TABLE OF
CONTENTS

VALDESE HISTORY: WORLD WAR II - PRESENT

IMPORTANT
INFORMATION

War does not discriminate and its impact on Valdese was as devastating as to any other town. A number of young men from Valdese served in World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam both stateside and abroad. Fatalities numbered 160, 11, and 17 in the respective wars.

Restaurants like Mr. Pascal's began to appear with the growth of Valdese. In 1945, The Valdese Sandwich Shop (aka "The Rat Hole) was opened by Harlon O'Quin. O'Quin came to Valdese in 1939 and worked at Valdese Weavers. Though he initially detested the little town, Valdese soon grew on him and instead of leaving, he opened his restaurant. A spot popular with mill hands, merchants, high school students, and tourists. In 1970, "The Rat Hole" was sold to Essie Murphy and later, the restaurant was demolished to build a parking lot for Silver Knitting Company.

Another restaurant, The Alamogordo (named for the New Mexico testing site of the atomic bomb) was founded by Lester "Fat" Cline. The main dining room's 125 seats were regularly filled with hungry crowds at lunch and dinner, especially after a local ball game. There were three private rooms that served as meeting places for civic clubs or private parties. The restaurant changed with the times, adding car-hops for curb service and live entertainment on Friday Nights. In 1973, the restaurant became "The Alamogordo Cafeteria and Steak House." The restaurant would close the next year, but the memory of that restaurant will remain with former customers forever.

With World War II behind, Valdese was eager to assume a more positive and uplifting outlook. In 1957, the Valdese merchants raised $1,200 for Christmas decorations to line Main Street, asking only for the Town to pay the $104.28 cost for the service wire needed. This partnership solidified in 1961 with the Town agreeing to provide $300 each year and the merchants $700 to decorate the street.

In 1968, Valdese celebrated its 75th anniversary with the revival of the Old Colony Players. There were two plays produced by the company that year: The first, "The Land Is Good," was a dramatic production that took place on the football field behind the Old Rock School. The show was a colorful cross between Cecil B. DeMille and the Ziegfield Follies which told the story of Valdese through narration, acting, dancing, and even fireworks. The second play was "From This Day Forward", the now-annual outdoor drama that portrayed the story of the Waldenses from their persecutions in Italy through their early years as immigrants in Valdese.

Valdese lost its high school when East Burke High School opened in 1974. The Frances Garrou school was converted into a junior high and served until 1992 when  the new Heritage Middle School, located on Enon Road, was built.

Valdese made its voice heard on the issue of alcohol in 1979. On August 7th, an election was held on whether to allow beer and wine sales and an ABC store within town limits. Sixty-eight percent of voters participated and defeated the proposal.

1981 brought to the Valdese community a tragedy that is still discussed and puzzled over today. On December 23rd, Rhonda Hinson was shot in her car as she returned home from a Christmas party. The bullet, fired from a high-powered rifle, went through the trunk of the car into her back. Her body was found in a ditch beside her car, just a half-mile from her home. Police believe that she may have been pulled from the car after the shooting. The case has yet to be solved and was even featured on television's "Unsolved Mysteries." A wreath memorializing the tragedy is often found at the scene just north of the Interstate, exit 112 on Mineral Springs Mountain road.

Valdese has had its share of natural disasters such as in 1985 when a large forest fire crossed Mineral Springs Mountain to the south and threatened to jump Interstate 40 and overwhelm Valdese. The blaze was a low-burning fire which was difficult to access and moved quickly, aided by swirling winds. Fortunately, the fire eventually died out before much of Valdese was affected, but many of the homes on top of the mountain were virtually disintegrated.

The Old Rock School received a $1 million restoration in 1986 that included renovating the auditorium and making the classrooms suitable to house businesses, the Town's Community Affairs Department, and evening classes for Gardner Webb.

Hurricane Hugo swept through several southern states and across Valdese in 1989, bringing torrential rains that caused massive flooding and power outages that would last for over a week for some homes.

On May 29, 1993, Valdese held a reenactment of the original settlers' arrival. Though the train was not circa-1893, the "actors" were all clothed in authentic costume  In fact, many of the participants were playing the role of an ancestor.

Valdese ushered in the new millennium with the rest of the world on December 31, 1999 with a large fireworks show and patriotic program at the Trail of Faith and on the football field behind the Old Rock School.

In response to the growing popularity of swimming in Valdese and a successful swim team, the Valdese Community Center underwent extensive renovations between 1999 and 2000. The swimming pool was modified to Olympic size, yet retained a diving area and added a handicapped entrance. The locker rooms were totally refurbished and a fitness center was added, along with several fitness programs. Also installed was a large inflatable "bubble" that could cover and protect the pool. Looking like an inflated parachute, the structure allowed use during winter months and could be removed for use in the warmer months when tanning was an added bonus.

Not content to rest on its laurels regarding monuments to the Waldensian heritage of the town, the Historic Valdese Foundation dedicated its Millennium Clock Tower at the 2001 Waldensian Festival. Funded entirely by donations, the Tower resembles those found in the Waldensian valleys in northern Italy.

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