Our Story: Development, 1960-1979

1970s Lenoir Christmas Parade Arnold Dula

The 1960s and 1970s were transformative decades for Caldwell County, marked by social progress, civic development, and cultural milestones. Early in the 1960s, communities organized local police forces, community centers, and public utilities, reflecting a growing emphasis on safety, services, and civic engagement. Education expanded with the opening of Gamewell-Collettsville High School (1963), Hibriten High School (1966), and the establishment of Caldwell Technical Institute (1964), later renamed Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (1970).

Lenoir Police Officer Arnold Dula in the Christmas Parade, 1970
Source: Caldwell County Archives

The era also witnessed milestones in civil rights. In 1963, Tom Scott became the first black student to enroll in an all-white public school in the county, and by 1967, schools were fully integrated. Political representation advanced with Claude Faucette Erwin, Sr.’s becoming the first African-American to serve on the Lenoir City Council in 1971, and Faye S. Beal becoming the first female Caldwell County Commissioner in 1976.




Opening Day at Cedar Rock Country Club, July 1965
Source: Caldwell County Archives
Restored by Pam Smith Cooke


1969 Flag on Moon
Opening Day at Cedar Rock July 1965 photo

Infrastructure and community development flourished with new water systems, fire departments, roads, and bridges. Recreation grew from Cedar Rock Country Club’s nationally recognized golf course to camps, and the opening of Lenoir Mall in 1979. Industrial contributions gained international attention with Burlington Industrial Fabrics in Rhodhiss providing the material for the American flag planted on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. Photos from the mission were processed by Granite Falls native Tom Capshaw.

These decades illustrate Caldwell County’s commitment to progress, civic engagement, and the well-being of its residents, reflecting a community balancing tradition, innovation, and social change.


Flag on Moon, Stitched in Rhodhiss, 1969
Source: Sherrie Hartsoe Sigmon

Development

Ronald Reagan campaigns in Lenoir 1979
Collage Tom Kincaid Farm 1965 and Snow in Lenoir 1960
Collage Kirbys Sings at Bicentennial Celebration and Dining at Holliday Inn
Collage Singer Furniture 1974 and Lenoir Rescue Squad 1974
The Frazier Family at Dixie Donuts 1960s
Industrial Softball League All-Star Team, 1965
First Motorcycle Race in Collettsville 1971

Sources: Town of Hudson website; John O. Hawkins, “History of Buffalo Cove;” Gamewell History Museum; Granite Falls History and Transportation Museum; News Topic Articles by Ed Blair (2003) and Nathan Key; Village of Cedar Rock; Sherrie Hartsoe Sigmon; Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute website; and Town of Sawmills website.