Stories
Clark Cabin & Memorial at Bakers Mountain
Published: November 11, 2022
A short walk of approximately a half-mile on the Blue Trail brings visitors to a historical landmark at Bakers Mountain Park. Located there are the ruins of an old homestead dating back to the 1920s. In addition to a stand with information about the structure itself, the site is marked with a stone memorial containing a commemorative plaque that honors the life of one of the homestead’s residents, A.G. Clark, a decorated US Army soldier killed in action in World War II.
This Veterans Day, we’d like to share the story of A.G. Clark, as is presented in the write-up at the home site location, along with our gratitude to all those who serve our country in the United States Armed Forces.
Private A.G. Clark
Henry W. Clark and his wife Julieta Calloway Clark lived [at the homestead] with their children in the 1930s and early 1940s. Two of their children, A.G. Clark (born Avery County, North Carolina, May 20, 1920) and O.K. Clark (born Mitchell County, North Carolina, June 4, 1916) joined the US Army in 1940. A.G. married Miss Margie Young, and their son, A.G. Clark, Jr., was born before A.G. left for the war.
The memorial at the cabin site, constructed by Boy Scouts of Troop 351, Hickory, North Carolina, is dedicated in honor of A.G. Clark. According to the United States National Personnel Record Center, A.G. Clark was a Private First Class in the US 1st Army, 4th Division, 12th Infantry Regiment, Company B. He earned numerous awards, including a Purple Heart, WWII Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. According to “History of the Twelfth Infantry Regiment in World War II,” the 12th Infantry fought on D-Day (Utah Beach), liberated Paris, fought in the Battle of Huertgen Forest (Germany) and the Battle of the Bulge (Luxembourg), and was actively engaged in combat until the end of the war. Out of the 12th Infantry, 1,628 men were killed. US Army records list Pfc. A.G. Clark as killed in action on February 9, 1945, in Sellerich, Germany. A.G. Clark’s remains were returned to Catawba County and are buried at Mountain Grove Baptist Church cemetery next to his mother, father and son, A.G. Clark, Jr. (US Army medic and Vietnam veteran).
About the Clark Cabin
The cabin was a two-story frame house with three fireplaces and a root cellar. Two fireplaces were used for heating and one fireplace in the kitchen, toward the back of the house, was used for cooking. The root cellar adjacent to the kitchen fireplace was dug by a mule pulling a scoop or drag-pan digging tool. In the 1920s to 1940s, when the cabin was occupied, Bakers Mountain was largely deforested due to wildfires and logging. Water for the home was obtained from springs behind the house, as well as a nearby stream. Lighting was provided by lanterns as the cabin had no electricity.
Visiting the Site
The Clark Cabin site and memorial can be found on the Blue Trail (A.G. Clark Trail) at Bakers Mountain Park, approximately 0.5-mile from the trail’s start at the far end of the park’s parking area and picnic shelter.
Bakers Mountain Park, located at 6680 Bakers Mountain Rd. in Hickory, is currently open seven days a week from 8am - 5pm (hours vary seasonally). It is one of four parks in the Catawba County Park System, which also includes Riverbend Park in Conover, St. Stephens Park in Hickory and Mountain Creek Park in Sherrills Ford. For more information about Bakers Mountain Park or any of the Catawba County Parks, visit catawbacountync.gov or follow Catawba County Parks on Facebook and Instagram.