By the 1890's, the NC&St. L. Railroad had moved into the area and worked with Swiss immigrants to create a completely new town called “New Switzerland.” New Switzerland at first was more European than southern. The immigrants formed their own orchestra, held masked balls and plays and introduced waltzes to the area. The two towns soon merged as Hohenwald, and an embroidery industry that made fine lace moved in.
The railroad and local mining operations brought notable figures such as Thomas Edison and William Wrigley to town. Students were gathered in front of the school building to watch Charles Lindberg fly a new machine called an airplane over the town. During World War II, German Prisoners of War from Rommel’s Africa Corps worked at the Hohenwald Depot and on area farms.
Take time to explore Hohenwald’s history and you will find that over the years this small county has attracted a diverse group of people who have reflected the history of the country itself.
