A County Success Story

Maiden -- And How She Grew

The town of Maiden is growing just about as fast as any community in Catawba County.

Some folks think it is the one to watch, that it is the fastest growing.

With a new savings and loan institution just about ready for the grand opening, with 2 banks, the Brookwood housing and business development, and with property prices going up, folks in other parts of the county are starting to sit up and notice Maiden.

Carolina Mills is constructing a new office building, and the company is grading out for warehouse space.

The new water plant is progressing rapidly, and when finished will double the capacity of the town.

It's a far cry from 1874 when an early resident said there were no buildings in Maiden.

First store was a general store owned by Ed Schrum. Here farmers brought in beans, peaches, apples, blackberries, nuts, butter, eggs, and chickens. They sat around on sacks of fruit and talked. They bought and sold the items, with Schrum acting as host and middleman.

About 1881 the Maiden Cotton Mill was built. It employed just about everyone in town for a while.

In 1888 the land which is now Maiden was owned by four families - Schrum, Boyd, Propst and Trott.

Maiden was first called Turkey Tail. Early settlers said the present name came from two maidens who lived near the creek. The creek was known as Maiden's Creek, then Maiden Creek. Then the mill was named Maiden, then the post office, then the town.

First school in Maiden was a one-room log building with a five-foot fireplace across one wall. Huge logs were used for fuel. Large rocks were used as fire dogs.

The Blue Back Speller was the text. In fact, students had to memorize it because all their lessons were gotten out of the book -- reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic.

School lasted anywhere from two to four months, before the youngsters went home for spring plowing and other farm work.

All of this is now ancient history and as colorful as a Currier and Ives print of Americana.

Now Maiden is suffering growing pains.

It looks back and honors its past. But it is moving to the future.

Truitt Beard, mayor of Maiden, said residents are very optimistic over the town's future. "We are proud and have great hopes for the future. And the way things are progressing, the way people are interested in Maiden, we just hope we can keep up."

The town's slogan indicates the spirit of modern times: "Maiden, the town with a future."

Observer-News-Enterprise, July 7, 1965

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