Saluda may refer to:
The explosion of the steamer Saluda, near Lexington, Missouri in 1852, was one of the worst disasters in Missouri River history.
In March 1852, Saluda left St. Louis for Council Bluffs, Iowa, carrying many Mormon immigrants from England and Wales. The river was muddy, icy, and running high as Saluda stopped at Lexington for supplies before continuing her journey. Just beyond Lexington, a narrow channel with very strong currents made it difficult for ships to make a sharp turn in the river. Saluda's Captain, Francis T. Belt, tried unsuccessfully for two days to make the bend. On Good Friday morning, 9 April 1852, Captain Belt, frustrated by the lack of progress, ordered an increase in steam pressure. Saluda pushed off, but before the paddlewheel got through its second rotation, the boilers exploded. The explosion could be heard for miles. Those watching from the bluffs in Lexington saw parts of the steamer and bodies blown into the air. They landed in the river, on the wharf, and even on the nearby bluff. Over one hundred people were killed, including Captain Belt, many of the passengers, and two men on shore who were hit by debris. Because of the strong current, many bodies were never recovered. Only 40 to 50 people survived. Some of the survivors were pulled onto a passing boat heading down the Missouri River. Within 10 minutes of the explosion, Saluda had sunk.
The City of Saluda is located in both Henderson and Polk counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 713 at the 2010 census. Saluda is famous for sitting at the top of the Norfolk Southern Railway's Saluda Grade, the steepest main line standard gauge railroad line east of the Rockies. The main street of Saluda is a bustling hub of newly formed restaurants and art galleries. Tourists and cyclists are common on summer and fall weekends due to the many winding mountain roads located around Saluda. The main town festivals are Coon Dog Day, The Saluda Arts Festival, and The Home Town Christmas Celebration. Saluda has a location along the South Carolina state line with proximity to Greenville-Spartanburg, SC and Asheville, NC.
Saluda's name came from the Cherokee word, "Tsaludiyi", meaning "green corn place". The original name was "Pace's Ridge", from the Pace family who inhabited the area. The Pace family name is still found all over Saluda. Many of the original families were Scotch-Irish who left Pennsylvania around the time of the Whiskey Rebellion in the early 1790s. In 1878, there were only two houses in the limits of present day Saluda.