Tucked away at the foot of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains is a small southern county, a community of craftsmen with a rich heritage, a gathering place of furniture makers, artists, nature lovers, and now hi-tech giants such as Google. This is Caldwell County and Lenoir, NC - a place to stop, catch your breath, and enjoy all that nature and the people it has inspired for generations have to offer.

Lenoir, NC is the county seat and is perhaps best known for its furniture heritage, the birthplace of some of the most skilled and gifted craftsmen in the industry. Home to some of the country's most famous furniture brands.  Ever since the early settlement of German migrants in the1800s, Caldwell was recognized as a center of furniture manufacturing known for its skills in producing fine furniture and textiles. Major industry giants such as Bernhardt, Broyhill, Hammary, Fairfield Chair, La-Z-Boy, Thomasville, and Kincaid would find a home in Caldwell County. In recent years due to globalization, furniture manufacturing has declined but still plays a major role in Lenoir and Caldwell County’s economy.

During the last century, the furniture industry refined craftsmen that formed the basis for a community of artists and art lovers. Artists from all over converge in Lenoir, NC each year for the Annual Indoor/Outdoor Sculpture Celebration, one of the Southeast's largest sculpture competitions. With nearly 80 installations, Caldwell County has the largest collection of permanent public outdoor sculpture of any county of its population in the US.

However, Mother Nature sculpted the area's most endearing attraction. The climate among the rolling hills and striking vistas is mild. Visitors will experience the largest elevation change in North Carolina from 900 feet above sea level to 5,964 feet. A short drive from the city of Lenoir is the remote and rugged Wilson Creek, a federally designated "Wild and Scenic River." Other must-see nature stops include Historic Happy Valley and Pisgah National Forest. Camping, kayaking, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and off-road driving provide escape for the outdoor enthusiast.  Located minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Boone, Caldwell County is also within a short driving distance to Charlotte and Asheville.

Caldwell County and Lenoir, NC - stop in for a visit. Soak in the sculpture and experience the reinvigorating respite of nature at its best.  Take a few minutes and Explore Caldwell & The NC Foothills a little more.