Editing Andrews, North Carolina (section)

=== Late 20th century to present ===
[[File:District_Memorial_Hospital_(Circa_1979).jpg|thumb|District Memorial Hospital on Whitaker Lane was demolished in 2008. Photo c. 1979.]]
The town’s first hospital was located downtown on the corner of Locust and Main Streets, founded by Dr. Van Gorder.<ref name=":1" /> In 1956, a 30-bed non-profit regional hospital named the [[District Memorial Hospital|District Memorial Hospital of Southwestern North Carolina]] was constructed in Andrews at a cost of $375,000 (about $4.3 Million today).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1954-05-20/ed-1/seq-1/#words=District+Memorial |title=Andrews to Get $345,000 District Hospital Soon |work=The Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |date=May 20, 1954 |page=A1 |access-date=January 18, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date = January 29, 1961 | page = 77 | title = Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/201809295/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref> A complete renovation and expansion was done in 1970, making it a 64-bed facility. Citing uncollected payments, District Memorial declared bankruptcy in 2000, closed in June 2003, and was demolished in late 2008/early 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20000612/PREMIUM/6120308/hospital-briefs |title=Hospital Briefs |work=Modern Healthcare |publisher=Crain Communications |date=June 12, 2000 |access-date=January 18, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McGoun |first=Bill |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/opinion/2020/07/25/pondering-plight-rural-hospitals-wnc-one-their-beds-asheville-nc-mission/5502080002/#:~:text=District%20Memorial%20Hospital%20in%20Andrews,in%201997%20to%20form%20WestCare. |title=McGoun: Pondering the Plight of Rural Hospitals in WNC from One of Their Beds |work=Citizen-Times |location=Asheville, North Carolina |publisher=Gannett |date=July 25, 2020 |quote=District Memorial Hospital in Andrews is long gone and its buildings have been razed. |access-date=January 18, 2024 }}</ref> Today the town is served by [[Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital]] {{convert|12|mi|km}} southwest in [[Peachtree, North Carolina|Peachtree]]. In 1963, the [[Western North Carolina Wagon Train]] incorporated its headquarters in Andrews. The wagon train, one of the biggest rallies of horse-and-wagon enthusiasts in the Eastern U.S. and one of the longest-running wagon trains in the nation, runs through Andrews each summer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History and Mission |url=http://www.wncwagontrainnc.com/history-and-mission.html |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Western North Carolina Wagon Train}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Linda |date=2019-06-25 |title=Western NC Wagon Train |url=https://www.houfy.com/lindagonzalez100/posts/western-nc-wagon-train-13214 |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Houfy}}</ref>
[[File:Baker_Furniture_Factory_(1979).jpg|thumb|The former Baker Furniture factory in 1979. Baker moved out in 2000.]]
[[File:Berkshire-HD Lee-IOI Building.jpg|thumb|The former Berkshire facility that closed in 1977. It was home to the HD Lee Company from 1979 to 2002. Since 2003, it has been home to Industrial Opportunities Inc.]]
Industrial Opportunities, Inc. (IOI) was founded in 1974 to serve Cherokee, [[Clay County, North Carolina|Clay]], and [[Graham County, North Carolina|Graham]] counties. The Andrews nonprofit hires mentally and physically disabled adults to manufacture military, medical, and commercial goods.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 30, 2020 |title=Work Rehab Centers Across WNC Band Together To Make PPE |url=https://www.bpr.org/news/2020-04-30/work-rehab-centers-across-wnc-band-together-to-make-ppe |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=BPR |language=en}}</ref> IOI opened as a 1,200 square foot factory in Marble, North Carolina, and had operated in Marble until early 2003. IOI Road in Marble is the only piece left of IOI in Marble. The current factory was once home to the [[Lee (brand)|H.D. Lee]] company (now just Lee) that opened in 1979 and had been in Andrews for several years until its closure on January 11, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apparel Plant Closing Rocks Southern Town |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=87423&page=1 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> IOI opened its Andrews location on February 28, 2003. It was also home to [[Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates|Berkshire Corporation]] until its closure in 1977. Andrews had two more industries during the late 20th century: Baker Furniture and Owenby Manufacturing. Baker Furniture's Andrews plant opened in 1965 as Andrews Furniture Industries, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tipper |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Baker Furniture Andrews, NC |url=https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/baker-furniture-andrews-nc/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=Blind Pig and The Acorn |language=en-US}}</ref> The plant also made Magnavox stereos and TV cabinets.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 9, 1965 |title=The Cherokee Scout and Clay County Progress. (Murphy, N.C.) 1961-1980, December 09, 1965, Section B, Image 14 |url=https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn95072291/1965-12-09/ed-1/seq-14/ |issue=1965/12/09 |pages=2}}</ref> The plant closed on July 1, 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joyner |first=Amy |date=July 12, 1999 |title=BAKER FURNITURE TO CLOSE ANDREWS PLANT |url=https://greensboro.com/baker-furniture-to-close-andrews-plant/article_f62a57aa-ba0f-5ece-97f2-d9b873418848.html |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=Greensboro News and Record |language=en}}</ref> Owenby Manufacturing opened in 1955, and its closure date is unknown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jan 29, 1961, page 77 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/201809295/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1976, the West End Plaza shopping center opened on the west side of town on Main Street.<ref name=":2">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08EyZbL8ohc |title=Welcome to Andrews 1979 |language=en |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> A second shopping center, named the Andrews Town Centre, opened in 1990. A four-lane highway was built between Andrews and Murphy around 1977.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Trawick |url=https://www.rla.unc.edu/Publications/pdf/misc/Andrews.pdf |title=An Archaeological Survey of the New U.S. 19-129 Route Between Andrews and Murphy in Cherokee Co. |date=April 1977 |publisher=The Research Laboratories of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill}}</ref> This new highway was opened in 1979, with its previous alignment through town becoming US 19 Business. A 10-mile, 12-inch water line was built to connect Andrews and Murphy's water systems in 1999. The interconnect agreement expired in 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-10-30 |title=Andrews seeking water with Murphy |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |pages=1A, 8A}}</ref> Andrews did not charge churches for city water until 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |title=This week in local history |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/week-local-history-104 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=2A}}</ref> Andrews' city limits expanded in June 2000.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=2024-12-04 |title=This Week in Local History |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=9A}}</ref> The town's annual Spring Fling celebration got its start in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrews Spring Fling |url=https://www.visitandrewsnc.com/spring-fling/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Andrews Chamber of Commerce}}</ref> In 2018-2019, the town hosted the last [[The Possum Drop|Possum Drop]] in North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elassar |first=Alaa |date=December 31, 2019 |title=North Carolina town ends New Year's Eve Possum Drop tradition |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/31/us/north-carolina-opossum-drop-ends-trnd/index.html |access-date=April 28, 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Andrews' weekly farmers market began in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wright |first=Nicole |date=2025-04-30 |title=Andrews Farmers Market starts 2nd season |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=9A}}</ref> In late 2024, Andrews' leaders unanimously repealed a law that banned weapons on town property, including the pool, library, and police department.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2024-12-18 |title=Andrews OKs weapons in facilities |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=3A}}</ref> Town leaders in 2025 approved a "social district" allowing the open carry of alcoholic beverages in certain parts of the downtown area.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |date=2025-04-30 |title=Andrews board OKs social district |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=9A}}</ref>