Book Description

I grew up down the street from Catherine and Joe Cline’s float barn in the small town of Newton, North Carolina. I never forgot their kindness in not turning away an eager kid’s enthusiasm. On early mornings of the annual Reunion Day Parades, they graciously allowed me to be part of the joy they brought to so many. Their passion even led them to an invitation to the White House from John F. Kennedy! Catherine’s inner sparkle steered her to be a contestant on the long running game show “To Tell the Truth.” One judge said a twinkle in her eyes when she said the word “float” gave her identity away. Joe was her rock, creating innovative building techniques and drawing out her designs. Together they were a team, cornering the southern parade circuit, averaging around 150 parades a year by the 1970’s, winning hearts, awards, celebrity friends, and a large extended family. This is a story of small-town Americana told through rebuilding their lost portfolio.

The book can be purchase at the following locations for $37 (plus 7% sales tax, $2.59):

  • The Catawba County Museum Bookshop, Newton, N.C., starting August 11, 2025.
  • The NoCo Gallery, Newton, N.C., a special Pre-Book Launch Signing Event for August 14, 2025, 5-7pm. A presentation and discussion about the book.
  • My Chapter Book Store, Hickory, N.C., a special Pre-Book Launch Signing Event for Saturday, August 16, 2025, 10am-12pm. A presentation and discussion about the book.
  • The Cline’s Floats Reunion/ Book Launch Party, on August 20, 2025, 5-8pm (duration 3 hours) with a credit or debit card. Location: Catawba County Museum of History on the Court Square in Newton, N.C., second floor hall. The after-hours entrance is on the East First Street side, which has access to the elevator and bathrooms in the basement. Look for the Cline’s Floats Reunion sign. The event will begin at 5pm with catered food and refreshments, followed by a 20-minute keynote presentation on the making of the book. I will be available to sign purchased copies afterwards. Be the first to see the new Cline’s Floats exhibit at the Catawba County Historical Museum of History.
  • The day of the Soldiers Reunion Parade, on August 21, 2025, with a credit or debit card at my booth on the square
  • Redhawk Publishing in Hickory, N.C., has just offered to be a distributor. Those details will soon be forthcoming and available sometime after the launch.

Cline’s Floats History Synopsis

At the end of WWII in Catawba county, nine days before the 1945 Soldiers Reunion parade, the Charlotte float maker for the parade decided to double his price. The town Merchants balked at the bribe and a young couple stepped forward by the name of Catherine and Joe Cline, owners of “Cline’s Five and Dime Store.” Catherine termed it “after someone fell down on the job, we rallied our fellow merchants, friends, neighbors, and farmers to complete seventeen floats.” The community was so enamored, they asked Catherine to Chairman the next year’s parade and she did. Breathing new life into the parade event, it also became the genesis of what would become a Catawba county institution-Clines Floats. A product that is still made in Catawba County to this day, exported to small rural communities or to large city festivals across multiple state lines.To every they were known as “Mom & Pop Cline,” our “Mr. & Mrs. Parade.”

About the Author

Paul Hartis lives in New York City. He was a graduate of Newton-Conover High School and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BFA in Theatre Design, concentration in Costume Design. After two-years as resident designer at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, he took a staff position for fourteen years at the Muppets as a puppet designer and project supervisor, earning two Daytime Emmys. He freelanced another twelve years with the Jim Henson Company while joining the 764-IATSE Wardrobe Union, working on wardrobe crews for film and television, most notably on all five seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I owe much gratitude to my parents Roy and Joyce Hartis who instilled in me a very strong work ethic.

Funding for this project was provided by:

-Linette and Nicky Rowe, the new Mr. & Mrs. Parade of Cline’s Floats Inc. of Catawba, N.C.

-A Grant from The Arts Council of Catawba County, for the Innovative Artist Project Grant.

-And contributions from the Mary Kathryn Cline Woods Family.

-Visual and historical support was provided by The Historical Association of Catawba County.