Hickory, North Carolina

Hickory owes its name to the Hickory Tavern, a log structure built in the 1850s underneath a hickory tree.

Henry Link bought the first lot in the area for $45 in 1858. The house he built was later adapted as The 1859 Cafe, a restaurant which closed in 2011.{{Cite web |title=Article |url=http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/hickorys-1859-cafe-to-close-owner-says-its-time/nDYyC/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203234930/http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/hickorys-1859-cafe-to-close-owner-says-its-time/nDYyC/ |archive-date=February 3, 2016 |access-date=September 17, 2014 |website=wsoctv.com}}

The first train operated near Hickory Tavern in 1859. In 1868, Dr. Jeremiah Ingold, pastor of Corinth Reformed Church (then known as German Reformed Grace Church), established the Free Academy, the first school in the area.{{Cite web |title=Our History – Corinth Reformed Church |url=http://corinthtoday.org/about/history/ |website=corinthtoday.org}} Hickory Tavern was incorporated as a town in 1870. Three years later, its name was officially changed to Hickory. In 1889, it became the City of Hickory.[https://www.hickorync.gov/hky150/ Hickory 150th Celebration]. hickorync.gov. Retrieved July 3, 2020.

Hickory grew rapidly in the 1880s. Electric lights were installed in 1888. A year later, the Elliott Opera House opened. Decorated in French renaissance style with mythological motifs, the opera house auditorium had seating for 750; the parquet balcony fit another 350. The opera house hosted touring out of town shows, the Hickory Amateurs (the city's first acting troupe), and The Hickory Symphony Band. A fire destroyed the entire building in 1902, and it was never rebuilt. A municipal auditorium was constructed across the street in 1921, and now houses the Hickory Community Theatre.

In 1891, four Lutheran pastors founded Highland Academy with 12 students. It has developed through the decades as Lenoir–Rhyne University.{{Cite web |title=Lenoir–Rhyne University History |url=http://www.lrc.edu/history.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016121351/http://lrc.edu/history.htm |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |access-date=June 19, 2017}}

Hickory built a sewage system in 1904.{{Cite web |title=Data |url=http://www.hickorygov.com/egov/docs/1224113905_775482.pdf |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=hickorygov.com}} The city adopted the council-manager form of government in 1913, thus becoming the first municipality in the state to hire a city manager.{{cite news|last=Hayman|first=Donald B.| title = North Carolina Pioneers of the Council-Manager Plan| newspaper = Popular Government| pages = 24–25, 41| publisher = UNC Institute of Government|volume=50|issue=1| date = 1984}}

Hickory is home to one of the oldest furniture manufacturers in the United States that is still located and operated on the original site. Hickory White, formerly known as Hickory Manufacturing Company, was built in 1902 and has been in continuous operation ever since. During World War II, the factory made ammunition boxes for the U.S. military instead of furniture.

Hickory was known in the years after World War II for the "Miracle of Hickory". In 1944 the area around Hickory (the Catawba Valley) became the center of one of the worst outbreaks of polio ever recorded. Residents who were then children recall summers of not being allowed to play outside or visit friends for fear of contracting the infectious disease.

Since local facilities were inadequate to treat the victims, the citizens of Hickory and the March of Dimes decided to build a hospital to care for the children of the region. From the time the decision was made until equipment, doctors, and patients were in a new facility, took less than 54 hours. Several more buildings were quickly added. A Red Cross official on the scene praised the project "as the most outstanding example of cooperative effort he has ever seen."Hickory Daily Record, June 30, 1944

The city also came to national attention when the remains of a girl, Zahra Baker were found. Following the police investigation, Zahra's stepmother, Elise Baker, was prosecuted and found guilty of second-degree murder. The Zahra Baker All Children's playground, located in Kiwanis Park, is named in the girl's honor.

The Claremont High School Historic District, Elliott–Carnegie Library, First Presbyterian Church, Dr. Glenn R. Frye House, Clement Geitner House, Lee & Helen George House, Harris Arcade, Hickory Municipal Building, Hickory Southwest Downtown Historic District, Highland School, Hollar Hosiery Mills-Knit Sox Knitting Mills, Houck's Chapel, Kenworth Historic District, John A. Lentz House, Lyerly Full Fashioned Mill, John Alfred Moretz House, Oakwood Historic District, Piedmont Wagon Company, Propst House, Ridgeview Public Library, Shuford House, and Whisnant Hosiery Mills are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{NRISref|version=2010a}}{{Cite web |date=May 20, 2011 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20110520.htm |website=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 5/09/11 through 5/13/11 |publisher=National Park Service}}{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2012 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20120504.htm |website=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 4/23/12 through 4/27/12 |publisher=National Park Service}}{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2013 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20130104.htm |website=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/26/12 through 12/28/12 |publisher=National Park Service}}{{Cite web |date=September 6, 2013 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20130906.htm |website=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/23/13 through 8/30/13 |publisher=National Park Service}}

Hickory is located in western Catawba County and extends westward into Burke County and Caldwell County. Interstate 40 passes through the southern part of the city, leading east {{convert|68|mi}} to Winston-Salem and west {{convert|75|mi}} to Asheville. U.S. Route 70 (Conover Boulevard) is an older east–west route through the city. U.S. Route 321 passes through the western part of the city, leading northwest {{convert|43|mi}} to Boone and south {{convert|36|mi}} to Gastonia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|77.2|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|76.9|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.31%, is water.

Lake Hickory was created on the Catawba River in 1927 with the completion of the Oxford Dam {{convert|11|mi}} northeast of Hickory. The dam parallels the NC Highway 16 bridge over the Catawba River between Interstate 40 and Taylorsville. It is {{convert|122|ft|m}} high, with an overall length of {{convert|1200|ft|m}}. The spillway section of the dam is {{convert|550|ft|m}} long.

Lake Hickory was named after the City of Hickory and runs along its northern edge. The lake covers almost {{convert|4223|acre|km2}} with {{convert|105|mi|km}} of shoreline. Full pond elevation is {{convert|935|ft|m}}. Lake Hickory is a reliable source of water for the Cities of Hickory and Conover and the Town of Long View, while also functioning as a recreation hub for boating, fishing, and other water based activities.

Duke Energy provides five public access areas on the lake in cooperation with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Hickory is the largest city within the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Catawba County, Burke County, Caldwell County, and Alexander County, with a combined population – as of the 2020 Census – of 365,276.{{Cite web |last=GEO |title=Directory Browsing is Not Allowed |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |website=www.census.gov}}

In addition to Hickory, the MSA includes the cities of Lenoir, Morganton, Conover, and Newton, along with a number of smaller incorporated towns and cities.

Several unincorporated rural and suburban communities located nearby include Bethlehem, Mountain View, and St. Stephens.

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hickory has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Hickory was {{convert|105|F|C|1}} on July 28–29, 1952, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-8|F|C|1}} on January 21, 1985.

{{Weather box

|location = Hickory, North Carolina (Hickory Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1949–present

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 80

|Feb record high F = 83

|Mar record high F = 86

|Apr record high F = 92

|May record high F = 97

|Jun record high F = 104

|Jul record high F = 105

|Aug record high F = 104

|Sep record high F = 99

|Oct record high F = 96

|Nov record high F = 85

|Dec record high F = 78

|Jan avg record high F = 68.8

|Feb avg record high F = 72.2

|Mar avg record high F = 79.0

|Apr avg record high F = 84.1

|May avg record high F = 89.4

|Jun avg record high F = 93.5

|Jul avg record high F = 95.5

|Aug avg record high F = 94.2

|Sep avg record high F = 90.2

|Oct avg record high F = 84.0

|Nov avg record high F = 75.5

|Dec avg record high F = 69.2

|year avg record high F = 96.5

|Jan high F = 49.1

|Feb high F = 53.2

|Mar high F = 60.7

|Apr high F = 70.0

|May high F = 77.4

|Jun high F = 84.3

|Jul high F = 87.4

|Aug high F = 85.7

|Sep high F = 79.8

|Oct high F = 70.2

|Nov high F = 59.9

|Dec high F = 51.5

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 39.7

|Feb mean F = 43.0

|Mar mean F = 50.1

|Apr mean F = 58.8

|May mean F = 66.8

|Jun mean F = 74.3

|Jul mean F = 77.7

|Aug mean F = 76.4

|Sep mean F = 70.4

|Oct mean F = 59.6

|Nov mean F = 49.3

|Dec mean F = 42.2

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 30.2

|Feb low F = 32.8

|Mar low F = 39.5

|Apr low F = 47.7

|May low F = 56.2

|Jun low F = 64.4

|Jul low F = 68.1

|Aug low F = 67.0

|Sep low F = 60.9

|Oct low F = 48.9

|Nov low F = 38.7

|Dec low F = 32.8

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 13.7

|Feb avg record low F = 18.1

|Mar avg record low F = 22.9

|Apr avg record low F = 32.3

|May avg record low F = 41.7

|Jun avg record low F = 53.5

|Jul avg record low F = 60.9

|Aug avg record low F = 59.0

|Sep avg record low F = 48.4

|Oct avg record low F = 34.0

|Nov avg record low F = 24.6

|Dec avg record low F = 19.1

|year avg record low F = 11.7

|Jan record low F = -8

|Feb record low F = 2

|Mar record low F = 9

|Apr record low F = 20

|May record low F = 30

|Jun record low F = 41

|Jul record low F = 50

|Aug record low F = 45

|Sep record low F = 35

|Oct record low F = 24

|Nov record low F = 10

|Dec record low F = 1

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.81

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.21

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.08

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.08

|May precipitation inch = 3.86

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.35

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.29

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.58

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.93

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.49

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.62

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.85

|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 9.4

|Feb precipitation days = 9.1

|Mar precipitation days = 11.0

|Apr precipitation days = 10.0

|May precipitation days = 10.9

|Jun precipitation days = 11.6

|Jul precipitation days = 12.1

|Aug precipitation days = 10.7

|Sep precipitation days = 8.6

|Oct precipitation days = 7.6

|Nov precipitation days = 8.4

|Dec precipitation days = 9.0

|Jan snow inch = 4.2

|Feb snow inch = 1.6

|Mar snow inch = 1.3

|Apr snow inch = 0.3

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.0

|Nov snow inch = 0.0

|Dec snow inch = 0.3

|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 0.9

|Feb snow days = 0.7

|Mar snow days = 0.3

|Apr snow days = 0.1

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 0.0

|Dec snow days = 0.3

|Jan snow depth inch =

|Feb snow depth inch =

|Mar snow depth inch =

|Apr snow depth inch =

|May snow depth inch =

|Jun snow depth inch =

|Jul snow depth inch =

|Aug snow depth inch =

|Sep snow depth inch =

|Oct snow depth inch =

|Nov snow depth inch =

|Dec snow depth inch =

|year snow depth inch =

|source 1 = NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010){{Cite web |title=U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Hickory FAA AP, NC (1991–2020) |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00003810&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |access-date=November 13, 2023 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}{{Cite web |title=U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Hickory FAA Airport, NC (1981–2010) |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00003810&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |access-date=November 13, 2023 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service{{Cite web |title=NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Greenville |url=https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=gsp |access-date=November 13, 2023 |publisher=National Weather Service}}

}}

The Hickory Regional Airport is located in the western portion of the city and provides general aviation services. The airport is not serviced by a commercial airline given the proximity of larger airports, particularly Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Greenway Public Transportation operates six fixed bus routes around Hickory, Conover and Newton. Greenway also provides paratransit services to these cities and surrounding areas. Greenway Public Transportation provides over 250,000 trips each year to residents living in the Hickory region.

• {{Jct|state=NC|I|40}}
• 20px U.S. Highway 321
• 20px U.S. Highway 321 Business
• 20px U.S. Highway 70
• 20px North Carolina Hwy 16
• 20px North Carolina Hwy 127

{{US Census population

|1890= 2023

|1900= 2535

|1910= 3716

|1920= 5076

|1930= 7363

|1940= 13487

|1950= 14755

|1960= 19328

|1970= 20569

|1980= 20757

|1990= 28301

|2000= 37222

|2010= 40010

|2020= 43490

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 4, 2015 |publisher=Census.gov}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 43,490 people, 16,690 households, and 9,834 families residing in the city.

As of the census of 2010, there were 40,093 people, 18,719 households, and 9,952 families residing in the city. There were 18,719 housing units at an average density of {{convert|640.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial composition of the city was: 74.9% White, 14.3% Black or African American, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino American, 3.2% Asian American, 0.19% Native American, 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 3.08% some other race, and 1.46% two or more races.

There were 18,719 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 23.3% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,236, and the median income for a family was $47,522. Males had a median income of $31,486 versus $23,666 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,263. About 8.4% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

364,759 people live within {{convert|25|mi|km}} of Hickory; 1.8 million people live within {{convert|50|mi|km}} of Hickory.{{Cite web |title=hickorygov.com |url=http://www.hickorygov.com |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=www.hickorygov.com}}

In 1913, Hickory became the first city in North Carolina to adopt the council-manager form of municipal government, which combines the leadership of elected officials and the administrative experience of a city manager. The mayor and city council set policy and hire a non-partisan manager to oversee city operations, advise council, and implement adopted policies and ordinances.

Hickory City Council is composed of a mayor and six council members, each representing one of the city's six wards. For current listing of council members, see [https://www.hickorync.gov/city-council here.]

File:Lenoir building2.jpg]]

• Clyde Campbell Elementary School
• Jenkins Elementary School
• Longview Elementary School
• Oakwood Elementary School
• Snow Creek Elementary School
• Southwest Primary School
• Viewmont Elementary School
• Webb A. Murray Elementary School
• St. Stephens Elementary School

• Grandview Middle School
• Northview Middle School
• H. M. Arndt Middle School

• Hickory High School
• Challenger Early College High School
• Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High School
• St. Stephens High School

• [http://www.sslswarriors.org St. Stephens Lutheran School]
• University Christian High School
• Hickory Christian Academy
• Hickory Day School
• Tabernacle Christian School
• Christian Family Academy
• Cornerstone Christian Academy (Specialized for students with learning differences)

• Catawba Valley Community College
• Lenoir–Rhyne University
• [https://nccet.appstate.edu/ North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies]
• Appalachian State University Hickory Campus{{Cite web |last=University |first=Appalachian State |title=App State at Hickory Campus {{!}} Building Physical Infrastructure {{!}} Appalachian's Future |url=http://www.appstate.edu/appalachians-future/building-physical-infrastructure/hickory/ |access-date=January 2, 2023 |website=www.appstate.edu |language=en}}

File:127 northbound.jpg

Early industries such as wagon-making, as well as proximity to expansive forests and excellent transportation via two intersecting railroads, provided fertile ground for the emergence of the furniture industry.{{Cite web |title=Catawba County: An Introduction | UNC Charlotte Urban Institute |url=http://ui.uncc.edu/content/catawba-county-introduction |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720092851/http://ui.uncc.edu/content/catawba-county-introduction |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |access-date=January 10, 2011}} Likewise experience with textile manufacturing and easy access to power drove new industries in both fiber-optic cable and pressure-sensitive tape.{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=http://www.shurtape.com/ABOUTUS/CompanyHistory/tabid/29/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112202351/http://www.shurtape.com/ABOUTUS/CompanyHistory/tabid/29/Default.aspx |archive-date=January 12, 2014 |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=www.shurtape.com}} Forty percent of the world's fiber optic cable is made in the Hickory area.[http://www.hickorygov.com/history/hickoryregional.html Hickory's Regional Role As Leader] from hickorygov.com

Adhesive tape manufacturer Shurtape Technologies is based in Hickory and Fortune 500 network infrastructure provider CommScope, is based in nearby Claremont.[https://fortune.com/company/commscope-holding/fortune500/ CommScope Holding Company Profile]. Fortune. Retrieved May 17, 2021.Gilbert, C. Richard. (November 13, 2023). [https://860wacb.com/commscope-move-corporate-headquarters/ CommScope Moves Corporate Headquarters]. 860wacb.com. Retrieved August 14, 2024.

The furniture industry in Hickory is not as strong as in previous decades, but is still a primary component in the area economy. HSM (company) (formerly Hickory Springs, founded 1944) is a leading manufacturer of mattress coils. It is estimated 60% of the nation's furniture used to be produced within a {{convert|200|mi|km|adj=on}} radius of Hickory.

The Hickory area is marketed as a data-center corridor{{Cite web |title=datacentersites |url=http://www.datacentersites.com/ |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=datacentersites}} and is home to large data centers operated by Apple and Google. Apple's billion-dollar data center campus just south of Hickory is one of the world's largest.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2010 |title=North Carolina Emerges as Data Center Hub – Data Center Knowledge |url=http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2010/11/17/north-carolina-emerges-as-data-center-hub/ |access-date=June 19, 2017}}

Hickory is home to the corporate headquarters of third-party logistics provider Transportation Insight, a member of North Carolina's top revenue tier of privately held businesses.{{Cite web |title=Article |url=https://www.grantthornton.com/~/media/content-page-files/offices/pdfs/NC/2016-NC-100-BNC-article.ashx |website=grantthornton.com}} In 2015, the company relocated its headquarters to the historic Lyerly Full Fashioned Mill in downtown Hickory.{{Cite web |title=Paul Thompson « Hickory Well Crafted-Work |url=http://www.hickorywellcrafted.com/work/news/paul-thompson/ |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=www.hickorywellcrafted.com}}{{Cite web |title=Landmark info |url=http://www.hickorylandmarks.org/pdf/Presawrd%20Winners.pdf |website=hickorylandmarks.org}}

• Manufacturing
• Education
• Healthcare
• Retail Trade
• Professional, scientific, and management
• Public Administration
• Transportation
• Construction

• Catawba Valley Medical Center
• Frye Regional Medical Center/Duke LifePoint
• MDI
• Hickory Springs Manufacturing
• Corning Inc.
• CommScope
• Convergys
• Century Furniture
• City of Hickory
• Catawba Valley Community College
• Performance Food Group
• Hickory Public Schools
• Sherrill Furniture Company
• Fiserv
• Transportation Insight
• Catawba County
• Catawba County Schools
• ITM
• Cataler North America

{{advert|date=December 2021}}

File:L. P. Frans Stadium 2004.jpg, home of the Hickory Crawdads]]

Hickory is home to the Hickory Crawdads, the Single-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers of the Carolina League.{{cite press release|date=July 23, 2024|title=South Atlantic, Carolina Leagues to realign in 2025|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-announces-realignment-of-south-atlantic-and-carolina-leagues|work=Minor League Baseball|access-date=July 23, 2024}} The Crawdads play at L.P. Frans Stadium, located in the western portion of the city, near the Hickory Regional Airport.

Hickory is also home to the Hickory Motor Speedway. The speedway was opened in 1951 and features a 1/2-mile track with seating for approximately 5,000 spectators.

Lenoir-Rhyne University, whose teams have the nickname "Bears", participates within NCAA Division II athletics in the South Atlantic Conference. The university's athletics program includes teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, triathlon, and volleyball.[https://lrbears.com/ Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics]. lrbears.com. Retrieved February 6, 2020.

Hickory Aviation Museum is an aerospace museum at the Hickory Regional Airport. The museum originated from the Sabre Society co-founded by Kyle and Kregg Kirby, when an FJ-3 Fury, the Naval version of the North American F-86 Sabre was recovered and became the first aircraft of the museum. It features a museum located in the former airport terminal with artifacts, a hangar with aircraft and outdoor exhibits of aircraft on the former airport ramp.

Hickory is home to the second oldest art museum in North Carolina. Hickory Museum of Art was established in 1944 by Founding Director, Paul Whitener. The museum is housed at the SALT Block, overseen by the SALT Block Foundation, along with the Catawba Science Center, Hickory Choral Society, United Arts Council and Western Piedmont Symphony. Hickory Museum of Art (HMA) holds exhibitions, events, and public educational programs based on a permanent collection of 19th through 21st century American art. The museum also features a long-term exhibition of Southern contemporary folk art, showcasing the work of self-taught artists from around the region.

The symphony hosts several series of concerts, including their free Foothills Pops concerts held annually in Downtown Hickory.

• The Hickory Daily Record is published daily.
• Focus Newspaper is a free weekly publication, distributed every Thursday in print, online, and mobile app. Focus features local news and events, movie reviews, original columnists, places to go and things to do.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Focus Newspaper Online! |url=http://www.focusnewspaper.com/ |access-date=June 19, 2017 |website=www.focusnewspaper.com}}
• WHKY, 1290 AM, is a radio station that features a news-talk format.
• WAIZ, "63 Big Ways", 630 AM, is a radio station that features music from the 1950s and 1960s. Its branding is an homage to the former "61 Big Ways" radio station (now WFNZ) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• The local television station is WWJS, channel 14 (formerly WHKY-TV).
• The Claremont Courier is a free newspaper distributed every month throughout Catawba County

{{more citations needed section|date=February 2018}}

• Jeff Barkley, MLB playerhttp://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=8476. The Baseball Cube. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Rick Barnes, college basketball head coach{{Cite web |title=Rick Barnes Bio |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/rick_barnes_960611.html |access-date=April 11, 2015 |website=UTSPORTS.COM – University of Tennessee Athletics |archive-date=July 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707133637/http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/rick_barnes_960611.html |url-status=dead }}
• Madison Bumgarner, MLB pitcher, 4-time All-Star selection, 3-time World Series champion and 2014 World Series MVP with the San Francisco Giants
• Paul Burris, MLB catcherhttp://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=9452. The Baseball Cube. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Ozzie Clay, NFL safetyhttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ClayOz20.htm. Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Matt DiBenedetto, NASCAR driver
• Landon Dickerson, NFL offensive lineman, 3-time Pro Bowl selection, Super Bowl LIX champion with the Philadelphia Eagles
• Harry Dowda, NFL defensive backhttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/high_schools.cgi?id=93bbbf40. Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Charlie Frye, MLB pitcherhttp://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=11628. The Baseball Cube. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Robert Griswold, swimmer
• Ryan Hill, long-distance runner, silver medalist in the 3000 meters at the 2016 World Indoor Championships, gold medalist in the 5000 meters at the 2015 USA Outdoor Championships
• Andy Houston, NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series driver
• Marty Houston, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver
• Tommy Houston, NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series driver
• Dale Jarrett, 1999 NASCAR Cup Series champion, 3-time Daytona 500 champion, member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame
• Austin Johnson, NFL fullback
• Brad Knighton, Major League Soccer (MLS) goalkeeper
• Chad Lail, professional WWE wrestler
• Bobby Lutz, college basketball coach, former UNC Charlotte men's basketball head coach
• Dick Marlowe, MLB pitcherhttp://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=14772. The Baseball Cube. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Trevin Parks, professional basketball player
• Andy Petree, NASCAR crew chief and analyst
• J.T. Poston, PGA Tour player
• Gary Sain, NASCAR Cup Series driver
• Ryan Succop, NFL kicker, Super Bowl LV champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Bob Warlick, NBA player, younger brother of Ernie Warlickhttps://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/warlibo01.html. Basketball Reference. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
• Ernie Warlick, AFL player and 4-time AFL All-Star selection for the Buffalo Bills
• Chris Washburn, NBA player
• Rob Dillingham, NBA player, 2024 NBA draft 1st round, 8th overall pick

• James Best, actor and musician
• Tom Constanten, musician, composer, former member of the Grateful Dead and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Jon Reep, comedian
• Matthew Settle, actor
• Drew Starkey, actor
• Brandon Wardell, comedian
• Hermene Warlick Eichhorn, composer
• Machinedrum, aka Travis Stewart, musician
• The Blue Sky Boys, country music duo

• Cass Ballenger, politician
• Norma Bonniwell, architect
• James Broselow, emergency physician, assistant professor, and entrepreneur
• Teresa Earnhardt, former NASCAR team owner
• Fannie Gaston-Johansson, professor of nursing and distinguished professor at Johns Hopkins University
• Gary Glenn, Michigan House of Representatives (2015–18), Associate Speaker of the House Pro Tem and chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee (2017–18)
• Pat Harrigan, politician
• Kenneth Lamar Holland, former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives
• Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook
• E. Patrick Johnson, ethnographer, scholar in critical race theory, queer theory, and performance studies
• Brock Long, FEMA Administrator{{Cite news |last=Griffin |first=Kevin |date=May 1, 2017 |title=President Trump nominates Hickory resident Brock Long to lead FEMA pending Senate confirmation |url=http://www.hickoryrecord.com/news/president-trump-nominates-hickory-resident-brock-long-to-lead-fema/article_8f522ec0-2e90-11e7-b8b8-cb082d697fc0.html |work=Hickory Daily Record |language=en}}
• J.B. Long, store manager/owner and record company talent scout
• Douglas E. Moore, Methodist minister and civil rights activistBarnes, Bart. (September 4, 2019). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/douglas-moore-provocative-presence-in-civil-rights-and-dc-politics-dies-at-91/2019/09/04/4fe6a1ee-ca92-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html Douglas Moore, proactive presence in civil rights and D.C. politics, dies at 91]. The Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
• Scott Owens, poet, teacher, and editor
• William Powlas Peery, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Elwood L. Perry, inventor of the form of fishing lure known as the spoonplug
• Paul Whitener, landscape painter and founder of the Hickory Museum of Art

Hickory has one sister city:Griffin, Kevin. (June 1, 2016). [https://hickoryrecord.com/news/sister-city-delegation-from-germany-visits-hickory-for-cultural-exchange/article_ae85cdac-280f-11e6-99ef-bb0ccc65691c.html Sister city delegation from Germany visits Hickory for cultural exchange]. Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved July 21, 2020.

• {{flagicon|GER}} Altenburg, Germany

• Hickory Aviation Museum
• Henry Fork (South Fork Catawba River tributary)
• Valley Hills Mall

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• {{official website|http://www.hickorync.gov}}
• {{Wikivoyage-inline|Hickory}}
• [http://www.hickoryschools.net/ Hickory Public Schools]

{{Burke County, North Carolina}}

{{Caldwell County, North Carolina}}

{{Catawba County, North Carolina}}

{{Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA}}

{{North Carolina}}

{{All-American City Award Hall of Fame}}

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Category:Populated places established in 1863

Category:1863 establishments in North Carolina

Category:North Carolina populated places on the Catawba River