History of the Ridgeview Library

    This branch was set up September 17, 1940, under a WPA grant by Miss Grace Patrick, Mrs. Spurgeon Young, Miss Martha Troutman, and Miss Nellie Corpening. Known originally as the Twelfth Street Branch library, the branch was first located in a building owned by Norwood Patterson. Rent was paid by local church groups.

    Since the time of its beginning, except for a period from April 1941 until September 1942, the branch library operated continuously. After WPA aid ceased, the facility was stocked with books from the main Hickory library, from Lenoir-Rhyne college, and from private sources.

    In 1943 Miss Marie Faggett was in charge of the library during the summer months, and in September of that year Miss Menzies Henderson was placed in charge and served until December 1963, when she retired.  She was succeeded by Mrs. Naomi Killian, who retired in December 1993.  Eloise Rose took over the reins in January, 1994, and managed the library until professional librarian Anndrea Williamson was hired in June 1998. Terressa Jefferson is currently the professional branch manager.

    Interest in the branch library continued until books and magazines taxed the capacity of the small quarters. On July 18, 1946, the contents of the library was moved from the Patterson building into the basement of St. Paul AME Zion church.

    Also in 1946, the Hickory Altrusa club began a project which was to culminate in an attractive structure to house the library. The club voted to make the enlargement and improvement of the branch library its main project for the year. At Christmas time a donation of 333 volumes of books were made by club members. Members of the club organized a drive to raise $10,000 for the construction of the building.

    George F. Ivey, who sponsored the main library facility in town, purchased a lot at First Street and Seventh Avenue SW, and deeded it to the city of Hickory as a site for the proposed library. The Altrusa club pledged $1,000 and Ridgeview citizens, under the leadership of enthusiastic men and women, raised a thousand dollars. The remainder of the needed funds was contributed by Hickory civic clubs, firms and individuals under sponsorship of the Altrusa club. The Altrusa library project began during the presidency of Mrs. James E. Gaither and was completed a year later during the presidency of Mrs. Karl W. Broome.

    Work on the attractive building was supervised by an Altrusan committee under the direction of Mrs. Bobbie C. Landis of the Crouch Lumber Company. The grading of the grounds and planting of shrubbery, donated by the Howard-Hickory Nursery, was done under the supervision of Bergin Finger. Upon its completion, the books were moved from quarters on old Thirteenth Street into the new library.

    Mrs. Kathryn Whitener, an Altrusan member, was chairman of the hospitality committee for the library's formal opening in 1951, with an attendance of approximately 600 people. The new Ridgeview Public Library was opened in January 1951.

    Again, the library outgrew the existing space, and the City of Hickory began plans for a new branch in 1994.  It was decided to place the new facility beside the old library, and construction began in 1997.  A dedication ceremony for the vastly improved facility was held in March 1998, when Ernest J. Gaines and J. California Cooper both came to Hickory to speak.  Grand opening was held June 20, 1998.  This new facility of 4,000 sq. ft. houses 10 public computers with Internet access, a growing collection of books and materials, and a meeting room which seats eighty people.  A virtual tour of this facility is available.