Horsefeathers Roadhouse is scheduled to reopen in June as Bourbon & Bobbers Saloon, a new bar and restaurant located on Mt Pleasant Road.

The project is headed by Mooresville-based husband-wife duo Ginger and Bernie Bennett. The building and property are undergoing renovations to accommodate the new business. The duo also owns the Village Square Taphouse in Clemmons.

The Chronicle visited Bourbon & Bobbers and spoke to Ginger Bennett to learn what lies ahead for the bar. Ginger took a break from painting trim and wrangling her children to speak to our reporter.

“It was a regular at our other bar that told us about this being available,” Ginger told the Chronicle. “They knew we were looking for something, so we came here to look at it, and it very much feels like Village Square Taphouse does. To me, that feels like home.”

Bourbon & Bobbers will feature two floors of bars, dining, and entertainment. Originally, the Bennetts planned for the bar to only serve alcohol.

“This [building] is 8,000 square feet,” Ginger said. “When we first stopped [by], I’m like, ‘I don’t know, it looks really small.’ And then we went downstairs. It’s huge. We fell in love with it. We weren’t planning on doing food. We just wanted a bar. And then we went down and saw the kitchen and I was like, ‘We could do food.’”

The building is equipped with two bars, one on each floor.

The downstairs section will have three pool tables, arcade machines, and “enough dart boards for a league to come in,” along with an atmosphere Ginger described as “a lake vibe.” The downstairs back porch will have seating and a small stage for an “acoustic to three-piece band” to play during fairweather months.

“We went with a vintage look, like an old bourbon bar for the upstairs,” Ginger said. “Upstairs is like a sit-down restaurant. [The kitchen] is going to be open from 11 to 9. And if we need to have food later, if there’s demand for it, then we’ll open a fryer. We’ll have a late night menu or something. But after 9, the plan is to close [the kitchen].”

The bar itself is expected to remain open late, something which Ginger said is relatively rare with local bars and restaurants in the Lake Norman area.

“When we moved to Mooreville, we went out one night and we were surprised,” Ginger said. “Most every place was closed at 11. There was nothing to do, and it was during the summer. [I was] confused. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. And we left. We went home early. If [Bourbon & Bobbers] is still packed, we’re going to stay open up until two, up until we can. As long as people are here, we’ll be open.”

The first floor also features a stage large enough to accommodate full bands. Several Charlotte-based acts have already been booked to play.

“Live music will start at 9.30 on Fridays and Saturdays,” Ginger said. “And that’s mostly to get the young people under 21 out because then it’s a full bar. We had to make [the stage] bigger because we have big bands. Band nights, we’re going to push the table back so we have a dance floor.”

Other planned events include karaoke, trivia, and movie nights.

The property adjoins a small section of Lake Norman. Future plans for Bourbon & Bobbers include refurbishment of the dock and a possible acquisition of more land to increase the bar’s lake access.

“That’s stage two,” Ginger said. “First it’s getting open, then we’re going to try to dredge as soon as we can. We’re going to try to get boats in here. Before, they could only get like one in. We were told that people used to come with their jet skis.”

Ginger said that she intends Bourbons & Bobbers to fill a niche that is otherwise largely neglected on the west side of Lake Norman, a situation exacerbated since the May closure of local sports bar The Turn.

“[The people] need it, we want it, so we’ll just build something that has everything,” Ginger said. “That’s one of the reasons we did food. There was a high demand for it, and after driving [on 150] I understand. In fact, we’re moving four minutes away because we started driving and it’s supposed to be 15 minutes away to Mooresville, but it took me 33 minutes to get home.”

Several staff members who formerly worked for The Turn have secured jobs at the new bar.

Bourbon & Bobbers will take the place of Horsefeathers Roadhouse, which closed in 2023 after almost seventy years of on-and-off business amid allegations of refusal to pay employees, talent, and vendors.

The final post on Horsefeathers’ Facebook page reads, “Again, please note the HFR is only temporarily closed. This FB page is the only source for additional information as it arises. We promise our patrons and neighbors to keep all of you posted.” Comments on the post have been restricted.

The bar has since changed owners. The current owners are silent partners in the new venture with the Bennetts.

“We weren’t attached to [the name],” Ginger said. “Some [people in the community] have good memories, some have bad. And when we did our research, it was mixed. I love the good memories, they had a lot of fun here, but there were some bad ones … I think we made the right choice about changing the name.”

Despite changing the name, the Bennetts retained some of the items from the old Horsefeathers.

“We went to tear the bar tops off, and we found out that they were doors.They just used doors for their bar,” Ginger said. “In each panel, they put things and put epoxy over them. Some are very sentimental. You’ve got medals, you’ve got things like actual pictures, and then some are like knives and bottle tops, but it still meant something to them. … So this will probably go on these walls. And we have an artist, he’s a regular at our other bar. And I want him to do artwork; around that and kind of camouflage it in. I think that’d be really cool looking down here.”

Horsefeathers Roadhouse was known for catering specifically to bikers, something Ginger says Bourbon & Bobbers will not do. The move has drawn some criticism from members of the community.

“My dad was a biker,” Ginger said. “I have people in my family that are bikers. I don’t hate bikers, but everybody’s welcome. It has nothing to do with not liking anything. It’s just everybody’s welcome. I’m not targeting one group of people to come here, and that’s how I like it.”

The bar is scheduled to soft open on Saturday, June 13th. The exact date of the grand opening is subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Bourbon & Bobbers Facebook page.

The Historical Associations of Catawba and Lincoln counties will host the Liberty Ball to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The ball will take place on June 27th at the Crowe Mansion, an event and wedding venue located on NC-150 in Lincoln County, and will benefit the two historical associations.

Doors will open at 7 PM for general admission ticket holders. The event will end at 11 PM.

Sponsors and donors will have a separate reception at 6 PM with a “special signature cocktail to commemorate the 250th.“

The ball will feature costumed reenactors and several events and showcases, including live historical music and dancing.

“We’re going to have piccolo players that will be doing some patriotic music at the beginning,” said Susan Holbrook, Executive Director of the Historical Association of Catawba County. “Then, of course, we’ll have dancing. We are going to have a DJ for later on in the evening.”

The ball will also provide a dinner featuring historical food options and a cash bar.

“We’ll have a wonderful amount of food,” Susan said. “The menu is incredible. [We’ll have historic] hors d’oeuvres and kind of a modern twist on colonial style foods, [on] what they would have had [in 1776].”

Other events at the ball include a silent auction, educational programming, display of historical items including an authentic red coat, and a wine pool.

“We’re accepting donations of bottles of wine that are of a $20 value or more because we’re doing a wine pool,” said Alyssa Miller, Director of Education for the Historical Association of Catawba County. “If they just have a bottle of wine that is at least $20 sitting on top of their fridge, they just are not going to drink it. We’ll take it. [If] they want to donate it, we’ll take it. So there’s lots of ways to support these two organizations.”

In the tradition of colonial era public proclamations, Robert Ryals, a Charlotte-based historian, will read aloud from the Halifax Resolves. The Halifax Resolves were passed unanimously in April 1776 by the North Carolina Provincial Congress. The North Carolina Sons of the American Revolution describe the resolution as, “the first official act by any of the thirteen colonies calling for independence from Great Britain.”

“He is just incredible,” Alyssa said. “He’s very theatrical. He does a good job. It’s going to be exciting.”

The event will double as an award ceremony for historical preservation.

“We’re gonna do some historical preservation awards for both Lincoln County and Catawba County,” Susan said. “Either organizations or individuals. That’s going to be a lot of fun for me. That’s the most important part of the night, because we love those folks who work with us to preserve our history and then share it, because without it we have nothing to learn from.”

There is no specific dress code for the ball, but historical dress is encouraged.

“We’re encouraging everyone to come dressed in colonial costumes,” Susan said. “We’d love to have the women come in their colonial ball gowns and the gentlemen come in their patriotic military uniforms, but it’s anything really. There’ll be folks in black tie and there’ll be folks in costume, or cocktail dresses and things like that. Church clothes are fine, but we just want people to come and celebrate with us to enjoy the evening.”

The event venue, the Crowe Mansion, was constructed over four years starting in 1970. The mansion was commissioned by fashion designer Alda Crow and her husband, to be used as an event venue. Architect Richard Gillespie designed the house “to unique specifications of an old looking new home, patterned after The Carter’s Grove Plantation near Williamsburg,” according to the venue’s website.

“The Crowe Mansion is beautiful and it is styled after the Williamsburg palaces and homes and so it’s very fitting for this type of celebration,” Susan said. “It’ll be beautifully decorated and the outside has that gorgeous staircase, so we’ll be able to offer photo opportunities. It’s a fairly good replica of what they had in the late 1700s. They’ve just been wonderful to work with and we’re excited to partner with that organization as well.”

Few historic mansions exist from the revolutionary era in Catawba and Lincoln counties. Historians refer to western North Carolina in this era as the “Backcounty,” a sparsely populated and underrepresented area. A “Liberty Ball” in this area would have been unlikely during the revolution.

“There was not wealth in this area because it was mostly the frontier still,” Alyssa said. “The people that were in this area were farmers, fur trappers, and traders, very agricultural people. [This type of ball would be more likely near] Wilmington or New Bern. Around here, they definitely would have had gatherings, but it would have been probably pretty informal. Most people wouldn’t have owned clothing nice enough to go to something like [this] at the time.”

General admission tickets for the event cost $125, or $85 for teachers and “young professionals.” Sponsorship options range from $1,000 to $10,000. All proceeds from the event will benefit the two historical associations, both of which are 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.

“It is a fundraising event so that both counties can continue to bring the programming at no charge or very little charge,” Susan said. “All of the proceeds and all of the donations that we have received go to allowing us to continue our programming.”

Susan says she expects the event to be a success.

“I think we’ve had a great response as far as folks buying tables,” Susan said. “We’ve sold several of those that we have a lot of individual tickets that are going. Our goal is to have 240 folks there and so I think we’re going to get pretty close to that. Tickets are limited, so get your tickets now.”

Catawba and Lincoln counties have been planning the Liberty Ball and other America 250 events since 2023.

“Our organization, as well as Lincolnton, we’ve been planning for America 250 for years,” Susan said. “Each county had to get a declaration from their counties to become designated as an America 250 county and [become] part of the program. Of course, the revolution didn’t end [in] one day. July 4th [is] not the only part of the American Revolution. And in this area, it wasn’t until the late 1770s, 1780 that we actually took part in the skirmishes.”

Other Catawba County America 250 programming includes historical presentations, opportunities to throw tea into a recreation of Boston Harbor, and American history trivia at 3 Little Birds wineshop in Newton.

To learn more about Catawba or Lincoln County America 250 programming, visit their websites at catawbahistory.org and lincolncountyhistory.com.

Local charity LOV Thrift Store awarded $25,000 in scholarship money to local high schoolers in May.

The 501(3)(c) charity, based at the intersection of NC-150 and NC-16 (Killian Crossroads), awarded three $5000 scholarships and one $10,000 scholarship to high school seniors in eastern Catawba and Lincoln counties.

“It was LOV’s honor and pleasure to present four scholarships to local students that are children of honorably discharged veterans, to assist them with their next step in life,” said LOV President and Co-founder Kevin Popko. “LOV is simply the facilitator. The ones that make this happen are the shoppers, donators, and volunteers from this wonderful, caring community.”

The scholarship will assist the recipients in paying for tuition and housing at the university of their choice. The scholarship, Kevin told the Chronicle in April, could significantly reduce the financial hardship of college for the students who receive it.

One student was selected from each of the four eligible high schools nearest to LOV’s location (North Lincoln, East Lincoln, Lincoln Charter, and Bandys).

This was the second year that LOV’s scholarship program paid out tens of thousands of dollars.

In 2025, LOV’s board did not choose the scholarship recipients, instead taking the recommendation of the schools.

This year, Kevin said that the board decided to take a “hands on” approach. Students were selected from the school’s “top three” choices by LOV’s board based on submitted essays, merit, and need. All selected students are children of an honorably discharged veteran.

“We look forward to doing our third annual LOV scholarship program next year,” Kevin said.

Construction of the gas station at the corner of E Maiden Road and NC-150 is proceeding according to plans.

The gas station is being constructed by Home Run Market Properties LLC. The project has been in the works since 2022, when the property was purchased by the Statesville-based gas station chain for $1.2 million.

Catawba County approved several permits in April, including permits for plumbing, electrical, zoning, and sewer.

Permits stipulate that the concrete slab cannot be poured until approval is received from the City of Hickory for water and sewer utilities.

Work has continued on the foundation, plumbing, grading, and electrical.

The gas station will have eight pumps, according to the site plan and permits.

A 5,286 square foot convenience store will be constructed on the site.

The convenience store will also have a built-in food service known as “Metro Bistro,” a Home Run affiliated delicatessen also located in several of the company’s other gas stations.

“Metro Bistro at Home Run Markets has you covered with healthy and hearty options for any time of day,” a company statement reads. “Don’t drive hungry, our Metro Bistro Delis serve a wonderful menu with something for everyone.”

Food options will include “Fresh salads, flavor-packed wraps. grilled panini sandwiches. hot & crispy pizza. breakfast favorites. sides & extras,” according to the post.

The original site plans included a car wash, but no car wash has been mentioned in any of the approved permits.

As a condition of approval for their permits, Home Run Markets will realign E Maiden Road.

Local sports lounge “The Turn” is closing after eleven years of serving the Chronicle-Denver area.

The bar, located on NC-16 Business just north of the Lincoln County line, will close after May 2nd.

The owners of the property will not renew the bar’s lease in favor of pursuing other options, Keisha Ann Gantt, manager at The Turn, told the Chronicle.

“This is definitely not the news we wanted. So we will celebrate every day while we can,” The Turn said in a statement on the bar’s official Facebook page. “Stop by, see your favorite bartender, tell your favorite stories. Let’s make our last week something to remember. I will be reaching out to all the bands to let them know as well. Thanks to all of our customers who have become more like family than friends.”

The Turn is known for its live music, events, and community atmosphere, according to patrons of the establishment.

The location has operated as a bar under several different names and owners. It was originally founded in 1975 by Larry Sherrill and his wife Patsy as Larry’s Famous Bar.

“At the time, Catawba County was not dry,” Gantt said. “Everywhere else was a dry county. You couldn’t get alcohol anywhere from Mecklenburg to here. So they started the bar. She was actually the brains behind the operation. It was her idea to buy the property.”

The bar saw success with events such as turkey shoots, parties, and other events.

“There’s a mound, a hill over here with trees,” Keisha said. “Those are memorial trees for people who passed away. The mound is there because they used to have turkey shoots out back, and that was to absorb bullets, and they used to play horseshoes and all kinds of stuff.”

The location first closed in 1985 after a fire destroyed the original building, according to Keisha. Several theories exist to explain the cause of the fire.

“It’s kind of lore around here that Larry burned the bar down,” Keisha said. “[Patsy] said he didn’t, but that the insurance thought he did. They sat across the street from [their] house watching him because they thought he did.”

The bar was purchased from the Sherills in 1997, but continued to operate under the name “First Turn,” named after the location of the owners’ box at Charlotte Motor Speedway, according to Keisha. Patsy continued working for the new owners into the 21st century.

The bar changed hands several more times and closed again in 2015. It reopened over a year later, but the year-long hiatus did not dissuade the patrons.

“When this place was shut down, for two years, they would bring their own beer, and they would come and sit in the back and drink,” Keisha said.

Some patrons have been visiting The Turn and its various iterations for generations. One patron who overheard the interview being conducted between Keisha and the Chronicle mentioned that he had been coming to the bar since 1989.

“I remember coming here when I was little,” Keisha said. “It’s more than a bar. It’s a whole community of people that are not going to have anywhere to go.”

The Turn will continue to operate as normal until the day it closes. There will be a “send off party” featuring a band and food on Sunday, May 3rd, the final day in operation.

The bar’s management plans to reopen in another location in the near future.

“He’s looking for a building, but they need a place [with] a license; you can’t have alcohol just anywhere,” Keisha said. “It’s rapidly changing around here.”

“We will miss our little dive bar, but this isn’t a goodbye. It’s a see you later,” the bar’s closing statement reads. Tim Schoenig, the bar’s leaseholder, added in Facebook comments, “We will be back,” and “I promise you that better is coming.”

Despite the possibility of moving the bar to a new location, Keisha and other patrons expressed regret at losing the current site.

“This view - where the sun sets right here - this is the most incredible view in all of Denver,” Keisha said. “If you’ve never seen the sunset from here, you should come here in person before you can’t. You can stand in here and watch the storms come over [Anderson] Mountain, or when it snows. It’s beautiful.”

At their regularly scheduled meeting on April 20th, the Catawba County Board of Commissioners approved a measure to merge the three school systems in Catawba County.

The measure, which will merge Hickory City Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, and Catawba County Schools into a single school system, was passed 3-2. Chairman Isenhower and Commissioners Abernethy and Setzer voted in favor, while Commissioners Allran and Beatty dissented. All commissioners were in attendance and voted on the measure.

The move was made to address budgetary shortfalls and capacity issues within the three systems, according to the commissioners. The plan will not take effect unless approved by the NC State Board of Education. If approved, the merger will take effect on July 1st, 2028, creating a combined system known as the Catawba Valley School District.

It is estimated that hundreds of citizens attended the meeting. The primary meeting room was filled, with additional citizens directed to overflow rooms where they listened to the proceedings on speakers. Representatives of seven news organizations were present, including Channel 9 and Spectrum News, both based in Charlotte.

About seventy-five individuals spoke during the public hearing, seventy-four of whom were opposed to the merger and one of whom was in favor. Each individual had three uninterrupted minutes to speak in front of the commissioners and the public.

Among the individuals against the merger were superintendents, school administrators, school board members, teachers, pastors, parents, students, and former students from the two city systems. North Carolina State Senator Dean Proctor also voiced his opposition.

Nearly all of the critics said that the primary supporting document used in favor of the merger, a fifteen-page capacity study conducted by McKissick Associates (a Pennsylvania-based architectural firm), does not provide sufficient data to make an informed decision on the merger.

“Right now this entire proposal has been built on limited analysis: a short presentation by an architect, when other counties have taken the time to conduct comprehensive independent feasibility studies that look beyond buildings and enrollment,” said Robbie Gonzalez, Vice Chair of the Newton-Conover Board of Education. “[It is] a study that would cost $14 per student. So let me ask a simple question: are our students not worth $14?”

Many who opposed the merger said that they would be in favor of it if the proposed “comprehensive study” found it to be positive for the community.

Dissenters also said that school programs, such as free school lunches and disability programs, may be affected by the merger.

“We do not know the impact on our federal funding,” said Dr. Jennifer Griffin, superintendent of Hickory City Schools. “We have a community eligibility program that feeds free breakfast and lunch to all of our students. Grocery prices are high. People are struggling with gas prices. … Our children need these [meals]. They cannot learn when they are hungry, and I would ask that you pause for a study so we can ensure that we are not inadvertently taking food out of the mouths of our children.”

Opponents of the merger expressed fear that schools like Discovery High School, a competitive magnet school located in Newton, could be affected detrimentally or closed entirely as a result of the merger.

“My niece is currently in seventh grade, and has already talked about wanting to attend Discovery,” said Aliah Escamilla, a senior at Discovery and former president of the Catawba County Youth Council. “She has watched what this school has done for me, and she hopes to have that same experience one day. But with this proposed merger, Discovery’s existence is only guaranteed until 2030 … Right now, students across our county are asking for something simple: to protect a school that is already working.”

Some students focused on the emotional, mental, and social impacts of the school merger, which will result in some students being assigned to new schools.

“Do not take us from our schools and friends and teachers,” an elementary-aged girl told the board. “Our friends and teachers don’t want us to leave and we don’t want to leave. … I have been best friends with my best friend for seven years. We are planning to go to middle school and high school together, and I don’t want there to be a possibility of being separated from them.”

Opponents of the merger also expressed apprehension at what they called a lack of transparency from the commissioners. Several speakers said that the process was “undemocratic” or “socialist.”

“We have turned not into a democracy, as I would teach my students in social studies, you have become the Red Scare of Catawba County,” said a teacher of social studies at Grandview Middle School, in the Hickory City Schools system. “Because this is not a democracy, this is a dictatorship, and I will choose to dictate how I feel about this: it’s wrong, it’s immoral, and it’s deplorable.”

Upon state approval of the merger plan, the board will not have elections until 2030. The Board of Commissioners will appoint the new Catawba Valley Board of Education from each of the current school boards and three additional residents of Catawba County.

Some dissenters were concerned that the racial makeup of the new combined school board may be less diverse than the individual city boards.

“My concern also is that Hickory is the most diverse district of all. We have three African-Americans on the school board,” said Dr. Anthony Freeman, a pastor and Hickory city councilman. “Sooner or later, after the interim period where you appoint [the school board], then it goes [to a] partisan election in the county. Because of the demographics, what do you see? We’re not going to see minorities. We’re not going to see any blacks. Leadership should reflect what the people look like and who they serve.”

Only one individual spoke in favor of the school merger.

“You all came here tonight asking for the county commissioners to do a study. Why didn’t you pay for it?” said Larry Barringer, a leader in the Catawba County Tea Party. “City of Hickory, do the rules say that you can’t pay for it? I don’t think so. If that study was that important, you would’ve brought that study forward and showed these guys why they shouldn’t do the merger.”

Barringer also said that the commissioners had been more transparent than the dissenters had claimed.

“I hosted three town halls over here at the bowling alley,” Barringer said. “Where was this crowd at? Why did you not come ask [the commissioners] questions? They were there, they showed up. Y’all didn’t show up. … There are citizens that didn’t show up tonight that thank you, and we vote, we appreciate it. Do the job that we elected you to do. Vote yes, and merge the schools.”

When the public comment session ended, Commissioner Allran made a motion to postpone the merger, pending a further study. The motion was met with applause and cheers from the citizen attendees.

“I think it is reasonable to commission an independent third-party comprehensive study,” Allran said. “I don’t see how it could possibly hurt, and I think it would help for the reasons that have been expressed, and have been expressed very well.”

The commissioners discussed the issue, with Chair Isenhower leading discussion. He described his reading of supplemental materials, including similar studies, which he said only gave “common sense” information.

“My point is, when I read it the second time I thought, is there something here that I can glean, that we can commission a study to tell us about?” Isenhower said. “What this study really did is say, ‘This is what you need to look at.’ I appreciate people wanting a study, but … I think a study - and it’s not just the money in it - I just don’t think it’s going to resolve the issue.”

The motion to commission an independent study failed, with only commissioners Allran and Beatty voting in favor.

After the vote, Isenhower spoke on his experience with the school system, stating that the merger would not have the negative effects that the citizens had suggested.

“In addition to being a contractor, I served twelve years on the school board,” Isenhower said. “I was on that board when it started Discovery High School. [We] got a Bill Gates grant and we started a high school. It was a reach and we didn’t know how that was going to go. I appreciate everyone’s passion, consideration, and concerns, [but] if we have good programs they’re going to stay.”

The final vote on the merger, which passed 3-2, drew mixed reactions from the crowd.

The plan will be submitted to the State Board of Education and will be reviewed at their next scheduled meeting in early June. If the state board approves the plan, the Catawba Valley Board of Education would be appointed the following Tuesday.

Opponents of the merger have turned their efforts to the State Board of Elections, encouraging citizens to contact the board and express their opposition.

“While this outcome is not what we had hoped for, we want to be clear: our work is not finished,” Hickory City Schools Superintendent Jennifer Griffin said in a statement. “As this process moves to the next phase, we will continue to advocate on behalf of our students, staff, and community at the state level. In order to be final, the plan will need to be approved by the State Board of Education. We encourage our community to remain engaged.”

To read the full text of the adopted merger plan, visit Catawba County’s website.

A full recording of the Board of Commissioners meeting can be found on the WHKY Facebook page.

GALLERY

Prior to 1950, the only man-made structures on Anderson Mountain were a few scattered homes and the remnants of gold and iron mines dating to the prior century’s gold rush (see our article on Anderson Mountain in the Carolina Gold Rush).

The highest peak of the mountain was especially neglected. Too far off of the beaten path to be lucratively developed for most of Catawba County’s history, it sat mostly undisturbed.

Things began to change in 1943, when Vernon Otto Sipe purchased most of the ridge of Anderson Mountain. Sipe, a well-respected orchardist native to Conover, is today primarily remembered for founding Sipe’s Orchard Home, a children’s home operated out of his orchard.

Sipe owned the land for seven years before finalizing his development plans and submitting them to the county in 1950. He envisioned a one-hundred-unit development, featuring both residential homes and commercial establishments, running along Anderson Mountain’s ridge on the west side of NC-16 and spilling out along the highway.

Advertisements published by Sipe in the Hickory Daily Record suggested that a motor court (a 1950s style motel) would be built on a knoll overlooking NC-16, and an artificial lake “fed by spring water” would be constructed between the motor court and the highway.

The development, named Anderson Park after the mountain, was advertised as having the “nicest mountain home sites, closer than Chimney Rock or Blowing Rock … the lots overlook the whole countryside.”

Sipe also proposed that a Western Union tower be built at the mountain’s peak, alongside a fire prevention tower. A road was cut for the first time along Anderson Mountain’s ridge. It came to be known as Lookout Tower Road, today abbreviated Tower Road.

Sipe attempted to auction the land to builders in 1950, but saw limited success. The majority of the property on Tower Road remained undeveloped until doublewide communities were installed in the 1990s, decades after Sipe’s death. Much of the land along Tower Road is still undeveloped today.

However, Sipe did live to see one aspect of his vision realized: a fire prevention tower was built at the peak of Anderson Mountain.

In the early to mid 20th century, forest fires were a major problem in rural areas. Lack of reliable methods of communication meant that fires would blaze out of control for hours or even days before being reported to the authorities. Even if a fire was spotted, the average citizen was not always in range of a telephone.

Fire towers (also called lookout towers) alleviated this problem by stationing rangers at high vantage points. From the lookout towers, usually built atop existing hills and mountains, rangers were able to see and pinpoint the location of fires with never before seen speed and accuracy. Using telephone lines or radio equipment built into the towers, the rangers could then quickly alert local fire response teams. This method of fire prevention was utilized across the United States.

The fire tower atop Anderson Mountain, the first and only tower ever built in Catawba County, was completed in early 1951. The only tower built entirely of wood in North Carolina, it was supported by four telephone poles. Less than thirty feet tall, it was far shorter than most fire towers in the state.

Along with a network of four other towers in surrounding counties, the Anderson Mountain tower provided a view of the entirety of Catawba County. In ideal conditions, the towers would cooperate via radio to triangulate the position of forest fires.

Jim Ledbetter was the county forester in the early 1950s, responsible for the preservation of the over one hundred thousand acres of forest that existed in Catawba County at the time. As part of his duties, he was also responsible for the maintenance and staffing of the tower. He inherited the project from his predecessor Hampton Johnson, who had retired immediately after construction of the tower was completed.

Johnson advocated that he be quickly replaced and told reporters, “The job is by no means complete.”

He was correct. The lookout tower did not yet have a radio or a telephone, limiting the effectiveness of its primary function. A frustrated Ledbetter frequently told newspapers that the tower would be effective just as soon as it was fully equipped.

Ledbetter’s department had the money neither for the equipment, nor for the full-time staff to use it.

When a radio was finally purchased in October of 1952, it cost so much that the tower was forced to close down for the fall fire season.

The radio and a telephone line were finally installed in early 1953. At the same time, Ledbetter and the county were able to scrounge together funds for a full-time staff. With the tower fully operational, Ledbetter and his crew were finally able to begin putting a stop to forest fires.

Ledbetter and his staff also sent out open invitations to the public on several occasions, encouraging them to visit the tower and enjoy the views. Many individuals took him up on this offer, especially the after-church crowd.

One particularly gleeful Hickory Daily Record reporter described the journey up Anderson Mountain (which he called “Ol’ Andy”), driving past signs for the never-to-be Anderson Park and up the then-unpaved Tower Road. Despite unusually foggy conditions, he claimed that the view was amazing.

“Gazing out the windows, one feels he is the owner of all he sees,” the reporter wrote. “The numerous farms and fields make patterns on the landscape like pieces of a puzzle, and the fresh, cool air takes your breath.”

In 1954, a new steel tower was built to replace the wooden tower. The new tower, seventy-two feet tall, rose above the treeline, providing better, unobstructed views of Long Island and other sections of the county. The taller tower only attracted more visitors. For the first time in history, the skyline on Anderson Mountain had changed.

“The new tower on Anderson Mountain is completed, and it really stands out above the skyline,” one reporter wrote. “The tower site has been bulldozed off, giving the top of the mountain quite a different appearance.

The new tower became such a curiosity that locals and tourists alike began to frequent it as a destination akin to a public park.

“Anderson Mountain is becoming increasingly popular these days as a sightseeing stop,” one Hickory Daily Record article reads. “The new tower has brought many natives to the top of the mountain who have never been there before - like many of the natives of New York City who have never been to the Statue of Liberty. Every Sunday afternoon forty or fifty people make the drive to the top.”

With the visitors came vandals. In one incident, twenty-eight window panels were broken on the old tower.

“I suppose they came up here for beer parties, get a little gay, and start throwing stones at the tower,” Ledbetter commented. “I doubt if they can throw hard enough to break them out of the new tower, though.”

Even broken windows did little to dissuade the staff from inviting more visitors.

“Clarence ‘Smokey’ Stroupe is still manning the Anderson Mountain fire tower,” one article read. “Drop up there to see him on your Sunday afternoon rides. It’s a lonely job and company is always welcome.”

The tower responded to hundreds of fires over the course of the next decade. It was a resounding success both in preventing fires and in the court of public opinion.

Yet by 1967, modern technology began to threaten the tower’s usefulness. Staffing again became sparse. Vandalism became so rampant that the tower’s doors and windows had to be boarded up when no staff was present. A chain was placed across Tower Road, preventing both visitors and vandals from driving up the mountain ridge.

By March 1969, the tower hadn’t been staffed for over a year and a half. Sporadic usage continued for some time, but the heyday of the Anderson Mountain lookout was over.

The tower’s closing did not stop the visitors from coming. For decades, generations of locals have climbed the defunct lookout tower, which now is dwarfed in height by the half-dozen cell towers that sit nearby on the mountain’s ridge.

The lookout tower remains somewhat in the local consciousness. Stories persist about suicides committed by jumping from the tower. Influencers ascend the mountain and attempt to climb the tower for social media clout, only to be disappointed that it is fenced off and located on private property.

If you make the trip up Tower Road in 2026, you will find a thin asphalt path riddled with potholes, shoulders littered with household garbage, and, next to the lookout tower, cell towers encompassed by barbed wire fences. At the very end of the street, a defunct graffiti-covered building slowly returns to nature.

The lookout tower stands as a lonely sentinel, once a great protector of the surrounding counties, known for its breathtaking views, now a forgotten and decaying skeleton, surrounded by more forgetfulness and decay. The once frequented mountaintop now lies in silence and solemn solitude.

Beyond the towers, the view stretches dozens of miles in every direction, as breathtaking as it was when the lookout was built over seventy years before.

Though V.O. Sipe’s vision of the Anderson Park development was never realized, the Anderson Mountain lookout stands above the skyline as a reminder of what might have been, and a harbinger of what may be yet to come at the peak of the Little Mountain.

Do you ever wonder who makes parts of Denver cause you to turn your head and think, “Wow, that looks really good compared to before,” as you drive by? That answer is simple, volunteers with the Denver Beautification Committee (DBC) and Keep Lincoln County Beautiful (KLCB).

KLCB was established in February 2019. DBC was established in August 2021 to complete beautification projects in eastern Lincoln County that KLCB was unable to complete. KLCB’s focus is county-wide, whereas DBC is focused primarily on the Denver community. The two groups work together for all of Lincoln County.

DBC believes that there are many ways to beautify a community. A summary of their strategies includes completing projects at our local schools, planting trees and flowers, cleaning litter on and near our roads or in storm drains, reporting and removing improper signs, cleaning and maintaining areas around traffic signs, reporting traffic signs needing repair or replacement, reporting abandoned/dilapidated structures for removal (12 demolished to date), working with local businesses to resolve problems, speaking/lobbying for improvements in East Lincoln County at County Commissioner meetings and with NCDOT, among others.

You may not have realized the way DBC’s work has impacted you as an East Lincoln citizen. After this article, I hope you will not only appreciate the depth and breadth of their work but also be motivated to join the team.

DBC has completed projects for the students and families at Catawba Springs Elementary, Denver Christian Academy, East Lincoln High School, North Lincoln Middle School (NLMS), Rock Springs Elementary, and St James Elementary. They got approval for buses to run routes into the Villages of Denver neighborhood for children’s safety. They also installed the bronze statue of a young girl reading on a bench at the Florence Shanklin Library and planted new trees at NLMS (both projects were funded by generous donations from Mrs. Elaine Carter).

DBC successfully lobbied NCDOT to provide a street sweeping machine twice a year along NC-73 between NC-16 Business and NC-16 Bypass and at the roundabout on NC-16 Business south of NC-73. They also convinced NCDOT to remove the No Right on Red sign at NC-16 Business and Pilot Knob Road given the clear line of sight to oncoming traffic.

One of DBC’s biggest focuses is reporting and removing improper signage along our roadsides, making our roads safer and more attractive. Improper signs include floppy signs in the right of way, signs on telephone/utility poles, and windblown flags. Excluding election season when candidate signs are along roadsides, I believe you will see a clear difference between Denver and other local communities.

Where you may have seen the DBC volunteers first hand is during roadside, curb, median, and storm drain cleanups. These events have been reported in the KLCB annual report since 2019 when Lincoln County became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Most of these cleanups are done in the Denver area. In 2025, volunteers devoted 695 hours to remove 987 bags of litter and devoted 296 hours to clean up 608 bags of debris.

Community beautification is not a one-time event, but an on-going effort requiring our entire community’s support. Our ask is that you as an East Lincoln County citizen do not litter (including cigarette butts), cover and secure your vehicle loads, and follow the rules of the road and community. If you fly the U.S. flag during the hours of darkness, ensure the flag is properly illuminated. Maintain the appearance of your properties including residential, business, and commercial. If you live on lake property, please do not blow leaves into the lake as this is harmful to the lake. Last, if you see a problem, report it, and be kind to each other.

If you have project ideas or would like to become a volunteer, please contact Patty Korn at pattykornpjk@aol.com or 704-451-7313.

If you would like to make a financial donation, please mail checks to the East Lincoln Betterment Association, P.O. Box 922, Denver, NC 28037, with “Beautification” in the memo field.

On behalf of East Lincoln County, I want to thank DBC for the ongoing efforts to keep our community beautiful.

The intersection of East Maiden Road and NC-150 will be realigned, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

The realignment will relocate the end of East Maiden Road west of its current position. A fifty-foot right turn lane with full access to NC-150 will be added.

The project will be developed by Home Run Gas Stations, the developer responsible for the gas station currently being built at the same intersection.

“NCDOT requires any commercial redevelopment to apply for a driveway permit. Larger development such as a gas station like this also requires a traffic study to see what/if any impacts need to be mitigated with offsite improvements,” an NCDOT representative told the Chronicle. “These improvements will be conditions of [Home Run’s] driveway permit.”

The primary goal of the realignment is to improve visibility at the intersection.

“This will help with sight distance when looking to the west when sitting at the stop sign on East Maiden,” the NCDOT representative said.

No current plans exist for the installation of additional traffic control devices at the intersection.

The driveway of the Home Run Gas Station will be built between East Maiden Road and NC-150.

On East Maiden Road, the driveway will allow both left and right turns. On NC-150, the driveway will only allow entry and exit from right turns.

A local charity will provide a total of $25,000 in college scholarships for the children of local veterans.

L.O.V. Thrift Store, a 501c3 charity based at the intersection of NC-150 and NC-16 (Killian Crossroads), will award three $5000 scholarships and one $10,000 scholarship to high school seniors in eastern Catawba and Lincoln counties.

“We decided that we’re going to focus on the four high schools within a ten-mile radius of the store,” said Kevin Popko, co-founder and president of L.O.V. “So it’s Bandy’s in Catawba, Lincoln Charter in Denver, East Lincoln High School, and North Lincoln High School.”

One student from each school will receive a scholarship, with one receiving the “grand prize” scholarship of $10,000. Eligible students can apply for the scholarship through their schools.

“They go to their guidance counselor; [the counselors] know the rules,” Kevin said. “[The students] will write an essay. We have criteria that we’ve got to see. The student [has to be] a senior that’s going off to college, Mom or Dad has to be a veteran, honorably discharged. If so, they qualify.”

The deadline for scholarship applications varies depending on which of the four schools a student is attending.

“It’s mid April for all [four] schools,” Kevin said. “It’s in between the 15th and 17th is when they have to have all of the submissions.”

This is not the first time that L.O.V. ‘s board of directors has set aside funds to provide scholarships for local high schoolers.

“It’ll be our second annual [scholarship],” Kevin said. “It went so smoothly last year, the board said, ‘Let’s run it back. We have enough funding to do it, let’s make it happen.’”

In 2025, L.O.V. did not choose which students would be scholarship recipients.

“Last year we had each school give us who they chose to be their winner,” Kevin said. “So there were four people, one from each school, and the board blindly voted on which one was the grand prize winner.”

This year, Kevin says, the board wants to be “more involved” with the selection process.

“[We] asked each school to send us their top three [applicants],” Kevin said. “Now we’re going to have twelve essays to review based on what these schools send us. From there, our board members will vote blindly, not knowing who’s from what school, [who’s] male or female - we don’t know anything. We just read the essays and see their backgrounds and say, ‘Oh yeah, I like this one.’”

The scholarship, Kevin says, could significantly reduce the financial hardship of college for the students who receive it.

“It’s $25,000 that L.O.V. spends to help four very deserving students in their next chapter in life,” Kevin said. “It’s a well-oiled machine. We’re proud to do it, and hopefully it works out well enough that we’ll do it next year and have our third annual.”

The Chronicle Chronicle has received many questions from readers since publication began in August of 2025. We do our best to respond to the emails, comments, and in-person questions we receive. Most of the time, we receive the same few questions over and over again. To expedite this process, we have compiled a list of the questions most frequently asked and their answers.

Q: Why choose Chronicle and not Denver as the center for this newspaper?

A: There are two reasons. First, in the modern day, “Denver” is often used to refer to the entire eastern third of Lincoln County. Since this paper primarily focuses on the southeastern corner of Catawba County, Chronicle more accurately describes this paper’s coverage area. Second, Chronicle has a long and interesting history which has been mostly lost to time. This paper’s aim is to revive that history and help create a better future for our area.

Q: Isn’t that intersection Killian Crossroads, not Chronicle?

A: Yes, the intersection of NC-150 and NC-16 has been called Killian

Crossroads since at least the mid-twentieth century, but the area has been known as Chronicle for at least a century longer. This paper considers “Chronicle” to be the name of the greater area, and “Killian Crossroads” to be the name of just the intersection. Several articles have been written on the subject and can be found under the “Culture” tab on the Chronicle Chronicle website.

Q: What are the boundaries of Chronicle?

A: Chronicle, much like other nearby communities, does not have an official boundary. It is not an incorporated town or city, nor does it (currently) have a functioning post office. Because of this, determining a boundary is a mostly arbitrary process. The Chronicle Chronicle has adopted the following map, based on historical data and modern considerations:

Q: Is the ultimate goal of this paper to advocate for the incorporation of Chronicle?

A: This paper has no official position on incorporation. This paper exists only to provide local news and foster a stronger community. It is worth noting that Denver, an area that is currently much more metropolitan than Chronicle, has not yet incorporated. It is the opinion of the editor that Chronicle residents will not face the serious prospect of incorporation any time soon.

Q: Do you cover stories in Denver, Terrell and Sherrills Ford?

A: We will occasionally cover stories in those areas, despite them being outside of our coverage area. Terrell does not have a newspaper and the Sherrills Ford Pioneer, an online news source that served that community, has been defunct since late 2020. Denver enjoys some news coverage, but many local stories go unnoticed by larger papers. Because of this, the Chronicle will cover exceptional stories from these areas.

Q: Do you offer advertisements?

A: We plan to offer advertisements in the future, but we do not offer them at this time. If you would like to be put on a list of parties interested in future print or online advertisements, contact editor James Kmosko at editor@chroniclechronicle.com. A certain number of non-profit charities based in Chronicle will be offered advertisements for free.

Q: If the paper is free and doesn’t offer advertisements, how does it make money?

A: Currently, the Chronicle does not make money. This newspaper is staffed and run entirely by volunteer locals, offering their own time and money for the good of the community. The Chronicle subsists entirely by the goodwill of these volunteers and the support of the local community. Writing for our paper is a community service!

Q: Why does this paper only publish print editions once a month?

A: As explained in the prior answer, all current writers for the Chronicle Chronicle are volunteers. Due to this fact, the writers have day jobs and other obligations that limit the number of articles that can be written in any given month. The long-term plan is to increase the frequency of print publication, either by enlisting more volunteer writers or by monetizing the paper and paying additional writers.

Q: How do I write an article for this paper?

A: We wish that people would ask this question more often! The Chronicle Chronicle is always looking for news, culture, history, and opinion articles. As long as the article relates to Chronicle in some way and meets our writing standards, we would be happy to publish it under the name of your choice. Just send your article to editor@chroniclechronicle.com. Looking for a more permanent position? Contact the same email address.

Q: Who is the editor of the Chronicle Chronicle?

A: The editor’s name is James Kmosko. He is twenty-three years old and has lived in Chronicle for the majority of his life. He founded and manages this paper out of a love for journalism, history, and a desire to see the area prosper & grow. His primary journalistic experience prior to the Chronicle was at the Niner Times, UNC Charlotte’s student-run online and print newspaper, where he covered a variety of stories, honed his journalistic skills, and earned a media award.

Q: Will you write an article about my local business?

A: If your business is in Chronicle, has an interesting story or unique attributes to it, and you are willing to sit for an interview, then yes! We have written feature articles for several businesses and non-profits. These articles can be found under the “Culture” tab on the Chronicle Chronicle website.

Q: How does this paper lean politically?

A: Bias has no place in news journalism. Our only goal is to report the facts. Biased phrasing and language is prohibited and intentionally omitted from each news article we publish. We will gladly publish opinion letters written from any political point of view. The hyper-local nature of this paper allows us to more easily avoid bias, especially in political matters.

Q: Will you endorse any political candidates in local, state, or federal elections?

A: The Chronicle Chronicle considered endorsing candidates, but decided against the practice to avoid overt political bias. Again, bias has no place in news journalism.

Q: Does anyone actually read this newspaper?

A: Believe it or not, yes! Since publication began, we have distributed thousands of print copies of the newspaper and seen tens of thousands of online visitors. Local business owners, politicians, and citizens have reached out to let us know they’re reading. We sincerely appreciate all of our readers and look forward to providing high-quality hyperlocal news for many issues to come.

Do you have other questions about the paper? Feel free to contact us via traditional mail, email, Facebook, or Instagram.

The Catawbans, a local senior organization for retired and semi-retired men, is in search of new members.

The organization, known for its many interest groups, networking opportunities, and strong hyper-local presence, has been active in Catawba and Lincoln counties for over fifteen years.

The Catawbans’ story began with a women’s club known as The Newcomers, an organization for women who moved to the Lake Norman area and wanted to make new connections and friends.

The organization, still active to this day, brought together the husbands of many of these women, including Mike McKinley, who in the early 2000s had recently moved to the area.

“Some of the guys got together, and we decided we’d play a little round of golf,” said Mike. “And we ended up forming a club called the Golden Boys.”

The Golden Boys, officially the Central Lake Norman Golden Boys, was founded in 2002 with 18 members.

“We had our first few breakfasts at Stacy’s out in Denver,” Mike said. “It was that small. A few of us went. But as it grew, more and more people from the other side of the lake joined the Golden Boys.”

Mike said that, within a few years, the Golden Boys grew to over 400 members. This, he said, made logistics and club functions more difficult.

“We would come over [to the east side of the lake] to go golfing and to come to the meetings and the breakfasts,” Mike said. “So when we were doing that one day, I said, ‘We’ve got to form our own club on [the west side of the lake]. There were four or five of us, and we thought, well, that’d be a good idea.”

Not long afterwards, the small group began planning a new organization, which eventually became known as The Catawbans. But first, the new organization needed a place to meet.

“Back in those days, there wasn’t much on that side of the lake,” Mike said. “One day I was down in the Denver area, and I was driving by Captain Pete’s, and I just pulled in there, and I said, ‘I know you don’t do breakfast, but if we could get 50 guys to come to breakfast, would you serve breakfast?’ ‘Sure,’ they said. So we had found a meeting place.”

The group recruited members from the Golden Boys to join the new organization.

“We put out an email to all the Golden Boys and said, ‘We’re going to have a second club. We aren’t going to disband the Golden Boys. We’re going to have a second club,’” Mike said.

Mike became the Catawbans’ first president ahead of the group’s first meeting. He suggested that the group’s logo be the image of a Heron.

“On the lake every day, a Heron would come on my dock,” Mike said. “So when we had our meetings, I said, you know, we got to have some sort of a symbol. Well, we’re in Catawba County. We’re the Catawbans and we’ll have the Heron as our symbol, because they’re on the lake all the time.”

When the organization finally had its first meeting, it was a resounding and unexpected success.

“When we had our first breakfast at Captain Pete’s, 107 people showed up,” Mike said. “That was it.”

The Catawbans was officially established in March of 2009. Fearing that the organization would face the same logistical problems as the Golden Boys, the founders decided to limit the membership of the organization.

“The Golden Boys was getting too big, and we didn’t know everybody,” Mike said. “So we wanted to have something where we are friendly, and have small groups. That’s why we decided to limit [membership] to 100 people.”

After some experimentation, the organization settled on a different number.

“Over the years, we’ve discovered that the interest groups work better [with more people],” Mike said. “At 100, you don’t get enough people. We wanted anywhere from 5 to 15 [per interest group], depending on what we’re doing, and we found that 150 [made] that work.”

Today, the group has about 140 members. The deficit, according to current Catawbans president Jim Smith, could cause problems in the future.

In a message sent to members and posted on the group’s website, Jim wrote, “We are 9 members shy of our full club complement of 150. If our membership shortage continues, we will run at a deficit, meaning that spending for some events will be negatively impacted. We don’t want that to happen. We need everyone’s help to talk up the club with friends and neighbors and to invite some prospects to attend a meeting to learn more about us.”

Mike and other members in the organization disagree.

“I told these guys 150 is not a target, it’s a cap,” said Catawbans webmaster David Scott. “All the members would rather have a smaller, more active group where everybody knows everybody. I guess 150 is about at the top of that.”

Regardless of group membership, the Catawbans’ interest groups and other activities continue to thrive.

The group has 24 interest groups, most of which are active with several members each.

The most consistently popular interest group is golf, an activity that regularly attracts more than twenty members.

“We go golfing Monday in Mooresville, Tuesday is two places, Lake Norman Country Club and Glen Oaks in Maiden, Wednesday’s an off day, Thursday’s River Oaks, and Friday’s another one at River Oaks,” Mike said. “So you can play golf four days a week with the club.”

Other interest groups meet to do activities such as pickleball, boating, hiking, and fly fishing. When in the mood for less physical activities, members can enjoy a classic car club, a movie club, a military history club, or a book club.

Another popular interest group, Excursions, takes tours of local businesses and organizations.

“We just did an excursion last week to Muddy Water Distillery. They opened for lunch and we went on a tour. We had like 19 guys there,” David said. “The next one’s going to be a tour of the Amazon Fulfillment Center down there by the airport, and we’re going to stop at Royal Bliss [brewery] on the way back. They’re going to open up early for us to serve us lunch and give us a tour there.”

The organization also has regular meetings at Camp Dogwood, a lakeside camp near Terrell, and other events and meetings throughout the year.

One of the most popular events is the annual Pig Pickin’, a free dinner for all Catawbans members and their spouses, usually held somewhere

beside Lake Norman. Mike has been preparing the pig every year for the past thirteen years.

“I get up at five in the morning. I’ve got everything ready. Start the fire at five,” Mike said. “And I wrap them during the day, and then we put them in a big cooler. Shut the lid so it continues to cook. Then we carry it to our meeting place and pick it there. It’s good stuff. We’ve had as many as 165 [people come to] the Pig Pickin’.”

Unlike its forerunner the Newcomers, the Catawbans is not an organization only for transplants from other states. Despite this, transplants seem to gravitate towards the organization.

“I would say that maybe more [members] are from New York than any other place up north,” Mike said. “Because usually when we get a new member, we [don’t] ask him [where he’s from], we ask him what part of New York he’s from.”

The Catawbans’ membership fee has historically hovered around $20 per year, but Mike says the rate was recently raised.

“They just moved it up to $35, because they want to do some more things,” Mike said. “They have now a Catawban Appreciation Day, and that’s in the summer, out at Mountain [Creek] Park, and they rent a pavilion, and then the officers of the club cook hamburgers and hot dogs, and then the guys just come. We had spouses come to that one, too. They do [things like that].”

Despite the current membership deficit, Mike says he expects the organization to continue well into the future.

“We’ve been going for almost 20 years,” Mike said. “We’ve been there before. We don’t panic over having a few members not being there, because we still have the same groups. We still have the same participation. And we’ll be back.”

To learn more or to submit an application to join the Catawbans, visit the organization’s website at thecatawbans.com.

Catawba County ranked seventh in “highest migration interest” of all counties in the United States in 2025, according to a report from the U.S. News & World Report.

The report, published in late January, uses online search data to determine the most sought-after states and counties for migrating individuals.

The report reads, “Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains northwest of Charlotte, [Catawba County] offers beautiful surroundings with mountains, the 180-mile Catawba River and three large lakes, including the popular vacation and retirement spot [Lake Norman].”

Of the top ten counties named in the report, four are in North Carolina, including the number one ranked Brunswick County, located just south of Wilmington.

North Carolina was also ranked as the fourth most popular state for relocation by the same report, with South Carolina ranked number one.

The data reflects a larger trend of increased migration to the southeastern United States.

“The Southern region of the U.S. has by far the most sought-after relocation destinations in our research,” the report reads. “Mild temperatures, coastal living and year-round outdoor activities are likely driving this interest, though lower costs of living, with more affordable housing, may also factor into this.”

Catawba County’s population grew 1.24% in 2025, and North Carolina’s by 1.47%, according to World Population Review, ranking among the most rapidly growing areas in the country.

Federal, state, and local elections will take place on Tuesday, March 3rd in Catawba County.

Polling locations will be open between 6:30 AM and 7:30 PM.

This primary election will determine which candidates from each political party will advance to the final round of voting in the November 3rd general mid-term elections.

Those voting on election day must by law vote at their designated polling locations, assigned by residential address. To determine whether you are registered to vote, your voter precinct, and your polling location, search your name at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.

Citizens must present a valid, unexpired photo ID in order to vote.

Voters registered with either the Republican Party or Democratic Party will receive a ballot for their respective political parties. Unaffiliated voters will choose either to vote in the Republican or Democrat primary, but cannot choose both.

No Green Party or Libertarian Party ballots are available for this election.

Offices up for election in the mid-terms include US Senate, US House of Representatives, state legal offices, state legislative offices, three seats on the Catawba County Board of Commissioners, several seats on the county’s three boards of education, and the Catawba County Sheriff.

A full list of candidates can be found on the Catawba County Board of Elections’ website.

Individuals who are 17 years of age are eligible to vote in the March 3rd primary if they will be 18 years old before the November 3rd general election.

Early voting ended on February 28th. March 3rd is the last day to vote.

Election results are expected to be posted shortly after polls close.

Real-time results will be available at WBTV.com.

Since this publication began circulation in August, we have received several letters from concerned readers who claim that we are misleading the public about the location (current and historical) of Chronicle. This paper has always maintained that Chronicle is centered on the intersection of NC-150 and NC-16 (known today as Killian Crossroads).

One dissenting letter reads in part, “You are off by approximately one mile … I roamed the woods, fields, and roads all my life, built two houses, raised a family, and we did not know [Killian Crossroads] as Chronicle at all. That name was reserved for the intersection of Lebanon Church Road and Mountain View Baptist Church Road.”

There is merit to the claims made by the authors of these letters. Since Chronicle never had an “official” town center, its precise location and boundaries are ambiguous. In the past, locals, newspapers, and mapmakers often marked the center of Chronicle by the location of the now-defunct Chronicle Post Office.

Thus, to determine the location of Chronicle, one must examine the historical location of the Chronicle Post Office.

This task is more difficult than one might initially assume. In the 1800s, rural areas (including most of Catawba and Lincoln counties) were served by “fourth-class” post offices. This was the lowest class of post office offered by the US Post Office Department (now the United States Postal Service).

A 2019 historical report published by the United States Postal Service reads, “Mail would arrive by post road at “fourth-class” post offices in nearly every village. These were not post offices in the modern sense. In the vast majority of cases they were simply a part of the local general store, newspaper publisher, similar business establishment, or even a private residence. By 1891, over 60,000 fourth-class post offices dotted the countryside.”

Records of these post offices and their locations were not well kept, and few survive to modern day. Further complicating the matter, because fourth-class post offices were part of existing businesses or residences, the location of those post offices would often change when a new postmaster was appointed. This could result in entire towns appearing to move miles in historic records and maps.

For example, the first post office at Dry Pond was established in 1836. During the mid to late 1800s, the post office was sporadically located in Catawba County, just north of the county line, before returning to Lincoln County permanently in 1874 with the new name “Denver.”

The book “A History of Catawba County,” published by the Catawba County Historical Association, lists eleven known individuals who served as postmaster during the existence of the Chronicle Post Office. While the post office did not necessarily move every time a new postmaster was appointed, it is possible that, between the 1850s and 1903, the post office existed in eleven different locations.

The first Chronicle Post Office was established in 1851 (or, some sources say, 1857) in Lincoln County, just south of the Catawba County border.

Though records of the post office’s exact location are sparse, maps on the historical encyclopedic research website carolana.com place it south of Killian Crossroads.

Osborne Munday (sometimes spelled Mundy) served for years before the Civil War as the first Chronicle postmaster. In the 1850s, Osborne constructed what is now known as the Mundy House, a bi-level home located on NC-16 Business just south of the Lincoln County border. The site is currently managed by the East Lincoln Historical Society and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Mundy House likely served as the first location of the Chronicle Post Office, and the only location still standing today.

The Chronicle Post Office in Lincoln County was discontinued in 1866 before being moved to an unknown location in Catawba County in 1869.

The location of the most well-known Chronicle Post Office in Catawba County is gleaned from the famous Yoder Map.

Printed in 1886 by Robert Anderson Yoder, the map is one of few primary sources from the time. In Yoder’s 1911 obituary, a newspaper wrote, “the deceased minister was for ten years or more president of Lenoir college at Hickory” and called his 1886 map, “the first and only map of Catawba County, a fine piece of work.”

The map is detailed, noting townships, cities, roads, waterways, mountains, and even the homes and businesses of prominent county residents. Included on the map is the exact location of “Dellinger’s Store & Chronicle P.O.,” a combined entity that, for an unknown number of years, became the center of Chronicle.

This particular iteration of the Chronicle Post Office, according to the map, was located on the north side of what is today E Maiden Road, near where it intersects Mountain View Church Road.

The post office location marked on the Yoder Map is only one-half mile down the road from the location suggested by some of our readers.

The Chronicle Post Office was discontinued in 1904, two years after the Postal Department began nationally delivering mail to homes in rural areas.

If there is no known post office that existed at Killian Crossroads, why does this newspaper refer to that intersection as the center of Chronicle?

Most maps of Catawba County and surrounding areas between the 1930s and 1980 label the intersection “Chronicle.” As recently as 2010, some NC Department of Transportation maps continued to mark the intersection “Chronicle.”

A 1938 map of Catawba County, published by the North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission, is the earliest known map that refers to the intersection of NC-16/NC-150 as “Chronicle.”

Why this change occurred is a matter of speculation. Perhaps the people of Chronicle began to refer to the more-developed intersection as the center of town. Perhaps the government made a mistake when drawing their maps. Perhaps, between the making of the 1886 Yoder Map and the discontinuation of the Chronicle Post Office in 1904, the post office was moved to the intersection.

Regardless of how it occurred, Killian Crossroads has been considered the center of Chronicle for nearly a century. This newspaper will continue to refer to the intersection as such in the interest of historical accuracy and modern practicality.

We are, however, fallible, and appreciate the input of readers who may have additional information.

If you possess historical documents, photographs, family stories, or any other information on the history of Chronicle, please reach out via email or social media, or send us a letter through the mail. Your research will be credited and your knowledge will be shared with all of our readers.

Any information can be helpful, even apocryphal oral histories passed down from previous generations. With your help, we will continue to chronicle our community’s past, present, and future.

Five candidates for Catawba County Commissioner attended a public forum on January 30th.

The forum was held at the Newton Public Library by the League of Women Voters of Catawba Valley (LWVCV) in cooperation with the NAACP Hickory Branch. It was moderated by Hickory Daily Record Community Editor Virginia Annable.

All seven Republican candidates for commissioner were invited to the forum. Candidate Jay Moore stated that he could not attend due to contracting coronavirus. Candidate Nicholas Bellomo did not attend for unstated reasons.

Candidates in attendance were Marla Thompson, Sherry Butler, Eric Dunn, Dave Fontana, and sitting Commissioner Cole Setzer.

Candidates were asked a range of questions, some of which were submitted by members of the audience. Each candidate had equal time to respond to each question.

According to the moderator, “half of the questions received were about the proposed school merger,” which would combine Hickory City Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools with the greater Catawba County School System.

Candidates Setzer, Butler, and Dunn voiced support for the merger, citing cost and capacity issues associated with the three systems.

“With the continuing declining enrollments that are occurring across our school systems, which feed into how our school systems are primarily funded, there is a large urgency and need for us to do this merger,” Commissioner Setzer said.

Thompson said she was “not opposed” to the merger, but recommended more studies before making a final decision.

Only Dave Fontana opposed the merger, saying, “I’m not for the merger, I don’t think that it’s necessary, … some of the infrastructure spending and saving, that I would agree with, but as far as education goes, it doesn’t benefit some of the areas as much as it does some of the others.”

The candidates were asked what infrastructure project they would prioritize to manage the increasing growth in Catawba County.

Butler said she would focus on ensuring adequate utilities, saying “you can’t have growth and expansion without having proper water lines and sewer lines.”

Fontana also said he would focus on utilities, saying, “a lot of the utilities that are here are very old. You’ve got a life expectancy of fifty years, and I’ve heard they’re probably about seventy-five years old.”

Dunn said he would focus on school infrastructure.

“I think that Sherrills Ford Elementary needs to be expanded,” he said. “The kids who live there are packed into mobile units and that could affect their quality of their education in the future.”

Commissioner Setzer also cited school infrastructure as the project he would prioritize.

“As we’re talking about the capacity needs of people being in mobile trailer units, those kids deserve to be in a fixed facility so that everyone can [be in a] place that gives them their best environment for learning.”

Thompson said she would focus on several types of infrastructure, including “roads, water, schools, and public safety,” also noting she “supports planned growth.”

Candidates were asked their reasons for running and their “number one goal” if elected as commissioner.

Thompson focused on her record as mayor of Long View, saying that the experience would help her make positive change in Catawba County

“I look forward to collaborating with the other commissioners and to give them the knowledge that I have.”

Butler said her primary goal would be to ensure public safety.

“I was born and raised here, and I’ve lived here sixty of my sixty-five years, and I have ten little reasons why I’m running, and they’re called grandchildren. This is my home, and it matters to me.”

Dunn said his number one goal was to be “the voice of Catawba County residents.”

“I spent twenty-five years as a city attorney, and I missed being involved in public service,” Dunn said. “We could’ve moved anywhere in the country, but we moved here. We love it here.”

Fontana focused on what he says is an increase in local bureaucracy.

“I am from New York, and I’ve been here six years, and I’ve seen bureaucracy grow here in the last six years. I think that because the county is growing fast, it might be too much for the department heads we have.”

Setzer said he was running for a second term as commissioner for his constituents, family, and community.

“The number one goal is to better the quality of life of citizens in Catawba County each and every year I serve.”

Candidates were asked what they thought were the three most important problems facing Catawba County.

Fontana said, “the school system merger, infrastructure issues, and the massive growth.”

Setzer said, “the school merger, stewardship of growth in our county, and our demography; this is an aging population, how do we manage [that].”

Thompson said, “school merger is the number one, taxes, and economic development and job attraction.”

Butler said, “obviously the school merger, and growth, but the one I want to spend time talking about is economic development and business.”

Dunn said, “The schools, the school merger, infrastructure opportunities, and economic development is key.”

The Republican primary will take place on March 3rd. The three Republican candidates with the most votes in the primary will advance to the general election on November 3rd and face off against the three Democrat candidates.

For more information on the upcoming election, visit the Catawba County Board of Elections website at www.catawbacountync.gov and click the “Elections” button under the tab marked “County Services.”

The candidate forum was livestreamed on the LWVCV’s Facebook page. To view a full recording of the livestream, visit the organization’s website at https://lwvcv.org or search for the league on Facebook.

A new gas station is under construction at the intersection of NC-150 and E Maiden Road in Chronicle.

The 7.24-acre tract of property was purchased in 2022 for approximately $1.2 million by Home Run Markets, a chain of gas stations and convenience stores based in Statesville.

Initial permits were approved in January with a proposed project start date of February 2nd, though delays are expected due to the snow and icy conditions in late January and early February.

Site plans call for a 5,740 square foot convenience store with thirty parking spaces, between four and eight gas pumps, a free-standing car wash, and two bicycle spaces.

The gas station will have two entrances, one on NC-150 and one on E Maiden Road.

The initial site plan submitted to Catawba County does not include a realignment of E Maiden Road or the creation of a new road through the property. The plan is subject to change during construction.

According to a representative of the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT), a realignment of the intersection has not been ruled out.

“NCDOT requires any commercial development to apply for a driveway permit,” the representative said. “Larger developments such as a gas station also requires a traffic study to see what impacts need to be mitigated with offsite improvements. NCDOT just received this traffic study for review last week, and has yet to officially approve it. Any required improvements such as a realignment or turn lanes would come as conditions of the driveway permit, and would be constructed by the developer before the store could open.”

Public water and sewer utilities are available at the property through Catawba County.

According to Home Run Market’s website, the company owns “17 [gas station] locations throughout the Piedmont.”

“Home Run Markets isn’t just the name on the building,” a statement reads on the company’s website. “We live, work and play in the communities we serve. As a local company employing local people, we see many of you every day, we know many of you personally, our children attend the same schools as your children, we volunteer alongside you, and we give back to our community.”

The Chronicle Chronicle reported in September that permits to build a gas station at the corner of NC-16 Bypass and NC-150 were approved.

The gas station approved at NC-16/NC-150 is in no way related to the gas station approved at E Maiden Road and NC-150.

According to a representative of Lincoln County’s permit center, no further activity on the NC-16/NC-150 gas station has occurred since initial approvals were obtained.

“We don’t have anything except for the zoning approvals,” the representative said. “There is an entitled gas station, [but nothing in process].”

The location was sold in November but, the Lincoln County permit officer says, appears to have been sold “as an investment” and not for building.

The gas station most recently operational near the NC-16/NC-150 interchange closed prior to 2008.

A recently installed four-way stop at the intersection of Little Mountain Road and Mt Pleasant Road has drawn mixed reactions from local residents.

Four stop signs with “24-hour flashing beacons and painted lines” were installed at the intersection on November 17th, according to a press release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

Prior to the installation of the four-way stop, only drivers entering the intersection from Little Mountain Road were met with stop signs. All four entrances to the intersection were already equipped with flashing “vehicle entering” lights.

“An NCDOT traffic study revealed 19 crashes at this intersection over the last five years, including one fatal crash,” the press release reads. “NCDOT crash data shows all-way stops reduce total crashes by 55%, fatal and serious injury crashes by 92% and frontal-impact crashes with minor injuries by 72%.”

Some residents approve of the measure, citing lack of visibility when entering the intersection.

“There are wrecks there often,” wrote one resident. “One issue is the speed and time to respond on Mt Pleasant Road. When cars come up the hill after passing Horse Feathers, [a local, defunct restaurant], there isn’t enough visual clearance to avoid someone crossing on Little Mountain going either way. A four-way stop [is] extremely beneficial for all directions.”

Some residents do not believe the four-way stop will improve safety at the intersection.

“This intersection is not complicated,” a resident wrote. “I honestly don’t think this will significantly reduce accidents. People don’t know how to use a four-way stop and this is a blind intersection for people coming from Horse Feathers direction on Mount Pleasant. I have started training myself to go to 150 from Little Mountain instead of using Mount Pleasant just to avoid this intersection.”

Locals complain that drivers have been ignoring the newly installed stop signs on Mt Pleasant Road. Several residents reported that they were almost struck by vehicles that did not stop when passing through the intersection.

“It is now a four-way stop but that doesn’t mean they will stop,” wrote one resident. “I was at a complete stop on Little Mountain and a car coming up the hill on Mt Pleasant at a high rate of speed never even slowed going through the intersection.”

According to one resident, the new stop signs were installed after a successful grassroots campaign targeted at the NCDOT. That resident says locals wanted a traffic light installed, but despite the infrastructure already existing at the intersection, NCDOT turned down the idea.

“I wish there was a traffic light at that intersection,” the resident wrote. “The four-way stop is an improvement from the previous system, but it’s still a challenging intersection. I often choose to take a longer route to avoid it … Look at the difference the light on the corner of 150 and Little Mountain has made.”

At least one accident has occurred at the intersection since the installation of the four-way stop.

For more information regarding the rules and reasons for four-way stops, visit the NCDOT’s website at www.ncdot.gov.

The League of Women Voters of Catawba Valley (LWVCV) will host a forum for Catawba County commissioner candidates on January 29th at the Newton Public Library.

The forum will take place between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM. According to the LWVCV, all seven Republican candidates for county commissioner have been invited to the event.

“There are only three candidates running in the Democratic Party for this race, so they all advance directly to the general election,” the LWVCV said in a press release. “As a result, this forum will focus solely on the Republican primary candidates.”

The event will be held in “question-and-answer format.”

“Written questions will be solicited from the audience at the event,” the press release reads. “The public can also email questions by January 23 by [visiting the LWVCV website].”

The event is open to the public with limited seating and will be livestreamed on the LWVCV’s website.

The seven Republican candidates on the ballot for Catawba County Commissioner are (in order of registration) Sherry Edmonds Butler, Eric Dunn, Dave Fontana, Jay Moore, Cole Terrell Setzer, Nicholas F. Bellomo Jr., and Marla G. Thompson.

There are three seats on the Catawba County Board of Commissioners up for election in 2026. The three Republican candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election on March 3rd will progress to the general election on November 3rd.

According to the LWVCV’s website, “League of Women Voters of Catawba Valley (LWVCV) is a local nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering voters. The League does not support or oppose any political party or any candidate.”

Is Chronicle a town? By some definitions, the answer is yes.

The primary definition of the word “town” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is simply “a compactly settled area usually larger than a village but smaller than a city.”

By that definition, some (this newspaper included) would argue that Chronicle qualifies. Most modern individuals, however, favor a more legalistic interpretation.

In 2026, to be legally recognized as a town in the state of North Carolina, certain requirements must be met. Our little community does not meet most of them.

Chronicle ceased to exist in any legal capacity with the closure of the Chronicle post office in 1904.

For at least 53 years before that, it was considered to be a town by the US Postal Service, and thereby the federal government.

More importantly, Chronicle was considered to exist as a town or village by the people who lived in it.

David Calvin “King” Wilkinson, a well-respected local statesman during the turn of the 20th century, was one such individual.

He wrote often for local newspapers such as the Newton Enterprise. His articles usually included “Chronicle” in the dateline.

In several of those articles, Wilkinson not only affirmed the existence of our little town, but made the claim that it had a mayor.

“Crops are now looking promising in this section and the farmers are hopeful,” wrote Wilkinson in a Newton Enterprise article dated August 21st, 1891. “Mr. John Goodson, Mayor of Chronicle, undoubtedly has the boss [sic] sweet potatoes in this country. He says they are getting so large that he will undoubtedly ask the county commissioners to change the public road so as to give them room to expand.”

Wilkinson reported several other times on the business of Mayor Goodson. The author portrayed the mayor as industrious and hard-working, albeit somewhat clumsy and even bumbling.

In October 1891, Wilkinson reported that Mayor Goodson was planning to start an incubator and “sell roasted eggs by the wholesale.”

On the 18th of March 1892, Wilkinson wrote, “Every man [in Chronicle] that has an empty cupboard has a store of his own. Mayor Goodson says he’s going to put up as soon as he gets a place to put his dishes.”

More reports followed, until finally, Mayor Goodson’s term came to an end when he was forced to move away from Chronicle.

“Mayor Goodson (who would have thought it) rumor says, [married] the young and beautiful Miss Dooly Harris last Sunday,” Wilkinson wrote in February of 1895. “This will necessitate the election of a new mayor for Chronicle, as the bride only gave her hand on the condition that the Mayor should move to her estate.”

Wilkinson’s following articles documented the beginning of the complex process of electing a new mayor.

Wilkinson wrote in April of 1895, “Mayor Goodson suggests Mr. Valentine Wentz as his successor in the mayor’s office, as he is the only resident of the village who supports a mustache sufficient to discharge the duties of that responsible office.”

Unless Catawba and Lincoln Counties allowed a system of mustache-based appointments for local officials in the late 1800s, this quote calls into question the legitimacy of the Chronicle mayoralty.

The more that one reads articles penned by D.C.K. Wilkinson, the more clear it becomes that he was not always serious and accurate in his reporting.

One of his headlines, for instance, reads, “Matrimony Rampant: Is Mr. Ewing Married to His Wife or His Mother-in-Law?”

Wilkinson’s writing is littered with such sensational claims and with sarcastic humor sometimes indistinguishable from the truth.

This causes issues when a historian or journalist attempts to study Chronicle’s past, as Wilkinson is the greatest (and virtually the only) public historian in our corner of Lincoln and Catawba counties.

Wilkinson seemed to have a particular fondness for poking fun at “Mayor” Goodson, whose name was almost always mentioned along with a jab or joke at his expense.

It is easy, then, to write off the question of Chronicle’s mayor as one more joke played by the long-dead Wilkinson on us, the people of Chronicle, over a century later.

This may or may not not be the case.

In February of 1894, a man named Bill Swinny wrote in to the Newton Enterprise, the title of the article simply “Chronicle Letter.”

Swinny mentioned various local news items, including farming, the gold that existed in Anderson Mountain, and an unnamed industrious, bumbling mayor.

“The Mayor has been working on his pine grove,” Swinny wrote. “I think he has plowed some of it when [it was] too wet, for trees are turning yellow.”

Other than the articles penned by Wilkinson, Swinny’s brief mention is the only known instance of Chronicle’s mayor in the known historical record.

Nonetheless, it is clear that Wilkinson was not the only person who considered Goodson, whether jokingly or not, to be the Mayor of Chronicle.

Perhaps Swinny was playing along with the joke, or perhaps there is more to John Goodson, Mayor of Chronicle than history has recorded.

According to Wilkinson on the 26th of April in 1895, “Mr. Valentine Wentz decline[d] the nomination for the office of Mayor of Chronicle, and Bart Cloninger has been tendered the nomination, but it is not known whether he will accept or not.”

The Chronicle Chronicle did not find any further historical records that mentioned the “Mayor of Chronicle.”

For one reason or another, it seems the position, fictitious or not, passed into obscurity when John Goodson moved to his wife’s estate.

So did Chronicle have a mayor? By some definitions, the answer is yes.

The primary definition of the word “mayor” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is simply, “an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough.”

By that definition, some (this newspaper and the late King Wilkinson included) would argue that Mayor Goodson qualifies.