Catawba County Genealogical Society

April's meeting of the Catawba County Genealogical Society is co-sponsored with Hickory Public Library and hosted at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library.

Continuing this year’s celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, the program for the meeting will be: “A Short History of This Land: Before – During – and After The Old Tavern.” The program is an update of a talk presented by Charles “Tat” Bagby about August 7, 1976. Bagby taught history and civics in the Hickory school system and served on the local Board of Education from 1979 until 1983. At his death in 1985 his obituary asked that memorials be made for the restoration of the Claremont Central High School building, now the Arts and Science Center. His talk reviews the highlights of our local history from the perspective of the Old Hickory Tavern. Added to the original talk will be a very brief review of events from the last 49 years.

The program is presented by Leslie Keller who is a native of Catawba County. She received her B.A. in history from Lenoir-Rhyne University and continued her post-graduate education, earning a Master of Arts in History/Historic Preservation from Wake Forest University and a Master of Arts in Public History/Museum Studies from Middle Tennessee State University. Her professional experience includes work at Historic House Museums in Nashville, TN.  She currently serves as Executive Director for Hickory Landmarks Society where she collects and researches local history to share with visitors. Ms. Keller is the author of Lost Hickory, and From Tavern to Town, 50th Anniversary Edition, publications of Hickory Landmarks Society. 

The Catawba County Genealogical Society serves the needs of those interested in the history and ancestry of this area. Meetings are free and open to the public.

Meetings: The Catawba County Genealogical Society meets the evening of the 4th Tuesday of each month, except December. Meetings are held in the auditorium of the Catawba County Library in Newton, NC except for the April and October meetings which are held at Patrick Beaver Public Library in Hickory, NC.  Meetings are free and open to the public. 

Mission: The Catawba County Genealogical Society was founded in 1986 to serve the needs of genealogists seeking more information about the history and ancestry of the settlers and current inhabitants of this area.