Morganton, the county seat, was established in 1784 but not incorporated until 1885. Morganton was named for Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, hero of the American Revolutionary War. Before settling on “Morganton,” the city was named Morgansborough, and Morgantown and then to Morganton. Morganton hosts an annual Christmas Parade and an outdoor Festival in September.
Upcoming Events
- May 1 – July 31, Friday 7pm Concert Series at Courthouse Square
Looking for something to do in downtown Morganton?
| Food/Drink | Shopping | Activities |
| The Madness TREAT Root & Vine Buck’s | Benjamin’s & Libba’s | Burke County Museum |
Burke County Arts Council – Local and regional art and craft exhibits – 506 S Sterling St
Morganton Depot Museum – Efforts are underway to restore passenger rail service to Burke County. Learn more at Waiting for the Train.
Burke River Trail – The current Morganton section of Burke River Trail is the 4 mile Morganton Greenway. The trail will extend east about 2 miles by the end of 2026 along Grace Ridge and Riverview Apts.
Elected Officials – Mayor Ronnie Thompson and Council Members: Butch McSwain, Chris Jernigan, Wendy Cato, Molly McKay. The City Manager is Sally Sandy.
Schools in Morganton: Burke County Public School options, New Dimensions, Morganton Day
Glen Alpine | Morganton | Drexel | Valdese | Rutherford College | Connelly Springs | Rhodhiss | Long View | Hildebran