Central Wilkes County History - Part One

A Journey Through the History of Wilkes County, Wilkesboro & North Wilkesboro Take a journey through more than 200 years of Wilkes County history—from the days when the Yadkin Valley was home to Cherokee communities and frontier wilderness to the development of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro into the communities we know today. This video explores the people, places, businesses, and events that shaped the region. Discover the stories of early settlers such as Christopher Gist and Benjamin Cleveland, the Revolutionary War and Battle of King's Mountain, the Civil War and General James B. Gordon, and the development of Wilkesboro as the county seat. You'll also visit some of the area's historic landmarks, including the old Wilkes County Courthouse, Tory Oak, the old jail, historic homes, churches, and downtown buildings. The story continues through the arrival of the railroad and the rapid growth of North Wilkesboro, the development of local industries, and the businesses that became important parts of the community. The video also looks at the people behind some of Wilkes County's most significant developments, including the growth of Holly Farms, the beginnings of Lowe's, the effort to bring Wilkes Community College to the county, and the entrepreneurs and community leaders who helped transform the area. Along the way are fascinating stories about local residents, African-American communities and Rosenwald schools, notable North Carolinians, musicians, writers, educators, and other people whose lives became part of the history of Wilkes County. Most importantly, this is a story about the people who built, changed, and preserved these communities—and the places and memories that remain. Wilkes County history is more than dates and buildings. It's the story of the people who lived here. Participants, in order of appearance: Robert Triplett, R.G. Absher, William Vance Nichols, James Broyhill, Betsy Barber Hawkins, Charles Fred Lovette, Mrs. Ruth Lovette, Pete Lovette, Blake Lovette, Charlie Bumgarner, Fidell Frazier, Ray Stroud, John Idol, Robert Strickland, Bob Hege, Mrs. Jim Lowe, Dale Inman, Richard Petty, and former Gov. Mike Easley ; narrator, Teresa Litschke. The Save Our Wilkes County History Committee was appointed by the Wilkes County Commissioners in 2006 to preserve, protect, and present the rich history of Wilkes County. Committee representatives included: Wilkes Heritage Museum Wilkes Community College Pardue Library Wilkes County Public Library Wilkes County Schools Wilkes Chamber of Commerce Yadkin River Heritage Corridor Friends of W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir ORIGINAL PRODUCTION Produced, Directed, and Filmed by John and Teresa Litschke J. Martin Productions Major funding provided by: Blue Ridge National Heritage Grant Broyhill Foundation Grassroots Arts Program North Carolina Arts Council Ginn Corporation Kulynych Foundation Winston-Salem Foundation Wilkes County Commissioners Wilkes County Schools Additional support provided by: Cultural Arts Council of Wilkes National Endowment for the Arts North Carolina Arts Council DIGITAL RESTORATION Digitally restored and enhanced from the original DVD recordings by Joseph Cox in 2026