Abstract:
Furniture manufacturing was a diverse industry throughout North Carolina history. Henry Payne offered some of the earliest cabinetry work in Caldwell County. The first factory opened in 1880 at High Point, ten years later five more, and by 1900 44 furniture factories were operated. At the time of this article, there were 101 established factories located in High Point, Lenoir, Thomasville, Statesville, Hickory, Marion, Mt. Airy, Lexington, Mebane, and North Wilkesboro were the centers of furniture production.