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Considered by the North Carolina
Department of Archives and History to possess "the finest Queen Anne
interior styling in the entire state,” the Harper House and the
accompanying Bonniwell-Lyerly House
in the Craftsman style, another of Hickory’s finest structures,
serve a broad spectrum of visitors and local residents as the
Harper House & Hickory History Center.
Through a momentous preservation project, with the Catawba
County Historical Association having raised $2,000,000 for
restorations, the Harper House today welcomes visitors as a house
museum, interpreting both Hickory history, through the numerous
significant families who lived in the house, and Victorian life in
the South, circa 1887, the date of the house’s construction.
On the
same lot, the Lyerly House, rescued and moved for preservation on
June 24, 2004, is devoted to the further interpretation of Hickory’s
rich past, serving as the Betty Allen Education Center and Margaret
Huggins Gallery, as well as a conference facility. Current exhibits
include quilts from the CCHA's extensive collection, historical
photographs of Hickory, and "Panoramic Catawba," the CCHA's
collection of Benjamin Porter panoramic photographs of significant
Catawba County sites, events, and groups.
The Harper House/Hickory History Center is maintained by the
Catawba County Historical Association
Website:
Harper House/Hickory History Center
Location:
Hickory NC
Distance: 1 hour and 15 minutes from Asheville
Address: 310 North Center Street, Hickory NC 28601
Telephone: 828-324-7294
Hours: Thursday -Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 1:30 - 4:30
p.m. Open Tuesday & Wednesday by appointment for groups of ten or
more.
Fees: Tours of the Harper House itself are $5, exhibits in
the Bonniwell-Lyerly House are free.
Allow: 1-2 hours
Nearby:
Catawba County Museum of History,
Catawba Science Center,
Hickory Museum of Art,
Hiddenite Center,
Historic Murray's Mill,
Historic Newton NC Depot
Directions: From Asheville take I-40 East towards
Statesville. Take Exit 123A-123B for US 321 toward Hickory. Continue
on US 321 North. Turn right at 2nd Avenue NW and turn left at North
Center Street.
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