Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Rutherfordton is a town of 3,680 people in Rutherford County, North Carolina, founded in 1787.
Why visit Rutherfordton
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 25 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Carrier Houses and Gilbert Town Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Rutherfordton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rutherfordton
Rutherfordton is a town in and the county seat of Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,640 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Rutherfordton, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks8
Carrier Houses
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
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Gilbert Town Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
James Dexter Ledbetter House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Main Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, United States
Rutherford County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in North Carolina, United States
Rutherfordton-Spindale Middle School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
High school in Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, North Carolina
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes25
Sakura Express
Restaurant · Asian · 1.5 mi
267 West Main Street, Spindale
Barley's Taproom & Pizzaria
Restaurant · 1.7 mi
123 West Main Street, Spindale
Granny B's Sub Shoppe Bakery
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
322 West Main Street, Spindale
Jesse James Railroad Express
Restaurant · 1.3 mi
531 Railroad Avenue, Rutherfordton
13 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
The town of Rutherfordton was founded in 1787 to serve as the new seat of Rutherford County, taking over from Gilbert Town. Its foundation was planned by a committee appointed by the General Assembly of North Carolina. The committee purchased 50 acres of land on Cleghorn Creek from landowner James Adair. The plots included a hill safe from flooding, making it a perfect site for building the town courthouse. By 1791, the main streets of Rutherfordton had been laid out on a grid plan. Next was the construction of the U.S. Post Office in 1798, and the establishment of the Rutherfordton Academy in 1806.
Rutherfordton was at the center of the flourishing North Carolina gold industry between 1790 and 1840. During that period, 70% of the American gold supply came from western North Carolina. German-born goldsmith Christopher Bechtler minted the first U.S. gold dollars in Rutherfordton.
From the History section of Rutherfordton, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship18
Trinity Lutheran Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School
School · 5.0 mi
286 Learning Parkway, Forest City
Rutherfordton Elementary School
School · 2.1 mi
201 Bob Hardin Road, Rutherfordton
Healthcare4
Map of Rutherfordton
78 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 27°F | 4.3 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 30°F | 3.9 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 35°F | 4.3 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 44°F | 4.4 in |
| May | 79°F | 53°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 62°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 4.9 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 4.5 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 4.5 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 46°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 34°F | 3.9 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 30°F | 4.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Forest City 8 W (4 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
Rutherford County has had 15 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)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-05-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 31 miles away.
- Forest City 5 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Lake Lure 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Columbus 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Boiling Springs 18 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Edneyville 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Boiling Springs 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Marion 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Dana 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Shelby 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- Gaffney 26 mi southeast, about 42 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
- Rutherfordton-Main-St-nc, Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 4.0
- Rutherfordton-Town-Hall-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Downtown Rutherfordton, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rutherford County Courthouse, Rutherfordton, North Carolina (2019), Gerry Dincher, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church, Gerry Dincher, CC BY-SA 2.0
- James Ledbetter House, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gilbert Town Site, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St. Luke's Chapel - Ruthefordton, NC, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rutherford County Courthouse, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gun Raffle (47987062241), Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Trump 2020 (47987062001), Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Carrier-McBrayer House, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Junior Prom Night, Chase Bohannon , Silvyn Brown, CC0
- Bechtler's mint marker, Muhranoff, CC0
- RS Central Middle School, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Main Street, Spindale, North Carolina, Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC, CC BY-SA 2.0
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