Today, through artifacts, attractions and special events, Valdese honors its French-Italian heritage and shares the story of the Waldenses’ heritage and their journey to prosperity. By Fred Cranford From This Day Forward, which portrays the story of the Waldenses’ journey to create a better life for themselves and their descendants, has been performed every summer since 1967 at the Outdoor Amphitheatre in Valdese. Valdese Department of Tourism During the first tour of their land, however, the excitement over owning large farms quickly disappeared. Back to Profile Home. There are 110 active homes for sale in Valdese, NC, which spend an average of 45 days on the market. The corporation also contracted with a Charlotte company to open a hosiery mill in Valdese that would employ only Waldenses, to help them become financially stable. The history of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church is so intertwined with the history of the town of Valdese that it is impossible to study one without embracing the other. 1905. The Waldenses’ future looked brighter than most, for they could proudly say, “We have land in North Carolina.”. Decades of peace brought another crisis. Memorials may be made to Burke County Hospice at 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690 or East Valdese Baptist Church at 101 Eldred St NE, Valdese, NC 28690 . Web Design :: Asheville, NC. Looking for more maps? Valdese is home to the 4th longest running outdoor drama in North Carolina. A group of twenty-nine journeyed to North Carolina and founded the town of Valdese in 1893, preparing the way for hundreds more Waldensian settlers. Valdese is located at 35°44′36″N 81°33′31″W / 35.74333°N 81.55861°W / 35.74333; -81.55861 (35.743270, -81.558662). 828-874-1111 museum@waldensianpresbyterian.org HANDICAP … It is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. Since opening our doors, Paramount Ford of Valdese, NC has kept a firm commitment to our customers. Like their Italian ancestors, the descendants wasted little time and built this beautiful structure on the corner of Rodoret Street and St. Germain Avenue. Valdese, in the heart of Burke County is located in the foothills of Western North Carolina "where the Piedmont meets the Mountains." NCpedia will not publish personal contact information in comments, questions, or responses. In the early 1970s, Valdese’s growing collection of Waldensian historic exhibits, coupled with increasing numbers of annual visitors, created the need to build the Waldensian Heritage Museum. But, like the sawmill, the hosiery mill was set up with old, manually operated machinery needing much repair. They refused this offer but had the company show them other smaller tracts. Today, visitors can view processes that reflect a combined 250 years experience in wine making at the Waldensian Heritage Winery, which opened in 1930. The Catawba River traverses Burke County west to east creating a wide valley and Lake Rhodhiss. “But if there are those of you who are not afraid of work—hard work—you can have a farm the size of this whole valley.” Dr. Charles Albert Tron, president of the Waldenses’ Emigration Committee, called for the decision that had to be made: “How many will go in spite of the unfavorable report?” Slowly, reluctantly, a few hands raised. Persecutions ceased. The population was 4,490 at the 2010 census. Farming continued as it had in their homeland. Some could keep it repaired and running; others could not. Seeing this proposal as an answer to their prayers, in March of 1892 the Waldenses sent two farmers, Jean Bounous and Louis Richard, to examine the land. But the rulers of France and Italy and leaders of the Roman Catholic Church pursued them. ft. single-family home is a 3 bed, 1.0 bath property. © 2020 Blue Ridge National Heritage Area   :: In light of concerns surrounding COVID-19, some events listed may be cancelled. Here you can see Barbi College where young men were trained and sent out as missionaries in an age when this was punishable by death. Watching from a nearby hillside was a small band of curious locals, who would be the closest neighbors to these “furriners” who, they had heard, spoke French, Italian, and a dialect called “Patois” but not a word of English. Founded on the rich traditions of 19th century Waldensian settlers, the Town of Valdese honors the heritage and determination of the Waldenses and their journey from the Cottian Alps of northern Italy to edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Burke County during the early 1800’s. People were starving. PO Box 339 A depiction of The Waldensians history from Europe to NC. “It is no Canaan,” Bounous said. Total trackage covers over 1,000 feet. This outdoor recreation facility has four lighted tennis courts, a volleyball court, playground swings, picnic facilities and restrooms in addition to the natural attraction of the falls. The early V aldese Lakeside Park Plan covers the history of this project, benefits of the park and details of the park. In the year 1184, and again in larger numbers in 1485, people who became known as Waldenses fled from southern France and the Piedmont region of Italy into the towering Cottian Alps between those two European countries. The Waldensians were both a people and a church. The company's filing status is listed as Current-Active and its File Number is 0069456. On hand to greet the immigrants were members of the Morganton Land and Improvement Company and their families. The Waldensians learned the craft of creating great wines in their Italian homeland and brought this skill with them to the foothills of North Carolina. More About Us Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History. Desperate in their suffering, hundreds of Waldenses walked many miles over mountainous paths from distant valleys to hear the two men’s report upon their return from America. Over the next five hundred years, French and Italian armies launched thirty-five massive invasions into those valleys, intent upon eliminating the Waldenses as a people. Diversity. The Piedmont & Western Model Railroad Club, located in the Old Rock School in Valdese, was established by local railroad enthusiasts to create a fictitious rail line serving Western North Carolina. This home was built in 1950 and last sold on for. Summary: Devin Decanio is 27 years old and was born on 06/19/1993. Women and children learning those tasks made as little as three cents a day. Most, in fact, worked harder, for the fruits of their labors were their own. Valdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. (In French, the name Waldenses means “People of the Valleys,” because this group lived in the deep valleys between mountain ridges that fanned out like fingers on a hand from the northern Italian city of Turin.) Surrounded by acres of uncleared woodland, these twenty-nine people faced a daunting task: to provide lodging and food for the 179 others who would arrive in November. 4,418. Valdese (derived from the Italian word Valdesi, which means "Waldensian") was incorporated in 1920. In education and industry, as well as in the religious life of the community, the Church has been and continues to be the center of Waldensian life in Valdese. Joining the Reformation in 1532, they predate John Wycliffe, John Huss, Martin Luther and others Reformers. In 1935, the company was purchased by Harley Shuford who later changed the name to Valdese Weavers, Inc. By Fred Cranford Reprinted with permission from the Tar Heel Junior Historian, Spring 2006. Accustomed to living near one another, they were shocked to find themselves so isolated from other families. for the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association by the North Carolina Museum 0%. The Waldensian Festival, held on the second Saturday in August, celebrates the “Glorious Return” of Waldenses from exile in Switzerland to their native valleys in the Cottian Alps of Italy in 1689. Replacing your itinerary cannot be undone. Heritage Funeral Service and Crematory is … Catawba River in eastern Burke County of North Carolina, between the towns of Morganton and Hickory. Report Station. The Valdese Manufacturing Company was created in 1913 to make cotton yarns. NCpedia will be down for maintenance today (Dec. 22) from 3:00 pm until approximately 5:00 pm. In education and industry, as well as in the religious life of the community, the Church has been and continues to be the center of Waldensian life in Valdese. For personal use and Hopelessness did what hundreds of years of persecution could not: It forced many of the younger Waldenses to leave their beloved valleys. Search family history, research businesses, look for obituaries, etc. Valdese Residents. uses directly to the museum From This Day Forward, which portrays the story of the Waldenses’ journey to create a better life for themselves and their descendants, has been performed every summer since 1967 at the Outdoor Amphitheatre in Valdese. It also established, at the insistence of company officials in order to protect their investment, “a system of life in common for all members of the colony, each sharing the burdens, the interests, the duties, and the privileges.” This “share and share alike” communal approach seemed to the land company a fair way for immigrants to succeed in making a new life in America. History Valdese Weavers traces its roots back to the Swiss Embroidery Company founded in 1915 by Italian immigrants called the Waldensians who settled in Valdese, North Carolina around the turn of the Century. They admitted that failure, dissolving the Valdese Corporation in favor of free enterprise. Please allow one business day for replies from NCpedia. The story of the Waldenses is unique in the history of North Carolina. The establishment of other factories, banks, general stores, and restaurants promoted growth of the community and its prosperity. Browse entire papers and make clippings that can be shared and printed. Step inside the world’s oldest Protestant Church, the children’s school and original 1893 homesteads. Both men quickly agreed that the first land offered was too mountainous for farming. The population was 4,485 at the 2000 census. Mailing Address P.O. History and heritage of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church, Valdese, North Carolina, 1893-1993 Family History Library Minutes and financial report, 1914-1953 (Abee's Grove Baptist Church of the Catawba River Association (Valdese, North Carolina)) Family History Library On May 29, 1893 Southern Railway’s “Number 11” deposited a travel-weary band of 29 souls from Northern Italy who were to break ground for a settlement. Finally, in Burke County, between Morganton and Connelly Springs, they found a tract of ten thousand acres that Bounous thought “showed promise.” Richard disagreed. The company contacted Waldensian pastoral leaders in the valleys with an enticing proposal. Yet the corporation’s shared community policy required that each man take a turn operating the saw, as well as cutting and hauling logs. Lake Rhodhiss – From the Duke Energy Shoreline Management Plan 208 Rodoret Street South, Valdese, North Carolina 28690, United States. editorial staff. For each day worked, a man earned forty cents’ credit at the corporation store. Thank you for reporting this station. Read Full Summary The Burke County Farmers Market is located in Valdese and operates Wednesday from 8 am – noon and on Fridays from 2 pm – 5. The site provides abstracts of 17th century Notary records for the Waldensian Valleys of Italy. Not until this meeting, however, did the people learn that the two men disagreed on the merit of the land. During the years of persecution, violent deaths, famine, and disease had reduced the number of Waldenses. A European ambiance is still evident in the downtown. Etched in history as the oldest Evangelical church in the world, the Waldensians predate the Reformation by hundreds of years. Once all were safely off the train, Dr. Tron led the Waldenses in a prayer of thanks for a safe journey and the opportunities awaiting them. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Valdese Merchants Association is a group of various business owners working together to promote the downtown district of Valdese North Carolina. We tell the story of the Waldensians because they settled our small town of Valdese in May of 1893. Please check with the events and venues for the latest information. of History. The contract with the Morganton Land and Improvement Company called for a corporation governed by a board of directors comprised of Waldenses and members of the land company. Box 111, Valdese, North Carolina 28690. 64 F Charlotte/Douglas International Airport Station | Report. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Cheryl Scott, Lawrence Scott, Myrlevinea Stamey, George Davanelos and Anna Fletcher, and many others are family members and associates of Devin. While the hosiery mill was a “veritable sweatshop,” that on-the-job training led to the development of their own mills. The dealership is family owned and operated since 1989 by local owners. Their experiment in shared community living failed. Visit Valdese: http://www.visitvaldese.com/, American Waldensian Society: http://www.waldensian.org/, NC Historical Marker: https://www.ncdcr.gov/about/history/division-historical-resources/nc-highway-historical-marker-program/. destinations. This belief exposed them to relentless persecution during the 12th century. 20 Twenty-nine people committed to depart for North Carolina in the spring of 1893. Nevertheless, Bounous sent a telegram to Italy saying, “The land is good.”. 3.3%. Complete guidelines are available at https://ncpedia.org/about. The largest Waldensian colony in the world outside of Italy–Valdese, NC–was officially incorporated as a town on February 17, 1920. This celebration is mirrored around the world by other Waldensian communities. Unemployment Rate. In the late nineteenth century, population pressures forced many Waldenses to leave their homeland in the Cottian Alps of northern Italy. Prior to the Waldenses’ arrival, the Morganton Herald wrote, “This Waldensian Colony, the first foreign settlement in the state of any importance since the Moravian settlement at Salem, is we hope the precursor of many such movements.”. The HO scale railroad runs from Marion, NC to Leadvale, TN, carrying loads across the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Known as a “people of the book”, they held the Bible to be sacred and the final authority in every aspect of life. The saw was powered by an old steam engine requiring constant repairs—quite a challenge for farmers who had never seen a sawmill! The center of this community became the town of Valdese. The Trail of Faith is a collection of 15 scaled buildings and monuments that preserve the history of the Waldensian people. If you would like a reply by email, note that some email servers, such as public school accounts, are blocked from accepting messages from outside email servers or domains. Alba Waldensian Hosiery and Waldensian Bakeries rank as two of the largest industries in the county. Historic Valdese Foundation, Inc. is a North Carolina Non-Profit Corporation filed on February 25, 1976. Population. We will review the data in question. The only one of the group, in fact, who spoke English, he would be with them just a few weeks before returning to Italy to ready the next group. Waldensian Families Research provides unique genealogical resources to research Waldensian family history. PLEASE NOTE: NCpedia provides the comments feature as a way for viewers to engage with the resources. The 1,692 sq. Afterward, they worked just as hard. Little wonder that barely eighteen months after arriving, the Waldenses abandoned the idea of holding the land “in common.” The “share and share alike” philosophy had not worked. All products are locally grown in Burke County. No longer could they grow enough food to feed their families. Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection: Newspapers.com North Carolina Collection. Valdese Weather Forecasts. When the Waldenses arrived in America, the Richmond-Danville Railroad Company carried them from Norfolk, Virginia, to North Carolina free of charge. View 29 photos for 100 Heritage Dr, Valdese, NC 28690 a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,169 Sq. It was created by FVR and used to generate initial interest in the project. On credit, the company would sell a single tract of a hundred thousand acres in western North Carolina, enabling a large group of Waldenses to remain together. Hiking in North Carolina State Parks & Forests, Gather ‘Round the Blue Ridge Annual Meeting, Website by Integritive Inc. Please submit permission requests for other 309 Lovelady Rd NE , Valdese, NC 28690-8849 is currently not for sale. Here families would live on separate farms, the nearest neighbor over a mile away. HELP US KEEP OUR TRADITIONS ALIVE FOR YEARS TO COME. North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library. About 7.5 miles east of downtown Morganton is the charming Main Street of Valdese, founded on the traditions of 19th century Waldensian settlers and their historic journey from the hills of Italy to this area of Burke County. Town in North Carolina; 19 reviews. Valdese was settled 125 years ago by a migrant caravan of sorts, and the town mythologizes that migration with a walking tour that recounts the journey from Italy to North Carolina …