OUR COUNTY

Catawba County, North Carolina, is located in the western part of the State in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Catawba county was formed on December 12th, 1842 when it seceded from Lincoln county. On January 8, 1845, Newton was selected as the County seat. It was one of the first counties of the 100 counties in North Carolina to adopt the county manager form of government (March 1, 1937). The Board of Commissioners has five members elected on an at-large basis to staggered four year terms.

Population: Its estimated July 1, 1999 population of 134,307 includes the inhabitants of its eight municipalities. It covers 405 square miles (656.10 Km). Early Catawbans were either refugees or descendants of refugees from European political strife. Most were German and Scotch-Irish, who initially settled in Pennsylvania and migrated to the south when converging factors of crowding and under-employment evolved. Many, after being attracted by the fertile ground of the Valley of Virginia, moved into the Catawba County area in the 1740s after troubles developed in Virginia. The specter of future crowding, plus the growing danger of Indian attack from nations in the Ohio Valley were the primary reasons. Lately with the influx of new immigrants it is estimated that the Hispanic population has grown to 15%, the Yankee population has grown to 12% and other foreigners ie. Oriental, Mideast etc. has grown to 8% though the exact percentages won't be known until the year 2000 census statistics become available.

The cities and towns in Catawba County are Brookford, Catawba, Claremont, Conover, Hickory, Long View, Maiden, Newton.

Characteristics: Catawba County's three lakes and its location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains exert a strong influence on the County's climate and ambience. The County is sheltered by mountains that moderate winter temperatures and provide refreshing summer breezes. Elevation ranges from 705 to 1780 feet, averaging 995 feet. Its average year round temperature is 68.8 Fahrenheit (20.4 Celsius). Its three large lakes are strikingly beautiful backdropped against the wooded shorelines. Lake Hickory covers 4,100 acres (1,659 hectares) and 272.1 miles of shore line (169 Km), Lake Lookout Shoals covers 1,270 acres (514 hectares) and 39.1 miles of shoreline (63 Km), and Lake Norman which covers 32,510 acres (13,157 hectares) and 520 miles of shoreline (837 Km). Lake Norman is the largest manmade lake in NC.

Where is Catawba in relation to the rest of the World?: Catawba County shares some interesting neighbors in latitude and longitude. If you take a world map and follow the lines east-west and north-south you will find:
Latitude: Going west to Knoxville, Tennessee...Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...Santa Fe, New Mexico...Bakersfield, California...the Pacific Ocean (with no islands crossed)...Tokyo, Japan...Tsingtao,China...Kabul, Afghanistan...Tehran,Iran...Cyprus, Malta and Gibraltar in the Mediterranean Sea...then across the Atlantic Ocean back to North Carolina.

Longitude: Heading south through Columbia, South Carolina...Savannah, Georgia...Orlando, Folrida...Bay of Pigs, Cuba...Grand Cayman Islands...the Isthmus of Panama...in the Pacific west of Ecuador...the South Pole. Heading north through Bluefield, West Virginia...Akron, Ohio...London,Ontario,Canada...Moose Factory in James Bay over Hudson Bay to the Arctic. The city closest to Newton-Conover on the opposite side of the world is Kabul, actually a few miles east of the Afghanistan capital.

Significant events in our history At the turn of the century, gold mining was a successful industry in Catawba County. Catawba County was part of one of the largest gold producing areas in the entire country. North Carolina maintained its leadership in gold production until 1848 when it was eclipsed in importance by the great rush to California.

In the 1940's Catawba County was recognized nationally for the courage of its people in conquering a polio epidemic. In 55 working hours people joined together to turn a youth camp into a hospital.

After the War for Southern Independence Catawba County began an annual event to honor its Confederate military heroes with the "Old Soldiers Reunion". It has now evolved into a large festival held the third week of August, and is the oldest continuing patriotic celebration in these United States. Because of the current wave of political correctness Catawba County no longer mentions the Confederate roots of the "Old Soldiers Reunion" to the general public as the politicians who run the county feel it is easier to accept a lie than to stand up for the truth.

12/26/01