Connelly Springs is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,669 at the 2010 census. It is allowance of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The first settler on record in the Place was William Lewis Connelly, a colonel in the North Carolina militia, for whom the town was named. In 1838, Colonel Connelly built a log home and operated a exaggeration station where spacious horses could be made available for the stagecoach descent that ran from Salisbury to Asheville. He after that took in boarders who were looking to spend a night during a long journey. During this time, a treaty grew up on the quirk station, which was subsequently known as Happy Home, and a reveal office was established.

In 1885, the area was found to have a mineral spring, thought to be beneficial in healing a large number of diseases. Mrs. Elmira Connelly opened her spring to others, and since long people were arriving by horse and wagon, and by train, to cart water away in five-gallon demijohns. The popularity of Mrs. Connelly’s mineral spring led to the construction of the Connelly Mineral Springs Hotel, a 50-room hotel that was built along the railroad tracks, and close the mineral spring discovered by Mrs. Connelly. As the town grew, it became known as Connelly Springs, and was incorporated as such on May 4, 1920.

Connelly Springs is located in eastern Burke County at 35°44′40″N 81°30′13″W / 35.74444°N 81.50361°W / 35.74444; -81.50361 (35.744515, -81.503738). It is bordered to the west by the town of Rutherford College and to the north by Rhodhiss Lake upon the Catawba River. Interstate 40 forms ration of the southern boundary of the town and leads east 10 miles (16 km) to Hickory and west 10 miles (16 km) to Morganton. U.S. Route 70 is the main local road through the town.