Rutherford College, NC

Rutherford College is a Burke County town named for the school that once occupied its center. The institution began as Owl Hollow Schoolhouse in 1853, became Rutherford Seminary in 1868, and grew into a four-year college with 200 students by 1888. A fire destroyed the original campus in 1891; the college rebuilt at the site now associated with Valdese General Hospital. The school closed in 1933 after merging with other institutions to form Brevard College, but the town kept its name. Rutherford College was dissolved in 1933 and reincorporated in 1977. Lake Rhodhiss and the Catawba River sit to the north, while the old campus story remains the town’s central clue.