Caldwell County

The county was formed in 1841 from parts of Burke County and Wilkes County. It was named after Joseph Caldwell, presiding professor and the first president of the University of North Carolina.

FACTS AND FIGURES

  1. 1771 The region’s settlers petitioned for creation of a new county.
  2. 1790 The Caldwell area had a population of about 2,675
  3. 1791 Caldwell’s first industries were located on Gunpowder Creek, near Granite Falls. Here the Pierce Iron Forge was erected and gunpowder was manufactured for the patriots.
  4. 1825 Tucker’s Barn area became the seat of government of the new county.
  5. 1850 A toll road was built across the Blue Ridge to Blowing Rock – a road that is now U.S. Highway 321.
  6. 1878 Grist and sawmills were developed along streams within the county. The county had 51 grain mills, 41 sawmills and 5 furniture shops, 8 tanneries, a pottery, an implement factory, four gold mines and innumerable iron ore beds.
  7. 1884 The Chester and Lenoir Railway (a narrow gauge) came to the county.
  8. 1889 The first modern furniture factories were organized.
  9. 1910 There were 2,548 farms in the county.
  10. 1938 Caldwell was one of the first counties to achieve a rural electrification program.
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