In its early beginnings, Lenoir was a settlement on the north side of Lower Creek known as Tucker’s Barn. Settled by the Tucker family in 1765, the homestead was a gathering place serving the community as a muster ground, a store, a place for celebrations, and a voting precinct. When Caldwell County formed in 1841, there was a debate over what site would be the county seat; “Tucker’s Barn,” as it was known, was among the communities considered. It was chosen over the more scenic choice, Whitnel Area, the more scenic choice, because it was nearer to the majority of citizens. The new county seat was renamed Lenoir in honor of Revolutionary War hero and UNC trustee General William Lenoir. The town’s main industry was furniture; once the Lenoir Furniture Company formed in 1889, others followed suit and developed an industry that supplied towns to people throughout the western North Carolina region.
Lenoir Photos
Lenoir Features and Reviews
By Jenny Kane Right as we arrived in downtown Lenoir at around 11:30am on that Saturday, October 21st, we could already here the sound of live music playing and people crowding around the small area. Most of the shops on
…Read more Smoking in the Foothills FestivalBy Jenny Kane 1841 Café is one of the many restaurants and shops nestled along Main Street in Lenoir, North Carolina. Lining the sidewalk in front of the entrance there lies a makeshift deck with tables and umbrellas for the
…Read more 1841 Café Review ›By Jordan Stanley – 2016 The Expectation: Lenoir was the last stop of a two-day, six-town road trip through the North Carolina Foothills. To get a taste of the town, one might start by driving down the main street, scavenging for
…Read more Small-Town Sundays in the Foothills: WhatBy Dustin Swope -2014 The town of Lenoir is one of North Carolina’s best examples of a community that keeps up with the times without cleaving itself into an urban metropole and a suburban sprawl. Residents come off as bright and
…Read more Downtown Cruisers in Lenoir ›By Miranda Allan – 2014 On the day my team arrived in Lenoir, we were joined by hundreds of others who make the weekly pilgrimage to the Cruise-In antique car show. For a town that frequently hosts such a massive event,
…Read more 1841 Café ›Anna Mokas, 2013 There was quite a crowd at Piccolo’s on the day I dined there, mostly because there was an antique car show in town going on. Piccolo’s was recommended to myself and a group of my classmates by
…Read more A Review of Piccolo’s ›By Jeff Flitter, 2013 Throughout my life, I have experienced many farmer’s markets. I have visited farmer’s markets so large that they have permanent fixtures or sections and markets so small that trucks drive up and set up tables. However,
…Read more When Jeff Met Jeff: Lenoir DowntownBy Chelsea Vollrath Venturing off of Highway 64 onto U.S. 321 in Lenoir, you are overwhelmed by a sea of franchise-restaurants: Wendy’s, Papa John’s, Bojangles, Long John Silver’s. For those who know there’s more to offer in Lenoir than
…Read more Hannah’s BBQ ›
