page_title: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
section_title: Healthcare
hierarchical_section_title: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina / Healthcare
caption_attribution_description: English: Wilkes Regional Medical Center
context_page_description: North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,116 at the 2000 census and 4,245 at the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in the community. The town is also known as one of the birthplaces of the sport of stock-car racing, and the North Wilkesboro Speedway was the first NASCAR-sanctioned track. Due to the town's proximity to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains and the numerous tourist venues there, North Wilkesboro has been nicknamed the "Key to the Blue Ridge".
context_section_description: Wilkes Regional Medical Center, founded in 1951 as Wilkes General Hospital, is located in North Wilkesboro. It is the largest hospital in northwestern North Carolina and is currently the town's largest employer. West Park, formerly a large shopping center built in the 1970s, has recently been transformed into a large medical park with numerous offices for physicians, medical specialists, pharmacies, physical therapists, and other medical and health-related fields.
caption: Wilkes Regional Medical Center
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