The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-06-07
HICKORY.
"a TOWN OF SUCCESSFUL MANU-
EiCTURs,S ~ BUSINESS ACTIVITY
lis Natural Resources to be Devel-
op.a---At the Foot of the Beautiful
EIue Ridge il is a Grand Resort.

On the Western n. C. railroad, sixty
miles from Salisbury and eighty miles
from AShcville, and on the Chester Il Le
uuir Narrow Guage railroad. Is situated
the prosperous, pushing and rapid growing
town of Hickory. 1t is here that the trav
rller going toward the mountains first
catches a glimpse of the cloud capped
ridges Ii he We're to follow what will
surely be his inclination, when his eyes
rest upon Hickory Inn, and climb up into
the tower of that beautiful Inn he would
,v.o,d view of grand mountain scenery
..aDprislng noted mountain peaks. Here
a- catches a Whit of mountain air and
here ne finds cold, clear water such as
gur-les up from mountain springs. Long
before Hickory could lay claim to being a
town travellers We're wont to linger here
because of It's delightful climate, pure
water. and beautiful scenery. For years
before the war this place was famillarly
known as
..HIC KORY TAVERN"
There is a legend, or rather tradition,
t6 he effect thar it derived its name from
3, large old fashioned tavern or ordinary
LlI4t Of HICKORY logs. 1t was famous
81 prlug place for travellers and for par
ties Yho had come down the country to
--li their stock and produce. The old
man who kept it fed the people and their
horses we'll "a CataWba custom that con
riuues this day. and travellers coming and
going longed to spend the night at the
hickory tavern Those who could not
get lodging at the tavern camped in the
magnificent grove adjoining and it came
TO be looked upon as q regular camping
pace. These were the good old times"
when the word of the husband was law
and If he chose to chastlse his wife he had
q perfect right to do SO. 1t is related that
ou one occasion when the proprietor of
this tavern made of HICKORY logs had a
house fail of people, he took it into his
yIcad that his wife needed a whipping.
For a Catawba man to think thing ought
90 be done ~as and is day TO DO IT.
The old fellow went into the adjoining
woods and cut several HICKORY switches
and with them gave his wife a good
Dad y whipping. Whether it Improved
Ter -emper. if she had d bad one, history
docs not re ate, but this incident served
al the more to fastep the name of Hickory
upon this then camping ground. Alas
the good days when a man could whip his
wife With impunity and hickory switches
! 10 more and with the departure of
taoSe days has come the departure of the
-.Aera and the old-fashioned habit of
camping out. The railroad put an end to
these old fashioned ways and called for
newer ways, faster travel. and larger
tdytrnS.
THE TOWN BUILDS Up.
The Western \. c. Railroad reached
IL Nory AZ 1859 \ few stores sprung up
here then but during the war when GEN
STONES raldlng party passed through, he
burned 10 the town, root and banch. But
4 could not be burned up. 1t took an
other start and continued 10 live as a rail
road station until 1872 when it Was incor-
Fora,eI as d full hedged town with all a
t9wL's privileges ana lmmunItles. Since
then Il has steadily gone forward. FROM
1888 70 the present date it has doubled
its population. Thus il sill be seen that
2 aoty has not sprung uD ike soE!e towns
Qg- Aeac OF out West where the fellows
vent out 'possua hunting and during the
night, being pursued by a bear, went up
trv- dropped off to sleep and next day
found himself in the way of parties put
ting up telephone wires through town
that had been built all around him while
he was asleep. Not at all, but its growth
mas been of q solid character and It Is so
large now that If you could set up end on
end 1t would be nearly two miles high.
Before speaking Of the Industries OF the
place let Us speak Of the town as
HEALTH RESORT.
TIE town is situated Oh the head of a
mountain spur which extends back at
less elevation to the foot hills of Blue
Ridge OF the west. The water OF one side
Of Main street flows quickly to the valley
Of the South Fork which is about 800 feet
lower. while the North side empties the
waters abruptly into the CataWba the
level Of which is something over 300 feet
below. There is nc stagnant water III the
whole country the natural drainage
being perfect 1t is needless to say that
the natural sanitary system is perfect and
that malaria is unknown. With an eleva-
ton of 800 feet above sea level and
It's pure atmosphere it is santa
rian for consumptives and cure tor
those afflicted with catarrh, phthlcs or
hay fever Within five minutes walk of
the Inn there is mineral spring of wonder
full medical properties. 1t is kept up by
It's owners and is free to those who may
Le benefttes. by its pGe. an analysis OF
this water shows II to contain sulphur,
iron, sulphate potash, magnesla, bromide,
and sodium An imperial gallon of ten
pounds contains two and one hundredths
Of grains of mineral water. The summer
temperature here is IS degrees Inc
mean winter temperature Is 90 degrees.
Ii is nearly four hundred feet above the
Catawba river, and has an abundant
supply of good, pure, cool water. There
are several good boarding houses IN the
place which take summer bOarders at
moderate prices Two years ago, recog-
Iizng the advantages of the place as a
health resort the citizens of the town Or
ganzed a company and erected
HICKORY INN.
We give our readers a picture of this
elegant and beautiful structure. 1t IS a
.em of a hotel afrording every conven
fence and luxury which can be had IN the
State 1t has sixty rooms, is furnished
according to the best taste and latest
styles It's rooms are pleasant and airy
iust suitable for the summer Mr.. Franz
Loughran, the manager who has LEASED
the hotel for five years. spares no enor
to make it second to none.
Often parties from the East who want t(
so beyond Ashevill6 dislike to make Sc
long a trip without a rest. 1t they VII
stop over at Hickory Inn several day.
they will have this needed rest and hnt
besides a pleasant summer resort.
The grandest of mountain scenery cal
be viewed from the hotel, comprising
noted mountain peaks, such as King
Mountain, South Carolina Line; Gol(
Hills, Bakers Mountain, South Mountain
Range Hilderbrand's Mountain, Con
lelly's Point, BLACK Mountain The hlghes
Last of the Rocky Mountain ins-lld CraggY
Mount MITCHELL Clngman Peak, Rlac