Lenoir in Caldwell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Hog Waller Market in Downtown Lenoir
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2022
1. Hog Waller Market in Downtown Lenoir Marker
A rich heritage of agriculture and music converged in Historic Downtown Lenoir in the large, open-air market called Hog Waller. In the early 1800s, before the formation of Lenoir and Caldwell County, the Hog Waller market attracted people from all over the region to trade fruits, vegetables, livestock, guns and knives, homemade crafts, moonshine, and other merchandise year round. Located between present-day Church Street and Boundary Street in downtown, the market took its name from the muddy area in the marketplace where hogs were allowed to freely "Waller" around.
Until the 1950s, Hog Waller was also a hub of social activity and entertainment. "Soapbox" orators, like Charlie "Sledgehammer" Keyes, preached on the corners and musicians entertained crowds with masterful playing and singing. Hog Waller had a reputation for showcasing tremendous musical talent. Carl Story, the Father of Bluegrass Gospel; Clyde "Pop" Ferguson, Smithsonian Institution Honoree; and Arthel "Doc" Watson, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, began their careers as street performers in and around Hog Waller. During a live radio broadcast at the O.P. Lutz Furniture Store near Hog Waller, Doc Watson received his nickname when an announcer mispronounced his name and someone in the audience yelled, "Just call him Doc."
The North Carolina
this page online
More information online at: www.blueridgeheritage.com
Erected by City of Lenoir; and Blueridge Heritage Trail.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.
Location. 35° 54.875′ N, 81° 32.387′ W. Marker is in Lenoir, North Carolina, in Caldwell County. Marker is at the intersection of North Main Street and West Avenue Northwest, on the left when traveling north on North Main Street. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, near the southwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lenoir NC 28645, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Belk's Department Store (within shouting distance of this marker); Caldwell County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Raiders in Lenoir (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); St. James Episcopal Church Labyrinth
2. Marker detail: Doc Watson performing at the Hog Waller marketplace in 1949
Also see . . .
1. Carl Story: The Father Of Bluegrass Gospel Music. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame website entry:
Born in Lenoir in 1916, Carl Story grew up hearing his father play fiddle. By the time he was a teenager, Carl was playing fiddle and guitar and performing on local radio programs. He led a band in his early twenties that included a three-finger banjo player, helping pioneer the bluegrass sound. Story traveled around the region playing on different radio stations. Over the course of his entertainment career, Carl Story recorded more than 2,000 songs and 55 albums. A section of NC Highway 18 that passes through his hometown of Lenoir is named in his honor.(Submitted on October 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Clyde “Pop” Ferguson. Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website entry:
Clyde “Pop” Ferguson was one of the last practitioners of traditional blues in the North Carolina foothills.(Submitted on October 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)The son of a guitar-playing Holiness preacher, Clyde was steeped in the music of the African American community of North Wilkesboro. He got his start playing for revivals with a family group that included two sisters on drums and piano and his brother on trumpet. In his early years, Clyde played chiefly in the local Piedmont blues style, using his thumb and finger, and sometimes playing in open Vestapol tuning. During his travels, he adopted more popular and urban blues techniques and tunes into his repertoire. Clyde started using a flat pick, though he continued to incorporate the two-finger style he learned as a boy.
3. Marker detail: Aerial view of Hog Waller Market in the 1950s
3. Arthel “Doc” Watson. Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website entry:
Born in Watauga County in 1923 into a musically rich family, Arthel “Doc” Watson spent a lifetime as a performer blending his traditional Appalachian musical roots with bluegrass, country, gospel, and blues creating a unique style and an expansive repertoire. Doc virtually invented the art of playing mountain fiddle tunes on the flattop guitar, influencing countless musicians. He was also a wonderful singer, and he played a two-finger banjo style that is traditional in the region. He recorded more than fifty albums over the years and received much recognition for his work, earning the National(Submitted on October 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Medal of Arts, a National Heritage Fellowship, the North Carolina Folk Heritage Award, seven Grammy Awards, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
4. Marker detail: “Pop” Ferguson performing authentic blues music
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2022
5. Hog Waller Market in Downtown Lenoir Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 17, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 214 times since then and 61 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 19, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5. submitted on October 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
