The History of

The Sweezy House

Restaurant and Bakery

By Denise Pierce 

The house was built in 1923 by Thomas M. Sweezy. Mr. Sweezy’s original home was on a farm east of Fallston in an area known as Sugar Hill. He grew up on this farm and helped with the daily chores at an early age because his father (Lawson B.) died when he was only 6 years old.

When he was older he married Ella Royster and they had 2 boys—Hulo G. and L.B. Tom continued to farm and also owned and farmed other properties in the area besides the original home place. In the early 20’s he decided to build his own home that was in town. Besides farming Mr. Sweezy was also a deputy Sheriff in Fallston and a member of the Masons.

Hulo (my grandfather) got a job in Morganton at Broughton Hospital and that is where he met my grandmother (Kate A. Journey). Kate was originally from Statesville N.C. They married in 1934 and lived in Morganton. In 1943 my mother Katherine Ann was born. In 1944 Tom Sweezy died in a fire at Paul Dixon’s store when the back wall fell on top of him.

After Tom’s death Hulo, Kate, and Ann moved back to Fallston to live with Ella. Ella’s sister Aunt Minnie Royster also lived in the home at this time. Ella died 2 years later in 1946.Hulo tried his hand at farming the land at Sugar Hill. He also worked for a short time in Paul Dixon’s store. But he eventually went back to work in Morganton and commuted to his job at Belk’s for many years.

Ann went off to Collage to Appalachian State in 1961. On Jan 1 1963, while checking on the farm, Hulo had a heart attack and passed on that day. From that point on my grandmother Kate was the only one to live in the home. She lived there until 1995 when she went to live at a nursing home because of health reasons. When grandmother died in 2001 the home was passed down to my mother. In early 2006 my husband, Dallas, and I purchased the house from my mother in hopes of turning it into a restaurant.

                                              
                                               
                                                                                                  The Sweezy House 1923

The only major change ever made to the home was on the roof. It was originally terracotta until Kate replaced it with shingles in the late 60’s. The house is a solid well built home with oak and heart pine floors. French doors separate many of the front rooms with pine wainscot on the walls. The out side doors are original prairie style as are the windows on the porch. The wood slat walls and most of the light fixtures are all original to the home.                                      

  My grand mother was a wonderful cook, she was always very patience in the kitchen, slowly cooking and basting everything to perfection. She always had a hearty supper for Hulo. Dinner on Sundays after church was always a wonderful meal with the preacher often invited. She was famous, at least to us, for her yeast rolls, candied yams, coconut cake, and Christmas fudge. But even her scrambled eggs and bacon or her cream grits are still memorable to us.

The Sweezy home was one of the first in the area to have an electric refrigerator. She cooked on a wood stove until Hulo bought her an oil stove in the late 40’s. The refrigerator and stove are still both in working order and on display at The Belwood Heritage Museum.

I never knew Hulo (he died before I was born) but we have named the restaurant after The Sweezy Family who built the house and lived in it for many years. But in restoring the home my intention is to honor my grandmother Kate J. Sweezy. She selflessly dedicated her life to taking care of her grandchildren, family, friends, and to her church. She was a wonderful person and meant the world to me and my  siblings .