Hickory is a city located primarily in

Catawba County Catawba County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 160,610. Its county seat is Newton, and its largest city is Hickory. The county is part of the Hickory–Lenoir– Morganton, NC Metro ...

, with formal boundaries extending into

Burke Burke is an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman Monarchy of Ireland, Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh (–1206) had ...

and

Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized Indian band in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, Eas ...

counties. The city lies in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. At the time of the 2020 census, Hickory's population was 43,490. Hickory is the principal city of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area, in which the metro population at the 2020 census was 365,276. Hickory is located approximately northwest of

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...

History

The origin of Hickory's name stems from a

tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern t ...

made of logs beneath a

hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mex ...

tree during the 1850s. The spot was known as "Hickory Tavern." In 1870, Hickory Tavern was established as a town. Three years later in 1873, the name was changed to the Town of Hickory, and in 1889 to the City of Hickory. The first train operated in the area of Hickory Tavern in 1859. The first lot was sold to Henry Link for $45.00 in 1858. His house is now known as "The 1859 Cafe", a restaurant (closed in 2011). The community of Hickory was the first for many things in North Carolina, including the council-manager form of government it adopted in 1913. Hickory was also one of the first towns to install electric lights in 1888 and a complete sewage system in 1904. In 1868, Dr. Jeremiah Ingold, pastor of Corinth Reformed Church (then German Reformed Grace Church), established Hickory's first school, the Free Academy. With Hickory's rapid population growth in the late 1800s, the need for a proper place for entertainment was needed. In 1889, the Elliott Opera House opened in the city. The auditorium could seat 750 and the parquet balcony could fit another 350. It was decorated in French renaissance style with mythology motifs. The opera house hosted shows from out of town as well as the "Hickory Amateurs," the city's first acting troupe. The first known musical organization performed there with the name Hickory Symphony Band. In 1902, a fire destroyed the entire building and it was never rebuilt. The current Hickory Community Theatre, housed in the old Municipal Auditorium (c. 1921), sits directly across the street from the site of the old opera house. In 1891,

Lenoir–Rhyne University Lenoir–Rhyne University is a private Lutheran university in Hickory, North Carolina. Founded in 1891, the university is affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Academics The university ...

(then Highland Academy) was founded by four Lutheran pastors with 12 initial students. Hickory is home to one of the oldest furniture manufacturers in the United States that is still located and operated on the original site. Hickory White, formerly known as Hickory Manufacturing Company, was built in 1902 and has been in continuous operation ever since. During World War II, the factory made

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other we ...

boxes for the U.S. military instead of furniture. Hickory was known in the years after World War II for the "Miracle of Hickory". In 1944 the area around Hickory (the Catawba Valley) became the center of one of the worst outbreaks of

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sy ...

ever recorded. Residents who were then children recall summers of not being allowed to play outside or visit friends for fear of contracting the disease. Since local facilities were inadequate to treat the victims, the citizens of Hickory and the

March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to comb ...

decided to build a hospital to care for the children of the region. From the time the decision was made until equipment, doctors, and patients were in a new facility, took less than 54 hours. Several more buildings were quickly added. A

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

official on the scene praised the project "as the most outstanding example of cooperative effort he has ever seen." The city also came to national attention when the remains of Zahra Baker were found leading to a police investigation where Zahra's stepmother, Elise Baker, was found guilty of second-degree murder. The Zahra Baker All Children's playground, located in Kiwanis Park, is named in her honor. The Hickory metro area has been named the 10th best place to live and raise a family in the United States by ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wif ...

'' and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA has been named the third best MSA in the country for business cost by ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

''. In 2014,

Smart Growth America Smart Growth America (SGA) is a US non-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. SGA's mission is to ensure that urban development policies foster safe, equitable, and sustainable community growth. SGA is a coalition of ad ...

identified the Hickory MSA as being the country's most sprawling metro area.

National Register of Historic Places

The Claremont High School Historic District, Elliott–Carnegie Library, First Presbyterian Church, Dr. Glenn R. Frye House, Clement Geitner House, Lee & Helen George House, Harris Arcade, Hickory Municipal Building, Hickory Southwest Downtown Historic District, Highland School, Hollar Hosiery Mills-Knit Sox Knitting Mills, Houck's Chapel, Kenworth Historic District, John A. Lentz House, Lyerly Full Fashioned Mill, John Alfred Moretz House, Oakwood Historic District, Piedmont Wagon Company, Propst House, Ridgeview Public Library, Shuford House, and Whisnant Hosiery Mills are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Geography

Hickory is located in western Catawba County at (35.737682, −81.328372), and extends westward into Burke County and Caldwell County. Interstate 40 passes through the southern part of the city, leading east to

Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...

and west to Asheville. U.S. Route 70 (Conover Boulevard) is an older east–west route through the city.

U.S. Route 321 U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Because o ...

passes through the western part of the city, leading northwest to Boone and south to Gastonia. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.31%, is water.

Lake Hickory

Lake Hickory was created on the

Catawba River The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...

in 1927 with the completion of the Oxford Dam northeast of Hickory. The dam parallels the NC Highway 16 bridge over the Catawba River between Interstate 40 and Taylorsville. It is high, with an overall length of . The spillway section of the dam is long. Lake Hickory was named after the City of Hickory and runs along its northern edge. The lake covers almost with of shoreline. Full pond elevation is . Lake Hickory is a reliable source of water for the Cities of Hickory and Conover and the Town of Long View, while also functioning as a recreation hub for boating, fishing, and other water based activities.

Duke Energy Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Overview Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...

provides five public access areas on the lake in cooperation with the

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is a state government agency created by the General Assembly in 1947 to conserve and sustain North Carolina's fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use, and publi ...

Metropolitan area

Hickory is the largest city within the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area. The

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA) includes

, Burke County, Caldwell County, and Alexander County, with a combined population – as of the 2020 Census – of 365,276. In addition to Hickory, the MSA includes the cities of

Lenoir Lenoir may refer to: Locations: * Lenoir, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States * Lenoir City, Tennessee In Universities: * Lenoir-Rhyne University * Lenoir Dining Hall, a dining hall at the University of N ...

, Morganton, Conover, and Newton, along with a number of smaller incorporated towns and cities. Several unincorporated rural and suburban communities located nearby include

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital ...

, Mountain View, and St. Stephens.

Climate

Transportation

Air

The Hickory Regional Airport is located in the western portion of the city and provides general aviation services. The airport is not serviced by a commercial airline given the proximity to larger nearby airports, particularly Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and

Piedmont Triad International Airport Piedmont Triad International Airport (commonly referred to locally as "PTI") is an airport located in unincorporated Guilford County, North Carolina, west of Greensboro, serving the Piedmont Triad region of Greensboro, High Point and Winsto ...

Public transportation

Greenway Public Transportation operates six fixed bus routes around Hickory, Conover and Newton. Greenway also provides

paratransit Paratransit is the term used in North America, also known by other names such as community transport ( UK) for transportation services that supplement fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. ...

services to these cities and surrounding areas. Greenway Public Transportation provides over 250,000 trips each year to residents living in the Hickory region.

Highways

* * U.S. Highway 321 * U.S. Highway 321 Business * U.S. Highway 70 * North Carolina Hwy 127

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 43,490 people, 16,690 households, and 9,834 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 40,093 people, 18,719 households, and 9,952 families residing in the city. There were 18,719 housing units at an average density of 640.4 per square mile (227.9/km²). The racial composition of the city was: 74.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 14.3%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 11.4%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino American, 3.2%

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...

, 0.19% Native American, 0.06%

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawa ...

or Other Pacific Islander, 3.08% some other race, and 1.46%

two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...

. There were 18,719 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 23.3% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,236, and the median income for a family was $47,522. Males had a median income of $31,486 versus $23,666 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $23,263. About 8.4% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. 364,759 people live within of Hickory; 1.8 million people live within of Hickory.

Government

In 1913, Hickory became the first city in North Carolina to adopt the council-manager form of municipal government, which combines the leadership of elected officials and the administrative experience of a city manager. The mayor and city council set policy and hire a non-partisan manager to oversee city operations, advise council, and implement adopted policies and ordinances. Hickory City Council is composed of a mayor and six council members, each representing one of the city's six wards. For current listing of council members, se
here.

Education

Elementary schools

* Clyde Campbell Elementary School * Jenkins Elementary School * Longview Elementary School * Oakwood Elementary School * Snow Creek Elementary School * Southwest Primary School * Viewmont Elementary School * Webb A. Murray Elementary School * St. Stephens Elementary School

Middle schools

* Grandview Middle School * Northview Middle School * H. M. Arndt Middle School

High schools

* Hickory High School * Challenger Early College High School * Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High School * St. Stephens High School

Private schools

St. Stephens Lutheran School
* University Christian High School * Hickory Christian Academy * Hickory Day School * Tabernacle Christian School * Christian Family Academy * Cornerstone Christian Academy (Specialized for students with learning differences)

Colleges and universities

* Catawba Valley Community College *

* Appalachian Center at Hickory *

Gardner–Webb University Gardner–Webb University (Gardner–Webb, GWU, or GW) is a private Baptist university in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina ( Southern Baptist Convention). It was founded as Boi ...

satellite campus
North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies

Economy

Early industries such as wagon-making, as well as proximity to expansive forests and excellent transportation via two intersecting railroads, provided fertile ground for the emergence of the furniture industry. Likewise experience with textile manufacturing and easy access to power drove new industries in both fiber-optic cable and pressure-sensitive tape. Forty percent of the world's fiber optic cable is made in the Hickory area. Adhesive tape manufacturer

Shurtape Technologies } Shurtape Technologies, LLC is an American manufacturing company that produces adhesive tape as well as consumer goods and office supplies. Founded in 1996, Shurtape had its origins as the tape division of Shuford Mills, a textile manufacturin ...

and Fortune 500 network infrastructure provider CommScope are based in Hickory. The furniture industry in Hickory is not as strong as in previous decades, but is still a primary component in the area economy.

HSM (company) HSM is an American company globally manufacturing materials and components for transportation, furniture, bedding and other markets. The closely held, family-owned firm is based in Hickory, North Carolina where it was founded in 1944 by Parks ...

(formerly Hickory Springs, founded 1944) is a leading manufacturer of mattress coils. It is estimated 60% of the nation's furniture used to be produced within a radius of Hickory. The Hickory area is marketed as a data-center corridor and is home to large data centers operated by

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

and

Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...

. Apple's billion-dollar data center campus just south of Hickory is one of the world's largest. Hickory is home to the corporate headquarters of third-party logistics provider Transportation Insight, a member of North Carolina's top revenue tier of privately held businesses. In 2015, the company relocated its headquarters to the historic Lyerly Full Fashioned Mill in downtown Hickory.

Major Industries

* Manufacturing * Education * Healthcare * Retail Trade * Professional, scientific, and management * Public Administration * Transportation * Construction

Major employers

* Catawba Valley Medical Center * Frye Regional Medical Center/Duke LifePoint * MDI * Hickory Springs Manufacturing *

Corning Inc. Corning Incorporated is an American multinational technology company that specializes in specialty glass, ceramics, and related materials and technologies including advanced optics, primarily for industrial and scientific applications. The c ...

* CommScope *

Convergys Convergys Corporation was a corporation based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that sold customer management and information management products, primarily to large corporations. Customer management products included agent assisted, self-service and care sof ...

* Century Furniture * City of Hickory * Catawba Valley Community College * Performance Food Group * Hickory Public Schools * Sherrill Furniture Company * Fiserv * Transportation Insight * Catawba County * Catawba County Schools * ITM * Cataler North America

Tourism

Sports

Hickory is home to the Hickory Crawdads, a Class High-A High-A East minor-league baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The Crawdads play in L.P. Frans Stadium, located in the western portion of the city, near the Hickory Regional Airport. Hickory is also home to the Hickory Motor Speedway. The speedway was opened in 1951 and features a 1/2-mile track with seating for approximately 5,000 spectators. Lenoir-Rhyne University, whose teams have the nickname "Bears", participates within

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...

athletics in the

South Atlantic Conference The South Atlantic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, which operates in the southeastern United States. The SAC was founded in 1975 as a ...

. The university's athletics program includes teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, triathlon, and volleyball.

Hickory Aviation Museum

Hickory Aviation Museum is an aerospace museum at the Hickory Regional Airport. The museum originated from the Sabre Society co-founded by Kyle and Kregg Kirby, when an FJ-3 Fury, the Naval version of the North American F-86 Sabre was recovered and became the first aircraft of the museum. It features a museum located in the former airport terminal with artifacts, a hangar with aircraft and outdoor exhibits of aircraft on the former airport ramp.

Arts and Culture

Hickory Museum of Art

Hickory is home to the second oldest art museum in North Carolina. Hickory Museum of Art was established in 1944 by Founding Director, Paul Whitener. The museum is housed at the SALT Block, overseen by the SALT Block Foundation, along with the Catawba Science Center, Hickory Choral Society, United Arts Council and Western Piedmont Symphony. Hickory Museum of Art (HMA) holds exhibitions, events, and public educational programs based on a permanent collection of 19th through 21st century American art. The museum also features a long-term exhibition of Southern contemporary folk art, showcasing the work of self-taught artists from around the region.

Western Piedmont Symphony

The symphony hosts several series of concerts, including their free Foothills Pops concerts held annually in Downtown Hickory.

Media

* The ''

Hickory Daily Record ''Hickory Daily Record'' is an American, English language daily newspaper based in Hickory, North Carolina, USA. It is owned by Lee Enterprises and is published seven days a week. The newspaper is a member of the North Carolina Press Associati ...

'' is published daily. * ''Focus Newspaper'' is a free weekly publication, distributed every Thursday in print, online, and mobile app. Focus features local news and events, movie reviews, original columnists, places to go and things to do. * WHKY, 1290 AM, is a radio station that features a news-talk format. * WAIZ, "63 Big Ways", 630 AM, is a radio station that features music from the 1950s and 1960s. Its branding is an homage to the former "61 Big Ways" radio station (now

WFNZ WFNZ may refer to: * WFNZ (AM), a radio station (610 AM) licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, United States * WFNZ-FM WFNZ-FM (92.7 MHz) is a sports radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina owned and operated by Radio One. The station's s ...

) in Charlotte, North Carolina. * The local television station is WHKY-TV, channel 14. * ''The Claremont Courier'' is a free newspaper distributed every month throughout Catawba County

Notable people

Athletes

* Jeff Barkley, MLB player * Rick Barnes,

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

head coach * Madison Bumgarner, MLB pitcher, 3-time

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...

Champion with the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...

, 2014 World Series MVP * Paul Burris, MLB catcher * Ozzie Clay, NFL safety * Matt DiBenedetto,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

driver *

Landon Dickerson Landon Dickerson (born September 30, 1998) is an American football guard for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and Alabama, and was drafted by the Eagles 37th overall in t ...

, NFL offensive lineman *

Robert Dillingham Robert Deon Potasi Dillingham (born January 4, 2005) is an American college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He is a five-star recruit that previously played professionally for the Cold Hearts in O ...

, high school basketball player * Harry Dowda, NFL defensive back * Charlie Frye, MLB pitcher * Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer * Ryan Hill, long-distance runner * Andy Houston,

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...

, Xfinity Series and

Camping World Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...

driver * Marty Houston, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver *

Tommy Houston Tommy Houston (born January 29, 1945) is a retired NASCAR Busch Series driver. Over his career, Houston and Jack Ingram became known as the pair of journeymen drivers that helped that series grow throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Houston was ...

, NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series driver *

Dale Jarrett Dale Arnold Jarrett (born November 26, 1956) is a former American race car driver and current commentator for NBC. He is best known for winning the Daytona 500 three times (in 1993, 1996, and 2000) and winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Series champio ...

, 1999

Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...

champion, 3-time

Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of thre ...

champion * Austin Johnson, NFL fullback *

Brad Knighton Bradley Burton Knighton (born February 6, 1985) is an American former professional soccer player. College and amateur soccer Knighton played four years of college soccer at UNC-Wilmington as well as for Indiana Invaders in the USL Premier Deve ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...

(MLS) goalkeeper * Chad Lail, professional WWE wrestler * Bobby Lutz, college basketball coach, former UNC Charlotte men's basketball head coach * Dick Marlowe, MLB pitcher * Trevin Parks, professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player * Andy Petree, NASCAR crew chief and analyst * J.T. Poston,

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also ...

player * Gary Sain, NASCAR Cup Series driver * Ryan Succop, NFL kicker,

Super Bowl LV Super Bowl LV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2020 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the American Football Confere ...

champion with the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

Bob Warlick Robert Lee Warlick (March 20, 1941 – September 6, 2005) was an American professional basketball player. Warlick was born in Hickory, North Carolina, and attended Ridgeview High School. The 6'5" guard/forward played at Pueblo Junior College in ...

, NBA player, younger brother of Ernie Warlick * Ernie Warlick,

AFL AFL may refer to: Sports * American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues: ** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...

player and 4-time

Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...

selection for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...

* Chris Washburn, NBA player * Shane Watts, World Enduro (off-road motorbike racing) champion

Entertainers

Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...

, musician and songwriter, was born in the area during a family trip * James Best, actor *

Eric Church Kenneth Eric Church (born May 3, 1977) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has released nine studio albums through Capitol Nashville since 2005. His debut album, 2006's '' Sinners Like Me'', produced three singles on the ''Billboar ...

, country music singer and songwriter * Tom Constanten, musician, composer, former member of the Grateful Dead and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame * Jon Reep, comedian *

Matthew Settle Jeffrey Matthew Settle (born September 17, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for playing Captain Ronald Speirs on the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' and Rufus Humphrey on the CW teen drama series ''Gossip Girl''. Early life Settle ...

, actor * Drew Starkey, actor * Brandon Wardell, comedian * Hermene Warlick Eichhorn, composer *

Machinedrum Travis Stewart, better known as Machinedrum, is an American electronic record producer and performer from North Carolina.The Blue Sky Boys, country music duo

Other notables

* Cass Ballenger, politician * Norma Bonniwell, architect *

James Broselow James Broselow (born January 12, 1943) is an American emergency physician, an assistant professor, an inventor and an entrepreneur. He and fellow emergency physician Robert Luten, M.D., are best known in the medical community for inventing the Brose ...

, emergency physician, assistant professor, and entrepreneur * Teresa Earnhardt, widow of

Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. (; April 29, 1951February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock car driver and team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably dri ...

and stepmother to Dale Earnhardt Jr. * Gary Glenn, Michigan House of Representatives (2015–18), Associate Speaker of the House Pro Tem and chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee (2017–18) *

Kenneth Lamar Holland Kenneth Lamar Holland (November 24, 1934 – February 27, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who as the Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina between 1975 until 1983. Early life Hollan ...

, former Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

* Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook * E. Patrick Johnson, ethnographer, scholar in

critical race theory Critical race theory (CRT) is a cross-disciplinary examination, by social and civil-rights scholars and activists, of how laws, social and political movements, and media shape, and are shaped by, social conceptions of race and ethnicity. Goa ...

, queer theory, and performance studies *

Brock Long William Brockmann Long (born April 6, 1975) is an American emergency manager who served as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump in April 2017 and confirmed ...

, FEMA Administrator * J.B. Long, store manager/owner and record company talent scout *

Douglas E. Moore Douglas E. Moore (1928 – August 22, 2019) was a Methodist minister who organized the 1957 Royal Ice Cream Sit-in in Durham, North Carolina. Moore entered the ministry at a young age. After finding himself dissatisfied with what he perceived a ...

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

minister and

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life ...

activist * Scott Owens, poet, teacher, and editor * William Powlas Peery, pastor of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant Lutheran church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. , it has approxim ...

* Elwood L. Perry, inventor of the form of fishing lure known as the spoonplug * Paul Whitener, landscape painter and founder of the

Hickory Museum of Art Hickory Museum of Art (HMA) is an art museum in Hickory, North Carolina which holds exhibitions, events, and public educational programs based on a permanent collection of 19th to 21st century American art. The museum also features a long-term ...

Sister city

Hickory has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

:Griffin, Kevin. (June 1, 2016)
Sister city delegation from Germany visits Hickory for cultural exchange
''Hickory Daily Record''. Retrieved July 21, 2020. *

Altenburg Altenburg () is a city in Thuringia, Germany, located south of Leipzig, west of Dresden and east of Erfurt. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district and part of a polycentric old-industrial textile and metal production region betw ...

, Germany

References

External links

* *
Hickory Public Schools
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1863 1863 establishments in North Carolina Cities in Caldwell County, North Carolina Cities in Catawba County, North Carolina Cities in Burke County, North Carolina North Carolina populated places on the Catawba River