Before I finish the story of Emily Prudden and the fate of the Lick Mountain school in Hudson, an invitation is in order. Next Tuesday, January 27, the Hickory Metro Convention Center is hosting the premiere of a short documentary on the furniture industry in Catawba County. It’s called “Built to Last” and will tell the story of how the manufacture of furniture came to our area and what it has meant to generations.
The documentary is the work of Rebecca Branson Jones, a gifted filmmaker, known for her work on Ken Burns’ epic, the history of “Country Music.” She worked as an editor on that project and has now brought her talents to the regional history of the furniture industry. Along with visual folklorist and documentarian Jesse Barber, they have created a very special look at furniture making, gathering some of the stories that highlight the unique journey of the region’s preeminent product, which remains a source of pride and a strong employer for many throughout the region.
Photo: The workers of a local furniture company, the backbone of an industry.
The event also serves to dedicate the new wing of the Convention Center. Named for two important figures in Hickory’s rise to prominence in furniture making, the new Lynn and Leroy Legacy Hall will be unveiled at the event. Over 60 years ago, the Lail’s began a transformation of Hickory Furniture Mart into a top ten attraction within North Carolina. Their work helped establish this area as a showplace for the manufactured output of factories like Century, Bernhardt, and others. Though Leroy and Lynn passed away in 2024, their influence remains, thanks to tireless and innovative work during their lifetimes. The ceremony starts at 4pm. Consider this a personal invitation to come out and see what made this area synonymous with furniture making. It should be a fun afternoon.
If that isn’t enough to highlight the region, also look for a new episode from WTVI in Charlotte. Their series, “Trail of History” will also focus on the same subject. John Brascum has produced a segment, entitled “Furniture: A North Carolina Legacy.” The half-hour program explores the history of an industry for which Tarheels are known. Right along with High Point, the Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir area produced upholstery and case goods for homes all across the nation, and beyond. See the episode on WTVI or Youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI-d25XE8fo)
Both documentaries detail the unique relationship furniture production has had with the workers of western North Carolina for the past 150 years. Through times both good and bad, with workplace mishaps always a threat, the industry has survived and today remains a viable career alternative for anyone who is looking for a career opportunity.
In fact, if you want to get in-depth with the subject, a comprehensive written work details furniture making from its beginnings all the way to Covid. The book is called “Well-Crafted: The History of the Furniture Industry in Western North Carolina” (available at redhawkpublications.com). It includes an introduction by the late Leroy Lail.
No matter how you cut it, furniture as an industry, has had a towering impact on us all. As a driver of the local economy or from the cultural identity it provided when the nation saw living room, bedroom and dining room suites made by our neighbors on “The Price is Right,” furniture making is our legacy. Learn how that happened.
