Valdese, North Carolina
Valdese is a town of 4,704 people in Burke County, North Carolina.
Why visit Valdese
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 13 places to eat and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include McGalliard Falls, Rector Knob, Valdese Elementary School and Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Valdese
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Valdese
Valdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,689 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area. One of the largest Waldensian congregations in the United States was founded in the town in the late nineteenth century, now known as the Waldensian Presbyterian Church.
From the Wikipedia article Valdese, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Museums and landmarks4
Valdese Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic school building in North Carolina, United States
Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes13
100 Main Restaurant & Bar
Diner · American · 0.9 mi
100 Main Street East, Valdese
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
Bud's Korner Kitchen
Restaurant · 1.8 mi
3186 US 70, Morganton
Mo-Fr 05:30-14:00; Sa 05:30-11:00
Jessica's Mediteranean & American Eatery
Restaurant · 2.6 mi
1311 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Corner Cafe & Winery
Restaurant · 1.8 mi
116 South Main Street, Morganton
El Patron Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.6 mi
906 South Main Street, Valdese
South Mountain Distilling Company
Brewery and winery · 2.5 mi
1027 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
1 more on the map.
History
Settled in 1893 by a group of Waldensians from Northern Italy, the town was incorporated in 1920. The story of the town's founding is told in the outdoor drama From This Day Forward, which has been performed annually in Burke County since 1968.
In addition to Waldensian Presbyterian Church, the Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House and Valdese Elementary School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Valdese News, a newspaper serving Burke County, was published there from 1938 through 1950.
From the History section of Valdese, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship19
Waldensian Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 2.0 mi
1628 Main Street East, Valdese
Valdese First Christian Church
Church · 1.5 mi
916 Berry Avenue Southeast, Valdese
Rutherford College First Baptist Church
Church · 2.5 mi
1200 Malcolm Boulevard, Connelly Springs
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Burke County Public Library
Library · 1.1 mi
213 Saint Germain Avenue Southeast, Valdese
Healthcare3
Map of Valdese
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 4.3 in | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 30°F | 3.7 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 37°F | 4.4 in | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 54°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 46°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 35°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 4.7 in | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Morganton Hcn (6 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, 5 miles away.
- Drexel 2 mi west, about 3 min by car
- Rutherford College 3 mi east, about 4 min by car
- Connelly Springs 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Morganton 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Sawmills 7 mi northeast, about 11 min by car
- Icard 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Cajah's Mountain 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Gamewell 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Hudson 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Salem 8 mi southwest, about 13 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
- Valdese-Main-St-nc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Valdese Old Rock School-Old Valdese Elementary School, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Valdese, NC 2011-09-26 - Vintage Coke Machine, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Valdese, NC 2011-09-26 - Myra's, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Jean-Pierre Auguste Dalmas House, rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- McGalliard Falls, KatieMacSC, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 16 23 181 mcgalliard mill, Dsdugan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waldensian Presbyterian Church, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- US 70-NC 114 Drexel, Washuotaku, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dacryopinax spathularia 91437608, Ken Kneidel, CC0
- Dacryopinax spathularia 91437620, Ken Kneidel, CC0
- Porpidia albocaerulescens 182027926, Ken Kneidel, CC0
- Drexel-Town-Hall-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Rutherford-College-town-hall-nc, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
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