The SALT Block is my favorite spot in Hickory. I love it so much that I insisted on living close enough to walk, and my boys and I are frequent visitors.
The campus was once Hickory High School, and my father-in-law remembers his days there fondly. Now, it houses some of the most wonderful organizations in Hickory. These include the United Arts Council of Catawba County, The Catawba Science Center, The Hickory Museum of Art, The Western Piedmont Symphony, The Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and the Hickory Choral Society. It also features as a civic hub, offering an auditorium and ample meeting space, as well as a center lawn that is excellent for outdoor events.
If you want to feel the soul of this city, the SALT Block is a wonderful place to look. Stay for the music and the art, or the library, which is large and comprehensive. Be sure to check out the science center and the planetarium, and be sure to touch the sting rays.
I love this town, and this place is the beating heart.