Hickory Guide » More About Hickory: Overview

Overview

Furniture-manufacturing capital of the world, Hickory draws innumerable shoppers and visitors to its well-stocked furniture malls, which contain acres of showrooms and galleries. About 60% of the nation's furniture is crafted within a 200-mile radius of Hickory, and 40% of the world's fiber optic cable is also produced in the area. Plus, scenic beauty and Southern hospitality abound. The nearby Blue Ridge Mountains invite recreation, sightseeing, and shopping, thanks to the many artists and potters who reside there. Downtown Hickory promises wonderful, small-town charm with its unique shops and restaurants, and Lake Hickory offers terrific warm-weather sport and leisure. Culture, too, is prominent, thanks largely to the SALT (Science, Art, Literature Together) Block, a cluster of arts, culture, and science institutions. If sports are more your style, the Hickory Crawdads minor league baseball team always draws crowds. And, of course, NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, and Harry Gant are all tied to the Hickory Motor Speedway, which constantly creates new fans and racing enthusiasts.