Polk
County,
North Carolina
Celebrating 150 Years of Heritage - 1855-2005
The courthouse is almost as old as Polk County. Completed in 1859, the antebellum structure is the oldest courthouse in Western North Carolina and the eighth oldest in the entire state that still holds judicial functions in its courtroom. At the commemoration event, the county's history and legacy will be honored in speech and song, including a 150th Celebration Anthem, which has been written for the occasion.
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Interesting Facts from 1855
President of the United States -
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
Governor of North Carolina -
Warren Winslow (1854-1855)
There were 31 states in the Union. Can you name
them?
Harnett and Wilson NC counties also formed
What Were People Reading?
Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Thomas Bulfinch, Bulfinch's Mythology
Walt Whitman, Leaves
of Grass
Putnam's
Monthly Magazine Jan, 1855
John Bartlett, Barlett's
Familiar Quotations
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "Song
of Hiawatha"
What Were People Singing and Playing?
Listen to the Mockingbird,
Alice Hawthorne (view
sheet music)
Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair,
Stephen Foster (view
sheet music)
What was happening in the world?
Livingston discovers Victoria Falls
Florence Nightengale pioneer of nursing works on the reform of hospitals.
Sixth National Woman's Rights Convention held in Cincinnati
Crimean War (England, France and Turkey against Russia), Indian Wars (Seminole Wars, River Rouge Wars) in the United States, "Bloody Kansas" Armed clashes in Kansas between pro- and anti-slavery forces
This
website provided and maintained by the Polk
County Public Library
webmaster
updated 02/01/2006 CST
Old polk county contest |
Categories |
Just how old is old in Polk County? The committee facilitating Polk County's 150 th birthday celebration is sponsoring a contest to identify some of Polk County's favorite "oldest" things. "This is one of those contests where the fun starts long before the winners are announced," said James Metcalf, co-chair of the facilitating committee. "We hope the project will be a topic of conversation among friends and neighbors and will give us all an opportunity to learn about some of the oldest treasures in our county." Submissions were recognized throughout the year, and the winning submission in each category received a special appreciation gift package in February, 2006. Pacjages included a framed map of early Polk County, a commomorative coin of the Over the Mountain campaign, historic postcards, a 31 star map, a 150th license plate and a gift certificate to Caro-Mi Restaurant in Pacolet Valley. Official Polk County Songlyrics by Anna Pack Conner |
Winning Entries: • Oldest house in its original location George W. Bradley cabin - Cooper's Gap - 1780 • Oldest house that has been moved Gosser cabin - Pacolet Valley - 1750 • Oldest continuous operating business McFarland's Funeral Chapel - 1911 • Oldest civic organization Lanier Library- Tryon- 1905 • Oldest Church Green Creek First Baptist Church - 1796 • Oldest known photograph George W. Bradley - 1864 • Oldest family The Blackwell Family - 1775 • Oldest resident (born in and still living in Polk County) Grace Eunice Gibbs Wilson - Sunny View - born July 1, 1901 |
| Special Merchandise | View Polk County 1860 Census (our first census) |
| Buy an Early
Polk County Map at WJRJ Radio Station, 60 Court House,
Columbus, NC 28722 - $15.00 checks or money order if ordering through
the mail. |
SPECIAL
Exhibits and ARTICLES Read Special Sesquicentennial Articles courtesy of Tryon Daily Bulletin |
Early Families of Polk County Project |
|
If your family name appears on the list of the and you have family history to share, we want to hear from you. We also want to hear from you if your families have a Polk County long history. The first person to respond to our search for early family documentation was Garland Rhodes of Flat Rock, NC. He provided a notebook of his family history. He has been given an early Polk County map and a 31 star flag for his submission.The notebook has been added to the special collections of the Polk County Public Library. We have also received family histories from the Womack's, Laughters and Harris's, Anyone else wishing to submit a familly history is encourage to contact the Polk County Historical Association. |
Early Polk County Map
|
| Early Families of Polk County listed on the map | |
| R. Patch (probably a river
reference, not a name) J.W. Harris William Whitesides L. Lynch E. Lynch J. Blackwells J. Kings Wm Tabor Esq. Nesbit Dimsdale Adolphus Mills L. Kings D.D.S. Ford (probably a river crossing , not a name) Jas. Morris Wm. Wilkins B. Lankford Wm. Hamilton Elizabeth Jones G.R. Mills |
Jason Carsons |
http://publib.polknc.org/150 |
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