Caldwell County /

Caldwell County is a county located in the state of North Carolina, USA. As of 2000, the population was 77,415. Its county seat is Lenoir. Caldwell County is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county was formed in 1841 from parts of Burke County and Wilkes County. It was named for Joseph Caldwell, presiding professor (1796-1797, 1799-1804) and the first president (1804-1812, 1816-1835) of the University of North Carolina. A series of reductions in the county's territory followed. In 1847 parts of Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County were combined to form Alexander County. In 1849 parts of Caldwell County, Ashe County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County were combined to form Watauga County. In 1861, parts of Caldwell County, Burke County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County were combined to form Mitchell County. Finally, in 1911 parts of Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County were combined to form Avery County. The county is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, who appoint a County Manager. The members of the Board of Commissioners are Clay Bollinger, Don Barrier, Ron Beane, Rob Bratcher, and