ABOUT US

Hickory Downtown Development Association (HDDA) 

is a private, non-profit 501 (c)6 organization with a thirteen member volunteer Board of Directors. Funding for the organization is comprised of membership dues, grants, donations, and event sponsorships.

 

MISSION STATEMENT

“ To physically and culturally improve downtown Hickory as a place of commerce, recreation, and culture for the people of Hickory and the greater metro area.”

 

HICKORY DOWNTOWN VISION

Supporting your life well crafted, Downtown Hickory serves as the gathering center for varied recreation and entertainment. Downtown is the hub of owner-operated local businesses, corporate headquarters, and urban living.

 

HISTORY

Hickory began as a small piedmont city whose growth and development moved it from a late nineteenth-century trading center on the Western North Carolina Railroad to a thriving twentieth-century manufacturing center for furniture, hosiery and textiles.

The history and development of Hickory has been divided into five stages of growth. The earliest phase began at the end of the eighteenth century and ended with the outbreak of the Civil War (1769-1860).

The second phase began when the Civil War ended, as the city’s population and economy expanded as well as increased development in cultural and educational facilities (1861-1900). This second phase lasted until around 1901, when the establishment of the first large-scale furniture plant made permanent changes in the manufacturing business. From 1901 until the onset of World War I in 1917, many furniture factories as well as hosiery and textile mills were built in the city’s realm resulting in a rise in population, service industries and building activity.

During World War I, construction in the city declined only to be followed by a large increase in population and housing needs, growth of businesses and manufacturing companies, and the extension of public services rendered by local government (1918-1940).

Growth since 1940- After World War II Hickory continued growing and by 1961 the city boasted forty-six furniture plants, eight-nine hosiery mills, twenty-seven other manufactories, and a population of 37,000 people. A vast urban renewal project as well as continual redevelopment also accompanied this period of growth. Much of the historic fabric of Hickory’s downtown was removed or drastically altered in the 1960s and 1970s, leaving gaping holes in the urban landscape. Yet, this period also saw the emergence of historic preservation efforts in Hickory, a trend that has grown in scope by instilling pride in the city’s past by encouraging the appreciation, preservation, and continued use of Hickory’s historic resources.

150 Anniversary Logo
Downtown Sign

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES

SCORE logo
Catawba_SBC
sbtdc

Amy Ogle – HDDA Executive Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Emily Westmoreland – President

Broome Associated Insurance

Jay Brown – President Elect
Jay Brown Realtors

Scott Owens – Past President
Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse

Sabrina Cook – Treasurer
Sabrina P. Cook CPA

Marty Mull
Hickory Wine Shoppe

Nina Werner
Lake Hickory Realty, LLC

Gavin Mitchell
Boyd & Hassell I-C Properties

Bill Morgan
Morgan Law, PLLC

Gina Bumgarner
Nailed It DIY

Tammy Panther
Focus Newspaper

Mike Thomas
Patrick, Harper & Dixon

Marie Geissele
Notions

Brandon Hedrick
First Security Insurance

COMMUNITY PARTNER BOARD LIAISONS

Dave Leonetti
City of Hickory

Mandy Hildebrand
Hickory Metro Convention Center

Kim Dahlsten
Catawba County Chamber of Commerce

Email Newsletter

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NC Main Street Logo

The City of Hickory is a North Carolina Main Street community, designated by the N.C. Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center.  Hickory Downtown Development Association is charged with administering the program at the local level and building public-private partnerships to spur economic development that achieves measurable results such as investment, business growth, and job creation. 

Main Street America logo

As a Main Street America™ Accredited program, Hickory Downtown Development Association is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by Main Street America.

Hickory Downtown
Development Association
24 First Avenue NE
P.O. Box 9086
Hickory, NC 28603
828-322-1121
info@downtownhickory.com

©2024 Hickory Downtown Development Association