Abstract:
Catawba County, with a population of almost 150,000, has eight municipalities and covers 405 square miles of Blue Ridge foothills. The county possesses a number of historic sites and exhibits, including the Catawba Museum of History, the old Catawba County Courthouse, Murray's Mill Historic District, and the state's last remaining 19th-century covered bridge, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge. The county has long been known for its furniture business. Tourism is also a strong part of the local economy. The local arts scene is alive and well with the state's second-oldest art museum, third-oldest community theatre, and Catawba Valley pottery, a tradition that stretches back two centuries.