Lenoir, North Carolina
Lenoir (/lɛˈnɔːr/ le-NOR) is a city in and the county seat of Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States.[6] The population was 18,263 at the 2020 census.[7] Lenoir is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. To the northeast are the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hibriten Mountain, located just east of the city limits, marks the western end of the Brushy Mountains range.
Not to be confused with Lenoir County, North Carolina.Lenoir is one of the principal cities in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Economy[edit]
The Broyhill Furniture company, one of the largest furniture companies in the United States and part of Heritage Home Group (KPS Capital Partners), recently closed its headquarters in Lenoir. Furniture in general has historically been one of the city's largest employers. The Bernhardt, Kincaid, and Fairfield furniture companies are based in or around Lenoir. In the 1990s, these companies began changing their business models to reflect consumer trends, and closed several of Lenoir's furniture factories. Recent consolidations of area furniture facilities (Thomasville, Taylorsville, North Wilkesboro, etc.) have netted modest gains in positions in the industry around Lenoir. The medical and education sectors are now the area's largest employers.
Google, Inc. has a server farm, or "data center", in Lenoir.[17] There was controversy over the nature, amount, and potential benefits of economic development incentives that the City of Lenoir, Caldwell County, and the State of North Carolina gave Google in 2007 to induce the company to build the server farm.[18][19] The less celebrated benefits of the investment have been construction employment and spending, a small-time server farm investment just outside downtown, Dacentec, as well as local charitable and educational endeavors by Google.
Wholesale nurseries, shipping large balled and burlap plants to landscapers in metropolitan areas, have been a strong source of employment in Lenoir over the last 75 years. Local nurseries employ around two percent of the local population.
Accolades[edit]
Lenoir was one of the recipients of the 2008 All-America City Award.[32]
An old image of Downtown Lenoir during Commencement Day, dated April 4 of 1913. In the background, you can see the old domed Caldwell County Courthouse which was encapsulated into a larger building in 1929. In the middle of the image, you can see the Caldwell County Confederate monument, which was erected in June 3, 1910.
