Location

Connelly Springs is located in eastern Burke County between Hickory, NC to the East and Morganton, NC to the West. The natural beauty surrounding Burke County and the small community of Connelly Springs includes the South Mountains, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Table Rock, Lake James, and The Catawba River Valley. 

Early History 

William Lewis Connelly was the first settler in the area of whom there is a written record. In c. 1838 William Lewis and his wife, Elizabeth Moore Connelly, began a pioneer settlement called Happy Home. 

William Lewis Connelly was a Captain in the NC State Militia and received orders from General Winfield Scott of the United States Army to assemble his Regiment and march to Asheville. Here they would execute the treaty for the removal of the Cherokee Indians from the western North Carolina Mountains to Oklahoma. Their route westward became known as “The Trail of Tears.”  During this time Captain Connelly was promoted to Colonel. 

After the military campaign was completed, Colonel Connelly built a log home and operated a way station where fresh horses could be acquired by the stage coach line which ran from Salisbury to Asheville. The Connelly home was located halfway between Salisbury and Asheville. Mrs. Connelly welcomed boarders who wished to spend the night during the long and tiresome journey. During this time a post office was opened and the mail arrived by stagecoach to settlers residing in Happy Home. 

With the threat of Indian attacks now subdued, other pioneers began to settle at Happy Home.  These hearty pioneer families included Fin-Cannon, Cook, Morgan, Southerland, Aiken, Ballew, Glass, McGalliard, Huffman, Winter, Houck, Warlick, Lowman, Stewart, and Hilderbran. 

Rail Road Boom-days 

The pioneer village grew as the railroad was extended westward and tracks were laid through Connelly’s Gap and a depot, named Icard Station, was established at Happy Home. A water tank for filling the steam engines and a coal chute to supply fuel was located east of the depot. The stagecoach and freight wagon met the trains to pick up passengers and goods arriving by train. A passing track allowed east or west bound trains to pass each other. There were few passing tracks in North Carolina and the one at Connelly Springs is still in existence and used by the railroad. The rails ended at Happy Home until after the Civil War and the steam locomotives turned around at the wye – also called Speagle’s Turnout, located at the base of Hoosier’s Knob, a prominent mountain peak and landmark within the town.

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 The Village of Connelly Springs

The popularity of the railroad brought other families into the small pioneer settlement that soon became a thriving village. These early railroading families included Goode, Huffman, Abernathy, Coulter, Hudson, Sides, Tomlinson, Decker, Deal, Dean, Davis, Ennis, Hood, McLean, Abee, Moose, Mingus, Page, Shook, Stirewalt, Simpson, Setzer, Young, Perkins, Lail, and Zimmerman.

In the early 1860’s, Colonel Connelly’s son William Waitsel was operating a store in Happy Home. He was both town merchant and post master as he operated the post office within his general merchandise store. William Waitsel married Elmira Franklin in 1861 and they built their home and raised their family near the village store and the busy railroad. 

The Discovery of Mineral Water 

Mrs. Elmira Connelly washed the family clothes in water from a spring on their property.  Her white clothes always had a yellowish tint and in 1885 she had the water tested by Mr. W. H. Taylor, State Chemist of Virginia.

In his analysis, Mr. Taylor found the water to have a high content of BI-Carbonate of iron, (130 grs. per gallon). He informed Mrs. Connelly that in his opinion the water would be beneficial in healing a large number of diseases.  Soon the news of the mineral springs spread and visitors began to visit Happy Home to drink the wonderful, healing water. Some arrived by horse and wagon and carted the water away in five-gallon demijohns. Other’s arrived by train from far away destinations.

The Town’s Name is Changed to Connellys Springs

The popularity of the mineral from Mrs. Connelly’s spring led to the construction of The Connelly Mineral Springs Hotel.  The Maroney brothers from Salisbury constructed the large 50 room hotel beside the railroad tracks and near the crystal clear, mineral spring discovered by Mrs. Connelly. The small town soon became a summer resort with guest arriving by train from distant places.

 The hotel advertised the mineral water in folders available at the hotel:

 “THERE IS NO BETTER WATER TO BE FOUND FOR MANY DISEASES THAN THAT OF THE CONNELLY MINERAL SPRINGS.  THE EFFECT OF THE WATER IS STRONGLY DIURETIC AND TONIC, PRODUCING A VORACIOUS APPETITE, STIMULATING DIGESTION, AND STRENGTHENING THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.”

In addition to the now infamous hotel, other guest accommodations were available at The Sides Boarding House, The Connelly Springs Inn, and The Haliburton Hotel.

 Connelly Springs During the Early 1900’s

As the town grew, Main Street featured two general merchandise stores, a barbershop, bank, furniture store, and blacksmith shop.  Several industries sprang up including a cotton mill, gristmill, sawmill, furniture and wagon shop, glove factory, and pottery.  A doctor and a dentist were  available and drugs could be purchased at the drug store on Main Street. When the automobile arrived on the scene, a “filling station” was opened on the main road into town to provide gasoline for residents and travelers. 

Two churches, the Methodist and First Baptist, served the congregations in the village. Many churches dotted the rural landscape. Education as well as religious teaching was important. In 1915 a one -room schoolhouse was located in the village. When it closed, students attended elementary school in Rutherford College and later, high school in Valdese. A small one-room schoolhouse located behind Israel Chapel served the close-knit African American community in the Shady Grove area.

Connelly Springs Incorporated  1920-1930

On May 4, 1920, the village of Connelly Springs was incorporated as “The Town of Connelly Springs” and laws and ordinances were enacted. John Ellis Coulter was elected Mayor having obtained 54 votes. Elected Aldermen were R.D. Coulter, R.R. Ennis, W.T. McGalliard, D.P. Hudson, and R.E. Loven. Mr. J.G. Aiken was appointed secretary-treasurer.  A set of business licenses for all town merchants was established along with a personal property tax. The depot waiting room was used as a meeting room, courtroom and town government center. Many trials were heard during the town’s incorporation and Mayor Coulter also served as Judge.

Some years later it became a concern of the merchants and residents that the town government was somewhat of an unnecessary imposition and they preferred to carry on without licenses and property taxes. Without support, the town government began to waver and on April 7, 1930, The Charter of the Town of Connelly Springs was repealed. 

Town Demise

The demise of the once thriving town was contributed to several factors including the Great Depression, the failure of the town government, and the closure of the town bank due to embezzlement. (Mr. Morgan, the bank cashier, was apprehended in South Carolina and sentenced to serve one year and one day in jail for his deed). Progress and the automobile era also contributed to the town’s demise as Highway #10 through town became #70 and by-passed Main Street. Vacationers ventured to Asheville and other destinations and the once famous hotel lost its popularity. During World War II and the effects of the war on the Homefront, the hotel was vacant and dismantled.

Eventually, the buildings on Main Street stood empty except for Lindy’s Furniture Store. The town became a bedroom community with its residents employed in textile and furniture manufacturing facilities in neighboring towns.

 

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Connelly Springs Re-Incorporated

Re-Incorporation for the Town of Connelly Springs began in the 1980’s under the direction of long time resident, Dennis W. Tomlinson. Efforts to preserve the history and heritage of the once famous vacation resort and to prevent annexation by surrounding municipalities was the desire of the majority of Connelly Springs residents. Several town meetings to discuss re-incorporation were held.  In April, 1989, residents traveled to Raleigh to plead their case before the Local Government Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly. Re-incorporation was given support by Republican Senator Dan Simpson, Burke County. 

One of Burke County’s Oldest Towns Becomes Its Newest Town

 A Charter for re-incorporation was approved by the North Carolina State Legislature on September 5, 1989. 

Connelly Springs Revitalized, Growing, and Expanding

Connelly Springs is now proud to have a Mayor and a six member Board of Aldermen serving 1,870 residents. The new Connelly Springs Town Hall opened in 2002 and services to the town citizens since re-incorporation include major water service projects, a wastewater service project, and residential garbage pickup.  

The original town boundary lines have gained additional voluntary annexations over the years with the most recent and largest annexation being 375 acres in April, 2004. 

Connelly Springs Business District 

New and renovated businesses along NC Hwy. #70 are experiencing a surge of growth. Included are: Dollar General, Connelly Springs Pawn Shop, Sizemore Auto Sales, Farris Insurance and Financial Center, Smart Electric, Knob Superette, Knob Car Wash, Ballard’s Hardware, Connelly Springs Electric and Heating Company, Z and R Remodeling, East Burke Auto Repair, and The Handy Mart.  Lindy’s Furniture Store on Main Street Circle features contemporary and traditional furniture galleries and continues to serve the community, carrying on the tradition of early Hudson family merchants who settled in the community.

Future Planning for a Growing Community

With growth comes planning and responsibility and the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meet monthly to discuss business and growth concerns. Under the direction of the Town Planner and the Planning Board, an Economic Plan and a Land Use Development Plan are currently underway.  Future growth needs are for a bank, an up-scale family restaurant, and a major grocery store to meet the needs of the expanding community. Construction will begin soon at the new Paradise Harbor Subdivision along Lake Rhodhiss.  This gated community will be located with the town’s corporate limits and will provide housing to meet the needs of the increasing population.

Connelly Springs residents look to the future as they continue to build a newly formed town on the dreams and the heritage of its past.  The town leaders strive to provide the kinds of services and environment that residents need in a rapidly changing world. 

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