Valdese is located in
Burke County east of
Asheville between
Morganton and
Hickory along US Highway 70 near Lake Rhodiss and the Catawba River.
In May of 1893, a group of Waldenses, from the Cottian Alps of Northern Italy, settled here and the community became the town of Valdese. The Waldenses were pre-Reformation Christians with a religious ancestry that dates back to at least the 12th century. For centuries these Waldenses were persecuted by armies from both the governments of Italy and France and the official church. They remained secluded in the rugged mountains until they received their religious freedom by the Edict of 1848. They migrated to New York City, Chicago, Missouri, Texas and Utah, as well as Valdese. The Valdese colony became the largest Waldensian colony in the world located outside of Italy. Valdese comes from an Italian term for valley of our lord. Visit the Waldensian Museum to learn more.
Valdese is part of the Hickory-Morganton, North Carolina metro area.
