Rutherford College, North Carolina
Rutherford College is a town of 1,374 people in Burke County, North Carolina.
Why visit Rutherford College
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include McGalliard Falls, Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House and Valdese Elementary School.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Rutherford College
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rutherford College
Rutherford College is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rutherford College had a population of 1,226. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton metropolitan area. There are multiple exclaves of the town in Caldwell County, North Carolina.
From the Wikipedia article Rutherford College, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Valdese Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic school building in North Carolina, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes9
JD's Smokehouse
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.6 mi
500 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Jessica's Mediteranean & American Eatery
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
1311 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Michelle's Bakery Outlet and Grill
Bakery · 1.2 mi
101 Fashion Avenue, Connelly Springs
South Mountain Distilling Company
Brewery and winery
1027 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
History
The town was named for the college that was once located there, Rutherford College, which operated from the 1850s until the 1930s. The campus was later purchased by Valdese General Hospital.
From the History section of Rutherford College, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship11
Waldensian Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 0.9 mi
1628 Main Street East, Valdese
Valdese First Christian Church
Church · 1.5 mi
916 Berry Avenue Southeast, Valdese
Abernathy Memorial United Methodist Church
Church
960 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Calvery Free Will Baptist Church
Church · 0.9 mi
212 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Rutherford College First Baptist Church
Church · 0.5 mi
1200 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Healthcare6
Rutherford College Eye Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy
831 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
UNC Health Blue Ridge
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
110 Hilltop Street, Connelly Springs
Map of Rutherford College
50 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 30°F | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 33°F | 3.2 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 40°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 56°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.3 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.3 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 67°F | 4.6 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 61°F | 3.9 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 49°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 39°F | 3.6 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 33°F | 3.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hickory Faa Ap 72301 (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Burke County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Foothills Regional Airport (MRN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Connelly Springs 2 mi east, about 3 min by car
- Icard 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Drexel 5 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Rhodhiss 5 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Hildebran 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Granite Falls 7 mi northeast, about 11 min by car
- Hudson 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Cajah's Mountain 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Long View 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Gamewell 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rutherford-College-historical-marker-nc, Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 4.0
- Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House, rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waldensian Presbyterian Church, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Valdese Old Rock School-Old Valdese Elementary School, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McGalliard Falls, KatieMacSC, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rutherford-College-town-hall-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Connelly-Springs-Town-Hall-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
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