The Hickory Tavern Monument was built to commemorate the log tavern built in the late-eighteenth century, which was the earliest building to be located in Hickory. The tavern, eventually known as the Hickory Tavern, was originally operated by John Bradburn. When the town of Hickory was first established in 1863, the town was named the Hickory Tavern after the oldest building in town. The original tavern was destroyed in the 1870s, but this monument, sponsored and erected by the Hickory Tavern Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1960, faces the original location of the tavern and honors the humble beginnings of the town of Hickory.
The Olde Hickory Station was originally constructed by the Western North Carolina Railroad in 1860. The construction of the railroad and the establishment of successful businesses that relied on the railroad helped Hickory establish itself as a major trading center through the late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. When the Western North Carolina Railroad foreclosed on the station, the Southern Railway Company took over operations in 1894 and constructed a new depot in 1912. The station traded hands again in 1982, when the station was conveyed to the Norfolk Southern Railway Co. Though the station is no longer connected to railroad operations, the building was repurposed in 2013 as the Olde Hickory Station, which features a restaurant and market that is open seven days a week.
Originally constructed in 1882, the Clement Geitner House was the first brick house in its northwest Hickory neighborhood and one of the first in the city. The Geitner family operated a tannery and established themselves as major figures in the economic growth of Hickory during the late-nineteenth century. The primary historical significance of this building comes from its association with the Geitner family. Although no longer associated with the house, the Geitner family continues as an important family in present day Hickory. Additionally, beginning in 1938, the home was used by the American Legion and, in 1962, by the Piedmont Natural Gas Company. Today, the building houses the business Jenny's Gifts and Accessories.
The one-story Elliott-Carnegie Library was constructed in 1922 to replace a rental library, which opened in 1893, that was operated by volunteers. The rental library did not have a permanent location and was operated in multiple locations. Mrs. J. Worth Elliott of the Hickory Library Association, formed in 1907, started a movement in 1916 to gain funding from the Carnegie Foundation to construct a permanent library in the town. This building is notable for being the last of 2,507 facilities to receive a grant from the Carnegie Foundation. In 1952, the Elliott-Carnegie Library was superseded by the Elbert A. Ivey Library due to a lack of shelf space. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 for reflecting the cultural and educational maturation of Hickory during the early part of the twentieth century.
Originally constructed between 1920 and 1921, this building is situated on the west edge of Hickory's historic commercial district. The building housed the city's administrative offices from 1921 to 1977, when these offices were relocated to the current municipal building. Since 1947, the municipal building has also been utilized by the Hickory Community Theatre, who renovated the building from 1984-87 and in 2013, when major renovations to restore significant sections of the building began. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 18th, 2000, for its architectural and political significance. Today, the building is still utilized by the Hickory Community Theatre as a performance space.
Three years after Hickory was incorporated, a small mission consisting of 15 members was founded, which would ultimately become the First Presbyterian Church. The original sanctuary, known as the Hickory Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1878 and was replaced by the current Romanesque Revival-style church in 1906, then known as the First Presbyterian Church. As the congregation continued to grow, new buildings were constructed and renovations were made throughout the twentieth-century, though the exterior remains relatively unchanged, and the church is still used today. On March 15th, 1985, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places for being a well-preserved example of a Romanesque Revival-style church in the area and for its contribution to the growth and development of religion and religious spaces in Hickory, NC.
The Harper House was constructed in 1887 by Daniel Webster Schuler, who founded Hickory's first bank. Seven families resided in the home, but it is commonly known as the Harper House because the residents who lived in the dwelling the longest, the Harper family, resided in the building from 1923 until 2000, when the family arranged for the acquisition of the building to the Historical Association of Catawba County (HACC). The HACC organized a preservation project and raised $2,000,000 dollars for restorations. Today, the Harper House is open to visitors as a house museum that reflects Hickory's history and Victorian life in the south during the late-nineteenth century. Additionally, the Lyerly House, originally constructed in 1912 and on the same lot as the Harper House, was restored and marked for preservation in 2004 and now serves as the Hickory History Center, which features a conference facility, the Betty Allen Education Center, and the Margaret Huggins Gallery
Originally constructed in 1927 to serve as the Hickory High School, this building was dramatically renovated in 1986 and became the home of the SALT Block. The acronym SALT stands for Sciences, Arts, and Literature Together, which reflects how the Foundation houses the Catawba Science Center, Hickory Choral Society, Hickory Museum of Art, United Arts Council and Western Piedmont Symphony. The Science Center features an aquarium, a planetarium, and a series of revolving exhibits; the Choral Society meets on Mondays to rehearse for performances; the Museum of Art features work from nineteenth through twenty-first century American artwork along with local folk art; the United Arts Council raises funds for affiliated organizations; and the Western Piedmont Symphony meets in the building to practice and perform in the building.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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Please enjoy this tour of Hickory's historic downtown district, which begins at the the site where the first building in the town was constructed and features other historic sites and buildings. The tour ends at the SALT Block, which offers exhibits on local art.
