Hickory, North Carolina: The 54-Hour Polio Hospital Miracle of 1944

Hickory, North Carolina. It's just before sunrise, on Saturday, June 24th, 1944. In the woods by Lake Hickory, North Carolina, floodlights cast long shadows over a bustling campfire turned construction zone. Dozens of volunteers, men too old for the war, women in handkerchiefs, even off-duty soldiers, work throughout the night. Hammers cling against nails. Hand saws whirr through pine boards. A line of cars, ambulances, and even a borrowed hearse winds down a dirt road toward a freshly painted stone building.

TIMELINE
1916: A 1916 epidemic killed thousands.
1944: In the summer of 1944, as a deadly polio outbreak threatened North Carolina, the small city of Hickory built a full-scale polio hospital in just 54 hours.
1945: In February 1945, Coronet magazine ran a feature on the town's polio battle, in which the author proclaimed, at this moment the town of Hickory became great for all time.
1955: A decade after Hickory, in 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was introduced to the public.
1957: In April 1957, the cluster of wooden buildings that Hickory's volunteers had thrown up so quickly were finally torn down to make way for a new National Guard armory on that spot.
1994: On the 50th anniversary in 1994, a reunion was held for patients and staff of the Hickory Polio Hospital.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Hickory is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 168 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 200 (Bessemer City, North Carolina)

Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

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