This article was part of a special section on Culture in the March 29th, 2001 issue of The Hickory Daily Record.
Hickory Daily RecordMarch 29th, 2001 -- Page 4Valdese An Enduring Symbol Of A Freedom-Loving People by Vicki Greene Valdese The town of Valdese stands today as a symbol of the hard work and faith of its people during the town's 100 years of existence. Even more, it is the realization of a vision--a vision of freedom from persecution and from want that has been the desire of the Waldensian people for a thousand years. "It is a wonderful, uplifting, inspiring story," said Anthony Collins, director of the Trail of Faith. The Waldenses were early Protestants living in Catholic Italy in the 1100s, and establishing their peaceful religion was easier said than done. An inquisition began in 1210 and lasted for more than 200 years. Afterwards, the persecutions didn't end, and there were at times only a small group left to carry on their beliefs. "The believed the Bible was inspired by God and meant for common men," said Collins. "The Roman Catholic Church believed it had to be read by priests. The Waldenses sent missionaries out two by two, like the disciples did, so the public could hear the Bible and the word could be spread. So they were persecuted." When Protestant religions began to gain momentum in Europe, and the Waldensian people decided to join the movement. "The Waldenses' major contribution to the (Protestant) Reformation was that they commissioned a literal translation of the Bible into French. French became the language of their religion, because their Italian speaking priests were all killed through persecution or disease." Collins said the Waldensian people lived knowing the day would come when their persecutors could come into their villages and burn or destroy their Bibles, so within a community, sections of the Bible were divided up and memorized by each person. When the day came when they lost their copies of the Bible, together they could recreate it from memory. In the 17th century, the Waldenses were continually persecuted by religious leaders and political leaders such as Louis XIV of France. In 1689, the Waldenses were driven from their homes in the Cottian Alps of Italy into Switzerland, their religion completely abolished. In short period of time, they regrouped, formed alliances and planned a "Glorious Return" to their homeland. Later that same year, about 900 men fought their way back into the valleys. Napoleon later would call their last battle in 1690 "one of the greatest feats in military annals." In 1848, King Charles Albert of Piedmont and Sardinia issued an Edict of Emancipation granting the Waldenses the same legal and political rights as other citizens after being well received by the Waldenses during a visit to the area four years earlier. After several hundred years of struggle, living in fear and losing loved ones in horrible massacres, the Waldenses finally had gained the right to exist and their numbers began to grow to the point their Alpine farms could no longer support them. Within 40 years of their emancipation, overpopulation would force many to leave the home for which their ancestors had fought so ardently. Leaders made the decision to seek other land in other countries, including South America and the United States. After scouting out the land, one group of Waldenses selected a tract of land totaling 10,000 acres in Burke County. In May 1893, 29 Waldenses emigrated from Italy, traveling by ship and by train. Stories from the book, "What Mean These Stones?" by Maxine McCall and Kays Gary have the engineer of the train dropping the settlers off in what is now Valdese, feeling a little remorse for leaving the people in such a barren spot. These first settlers came over in order to prepare homes for the more than 200 settlers that were on their way to Valdese. A new group of 18 settlers arrived in June 1893, 14 arrived in August and 161 arrived in November. In Italy, the Waldenses grew garden plots along the slopes of the Alps. In Valdese, their dreams of rich farms and prosperity were soon shattered by the realities of a cold winter, a dry summer, and stoney (sic) ground. They were inexperienced and had no equipment for large scale farming. They also had to deal with snow and cold blowing through the cracks in their homes which occurred because the homes were built in a rush with green lumber that shrank during the winter. Young Waldenses began to leave Valdese in search of work. Several of them came back to incorporate what they had learned in the family farms and in new enterprises. In 1901, brothers John and Francis Garrou and Antoine Grille started the Waldensian Hoisery Mill, beginning a history of manufacturing in the town that is strong today. The strong industry in Valdese has led to the town having almost now unemployment, even during the Great Depression, according to "What Mean These Stones?" Religion remained an integral part of the culture in Valdese in the early years, with the choicest lot of land being saved for a church site The Waldensian Presbyterian Church, one of the most grand churches in the state, was completed just a few years after the settlers arrived. It has been that church that has taken a lead role in preserving the history of the town. In 1947, the Waldensian Presbyterian Church appointed a Historical Committee and began collecting anything relating to the early settling of Valdese. At first, they put the items away in a back room and as the collection grew, so did the need for a larger storage room. After moving the collection several times over the years, a separate building designed in a similar style to the church was constructed in 1973 across the street from the church. The Waldensian Museum is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the settlers in Valdese. There are now several rooms on two floors in the new building with exhibits on clothing of the settlers, embroidery and other handiwork, spinning wheels, furniture from the church, books and maps, military uniforms, artifacts from services clubs, local industry and the winery, and tools for farming. "People think this is wonderful," said Frances Tron, a volunteer at the museum. "We try to get the story out, and we have a lot of school children come through here. It is a lot of fun to volunteer, that's why we do it." The museum has been named one of the top 10 small museums in the state. It is solely owned by the Waldensian Presbyterian Church and is maintained and staffed by volunteers. Hundreds of special tour groups and thousands of foreign visitors from 36 states and 23 foreign nations have toured the museum. The church also set aside funds in an endowment so that the interest pays the cost of the museum so visitors can tour it at no charge. It is open from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sundays during the summer months and by appointment. It hopes to expand its hours soon, and is also open the same afternoons as the outdoor drama "From This Day Forward" from mid-July to mid-August. Reach Vicki Greene at (828) 322-4510, Ext. #249 or vgreene@hickoryrecord.com.
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