Sawmills, North Carolina
Sawmills is a town of 5,042 people in Caldwell County, North Carolina.
Why visit Sawmills
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 16 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute and Hudson Cotton Manufacturing Company.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Sawmills
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sawmills
Sawmills is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Sawmills had a population of 5,020. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named after the sawmills that were set up in the community, due to the timber industry that formerly predominated in the area during its early history.
From the Wikipedia article Sawmills, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
School · 2.5 mi
College in North Carolina, U.S.
Johnny Wilson Farm Supply/road side produce stand
Farm and orchard · 1.2 mi
2547 Dry Ponds Road, Sawmills
Museums and landmarks3
Hudson Cotton Manufacturing Company
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic industrial complex in North Carolina, US
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes16
Pancho Villa Inc
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.4 mi
31 Pinewood Road, Granite Falls
Donna's Cafe
Restaurant · 2.4 mi
132 Fairway Shopping Center, Hudson
Just Roll With It Bistro & Bakery
Restaurant · 2.4 mi
107 Fairway Avenue, Hudson
Our Place Eatery & Tavern
Bar and pub · 2.4 mi
107A Fairway Avenue, Hudson
The Yellow Submarine
Restaurant · 2.3 mi
564 Central Street, Hudson
4 more on the map.
History
The community of Sawmills began in the late 1800s. The name "Sawmills" originates from the sawmills that were set up in the area due to the timber industry. The railroad system that ran through Caldwell County is one of the main reasons for the sawmills to locate in what would become the community of Sawmills.
Sawmills was incorporated as a town in 1988. The nearby towns of Granite Falls and Hudson vying for potential business property in the area, is what led the Sawmills community to vote for incorporation.
From the History section of Sawmills, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship7
Shopping6
Granite Hardware LLC
Hardware store · 2.3 mi
107 North Main Street, Granite Falls
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries22
Caldwell County Library - Hudson Branch
Library · 2.4 mi
530 Central Street, Hudson
Granite Falls Elementary Schools
School · 2.4 mi
60 North Highland Avenue, Hudson
Healthcare2
Map of Sawmills
66 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 30°F | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 33°F | 3.2 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 40°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 56°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.3 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.3 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 67°F | 4.6 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 61°F | 3.9 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 49°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 39°F | 3.6 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 33°F | 3.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hickory Faa Ap 72301 (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Caldwell County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Hudson 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Granite Falls 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Cajah's Mountain 4 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Connelly Springs 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Rhodhiss 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Rutherford College 5 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Icard 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Lenoir 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Northlakes 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Gamewell 8 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- ShufordHudson, Bigdaverhuberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS053-E-282311 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-281177 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-98167 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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