Strong Economy, Scenic Beauty Characterize Hickory
Published Jul 03, 2008
Sunrise at Lake Norman.
Maybe it’s the scenic beauty that makes Hickory so irresistible. It could also be the thriving arts community. It may even be that it is just far enough away from larger cities to feel off the beaten path.
No matter what drives people to Hickory, the area has many ways of reaching out and grabbing hold of visitors, encouraging them to plant roots.
“The Greater Hickory Metro area offers some of the best natural scenery this side of the Mississippi and a relaxed quality of life for visitors and residents,” says Bebe Leitch with the convention and visitors bureau.
In fact, the Hickory Metro area has been named the 10th Best Place to Live and Raise a Family by Reader’s Digest, and Business North Carolina magazine reported that Hickory was the 8th best city in North Carolina for its quality of life.
“We have a lot of people coming to the Hickory area because they realize what a jewel it is,” says Christy Miller, 2008 president of the Home Builders Association of Hickory-Catawba Valley.
Miller was born and raised in Hickory and is raising her son here. “Hickory, to me, is a large enough city with plenty of activity, night life and dining. The school systems are good, we have four seasons, and it’s a short drive to the beach. I have no intentions of leaving.”
With a booming arts and culture community, including two community theaters, an art museum and symphony as well as a variety of sports teams and recreational activities, Hickory offers amenities on par with larger cities but is far enough away to keep its charm.
Of course, you can access those larger cities in no time if you need to, since it is less than an hour from Charlotte, Asheville and Winston-Salem.
“I can be running along the Blue Ridge Parkway in 45 minutes, inside the Charlotte airport in 40 minutes, and I can be at a Panthers football game in the time it takes people in most other places to commute,” says Scott Millar, president of the Catawba County Economic Development Corp., who moved to the area in 1994.
Diverse economic growth also has been steady in the area, including manufacturing, construction, retail trade and warehousing. And those who move here for work have a hard time leaving.
“Plenty of companies who have moved people into this area with expectations to move them again after one to two years have met with significant resistance when asking those folks to move on,” Millar says.
But from Grandfather Mountain to Lake Norman, it is really the charm of the community that keeps people firmly planted in place.
“It’s a comfortable community,” Millar adds. “What we are is a comfy place for young parents, and it is a great place to raise a family.”
Story by Hollie Deese
Photo by Ian Curcio
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