WWII Interview Updates

The staff at the Catawba County Historical Association has been having a wonderful time interviewing local WWII veterans and their families. The stories we have the opportunity to hear have been just incredible. Their experiences and sacrifices are a debt that can never be repaid. It's an honor to be able to record their stories they've shared.

Often the most surprising aspects of the interviews are the artifacts, or as one veteran put it, the "trinkets," that they have kept over the years. Sometimes they arrive in grocery bags or shoe boxes, but what they contain are priceless glimpses into the past during a world-altering war. From souvenirs to insignia, we've seen a huge variety of pieces that the men and women have treasured. We'd like to post of few of things we've seen so far. Hope you enjoy as much as we have!

It's Annual Pottery Festival time!

The 13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, I-40, Exit 125 in Hickory, NC from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The Festival is a fundraising event for two non-profit institutions, the Catawba County Historical Association and the North Carolina Pottery Center. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 12 and under and are available at the door. Ticket holders will be entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Friday night, March 26, 2010 is the Preview Party from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A southern-style supper, live entertainment, and the early buying opportunity make this a popular event. Advance tickets are required and must be purchased by March 19, 2010. Tickets are $40. No Preview Party tickets will be sold at the door. Please call 828-324-7294 for purchase information.


Do you have a piece of pottery of unknown background? Representatives from the North Carolina Pottery Collectors' Guild will be available to offer expert opinions on the possible background and history of individual collectors' pieces.

In addition to the 110 pottery and antique vendors from all over the Southeast, this year's festival will feature a pottery exhibit prepared by Dr. Terry Zug, retired University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor and author of Turners and Burners: The Folk Potters of North Carolina.

The speaker this year is Stephen C. Compton, a native of Alamance County, North Carolina. Steve holds an A.B. in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.Div. from Duke University, and D. Min. from Emory University and currently is the district superintendent for the Sanford District of The United Methodist Church. He formerly served as president of the board of directors for the North Carolina Pottery Center and was a founding member and first president of the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild.

An avid collector of North Carolina pottery for nearly twenty years, Steve has assembled a group of about 1,000 pieces of pottery dating from the 18th century to the present, including utilitarian earthenware, stoneware, and art pottery. Objects from his collection have been displayed in numerous exhibits and publications. Publication of a book edited by him, North Carolina Earthenware: Origin of a Ceramic Tradition, is pending.

For further information on the Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival, please contact 828-322-3943 or
828-324-7294.

Spring showers

It's raining and warmer today than it has been since autumn...spring is truly coming! These recently acquired pieces are so pretty that we had to share. They are hand-embroidered tray scarves and dresser scarves. The butterflies and flowers seemed perfect for celebrating spring's long-awaited arrival!