail junction it mattered in the Civil War, and Union troops occupied it in 1865. Seymour Johnson Field opened in 1942 and the air base still shapes the city. Visitors can tour the reconstructed Waynesborough Historical Village, spend time in Herman Park or head to nearby Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. The Oheb Shalom synagogue is the state’s second oldest synagogue building, and Andy Griffith once taught at the high school. Source: Wikipedia
Events in Goldsboro
On in town this week
Every art form on one list, each in its own color. Sample events — illustrative dates
All Goldsboro eventsNothing posted for the next few weeks yet.
Make it a weekend
More towns in Coastal Plain
Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina
Report Card
Ray Arts Index · 2026
- Town
- Goldsboro
- County
- Wayne County
- Standing
- #31 of 60 graded towns
| Subject | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts | 18% | A |
| Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps | 12% | D |
| Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries | 18% | D |
| ActivityArts events each month | 13.5% | C |
| FestivalsActive arts festivals | 13.5% | C |
| Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets | 13.5% | F |
| Creative economyArts businesses and working artists | 7% | F |
| HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups | 4.5% | Inc. |
Overall
D
HonorsNone yet
Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured
Teacher’s remarks
The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.
For community leadersWhere Goldsboro has the most room to grow, and the next steps that would raise its grade. Show the breakdownHide the breakdown
Where Goldsboro has the most room to grow
- Arts places (grade D)
- Arts organizations (grade F)
- Arts education (grade D)
Next steps
- Ask venues, museums and galleries to claim their listings and add seating capacity.
- Make sure local arts nonprofits file with an arts (NTEE “A”) code and the town’s address.
- Ask the school district to publish its arts-education plan and arts leader, and list arts schools and camps.
- Add founding years to long-running venues, festivals and arts groups.
- Request the full Goldsboro advisory report from the Ray Arts Foundation.
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