HICKORY, N.C. — The city of Hickory unveiled a new downtown mural and renamed one of its parks Friday morning to recognize the "Miracle of Hickory," a time when the city beat one of the worst polio outbreaks in the nation's history.
The "Miracle of Hickory Park," which is adjacent to Jaycees Park, will contain a new memorial dedicated to Hickory's polio hospital, which once stood on the site.
The memorial space will also be the new home for the "Tower of Miracles," an obelisk which originally stood on Union Square.
Hickory suffered one of the country's worst polio outbreaks in 1944, but the city came together and built a hospital for its afflicted children in just 54 hours.
The hospital became famous after it boasted one of the lowest mortality rates in the country.
Jack Williams was 13-years-old when he was admitted to the hospital.
"It was a hot summer, and it was hotter in the wards," Williams said.
He spent three months getting treatments from doctors and nurses who came from across the country.
"They worked like fighting fire all the time," he said. "They were just wonderful."
Williams and other survivors attended Friday's park renaming, and they also got to see a large mural dedicated to the miracle on the wall of Lindy's Furniture in downtown Hickory.
"I think it's wonderful," Williams said. "This was a huge miracle, and I think it needs to be highlighted all we can."
The city council will formally review plans for the new site in the coming weeks.