Wilkes: North Carolina’s community colleges have a new president who hails from Wilkes County, and later this month NASCAR returns to its first track, the North Wilkesboro Speedway, for its All-Star race. Here’s what else you need to know about Wilkes County:
Formed in 1778 from Surry, Wilkes County gets its name from John Wilkes, an English radical who once served as Lord Mayor of London and ultimately sided with the American rebels during the Revolution. Located along the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wilkes throughout its history has embodied a shared rebel spirit with that of its namesake. At one time, the county was known as the “moonshine capital of the world.” From 1920-1950, moonshine from Wilkes County frequently found its way north to Detroit and New Jersey as well as South all the way to Southern Florida. Wilkes County’s best-known progeny traditionally make names for themselves as lawbreakers. The infamous native son Tom Dula, immortalized for the controversy surrounding his conviction for killing his paramour after the Civil War in the folk song “Tom Dooley”, was superseded in more recent times by moonshiner turned NASCAR legend Junior Johnson who, unlike Dula, was granted his pardon request by President Reagan.
Wilkes has a robust history of music and arts. Merlefest, founded in 1988, is one of the largest music festivals in the United States, attracting more than 75,000 people annually. Over the years, major stars have performed, including Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant and North Carolina’s own Avett Brothers. Wilkes also hosts the Brushy Mountain Apple Fest, which attracts over 160,000 annually and is one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast.
Agriculture and forestry drove much of Wilkes’ economy until the mid-20th century. Lowes hardware store started in Wilkes in 1946 and remained headquartered there until 2004. Lowes Food grocery store and Northwestern Bank, which was the fourth largest bank in the state until it merged with First Union in the 1980s, also started in Wilkes County. Holly Farms was one of the largest producers of poultry in the Eastern United States. In 1989, Holly Farms sold to Tyson Foods and remains the county’s largest employer. Lowes hardware is still a close second.
Politically, the county has been reliably Republican. As far as we can tell, Andrew Jackson was the last Democrat to carry Wilkes County.
