Caldwell County decreased in size in 1847 when Alexander County was created; in 1849 when Watauga County was created; in 1861 when Mitchell County was created; and in 1911 when Avery County was created.

Its population grew from 6,317 in 1850 to 83,029 in 2010.

Click on the maps below to peruse the known towns and villages that came and went over the past century and a half - a few cannot be located since they do not show up on available maps of NC.