Caldwell County (North Carolina)

Caldwell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,029. Its county seat is Lenoir.Caldwell County is part of the Hickory - Lenoir - Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.HistoryThe county was formed in 1841 from parts of Burke County and Wilkes County. It was named for Joseph Caldwell, presiding professor (1796–1797, 1799–1804) and the first president (1804–1812, 1816–1835) of the University of North Carolina.A series of reductions in the county's territory followed. In 1847 parts of Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County were combined to form Alexander County. In 1849 parts of Caldwell County, Ashe County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County were combined to form Watauga County. In 1861, parts of Caldwell County, Burke County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County were combined to form Mitchell County. Finally, in 1911 parts of Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County were combined to form Avery County.