Welcome to Chester county’s river town. The name of Great Falls came from the nearby waterfalls on the Catawba River — A stretch of 8 miles, 178-foot drop of roaring and raging waters that could be heard long before it could be seen. Enormous rock outcroppings, the winding streets, and the variety of recreational activities make the area one of the most unique in the county.

The town was founded by the power company owned by Mr. J.B. Duke. As he built hydro electric plants on the Catawba and was the founder of the three Republic Cotton Mills, people were brought from far and wide from the farming communities to live in the newly constructed mill villages that offered new homes that were equipped with running water, electricity and sanitary sewers. The mill company owned and furnished to the merchants newly constructed buildings in the downtown area for retail trade. The northern part of town, nicknamed Flopeye, was primarily built and owned by private parties.

The school system, part of Chester County School District, has always been successful in graduating scholars who become lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, and professional medical personnel, which the community is very proud of.

As a town, we cannot leave off our pride and admiration of our athletic teams which have won state championships in all major sports.

The closings of the three mills and the decline in retail services within our town has had a negative effect on our population, but we are striving to turn things around and once again have a thriving and industrious town.