
From the Rock Hill Record, July 2, 1908: The Charlotte branch of the Engineering Society of the South will spend Saturday at Great Falls, S. C., inspecting the two mammoth developments there of the Southern Power Company. The members to the number of about 40 and the invited guests will leave on the early morning train for Rock Hill, and if nothing happens to the contrary will reach the falls about 9 o’clock. After looking over the completed plant at Great Falls, the party will take the “dinky” down to Rocky Creek, where the second big power [plant], which is not yet complete, will be inspected. The return trip will be made so as to arrive in Charlotte shortly after 7 o’clock that evening. (From the Charlotte Observer).
City Directories and History: The community of Great Falls in 2013 is facing economic pressures that few communities besides those dependent on the textile industry have ever faced. It remains a resilient town featuring many handsome buildings, homes, and very important history associated with Duke Power, the Great Falls themselves, and involvement in Revolutionary military history. This page is meant to be a starting point to build a history page for the Town of Great Falls, S.C., but not just one page multiple pages dealing with numerous aspects of its heritage.
NAMES OF EARLY LAND OWNERS IN GREAT FALLS
Via Mayhugh’s Heritage Map Collection
Beckham, William
Brown, John
Cloud, William
Gill, Archibald Colonel
Gill, Archibald
Glaze, Gideon
Kitchens, Zachariah
Long, Henry
Moore, William
Rust, Abraham
Shamack, Bleckley
Stover, Abraham
Street, Benjamin
Stroud, Hampton
Sullivan, James
Thompson, Joseph
Wall, Bird
Wall, Drury
Wall, William
Before the Great Falls of the Catawba River were harnessed, the river provided for a variety of small businesses such as grist mills, fisheries, stores to serve ferry traffic, water-powered cotton gins, looms, etc. Bowden’s Island and Allen’s Island were south of Mountain Island, the Great Falls, and Fort Dearborn, a United States armory. The Kingsbury Road, now known as Highway 200, was south of the river at the point shown on this plat. Today, all of the area shown on the plat is under the waters of Fishing Creek Pond with Springs Park to the east. In the early 1800s, it was traditional for all of the fishery owners to hold a great fish cookout on the first Saturday of May. That marked the end of the great shad run up the Catawba. Courtesy of the Lancaster Pictorial History – Pettus

Courtesy of the SCDAH – 2018
In 1831 Jonas Backstrom was hired to become the toll keeper at Rocky Mount….SCDAH
The Rock Hill Herald reported on April 29, 1886 – “The shad are more abundant in the Catawba River than they have been for the past twenty five years. There is a camping ground at the Catawba Falls and many are camped there day and night. The fish traps are overflowing. The annual picnic will be held there on May 1st.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on April 1, 1891 – “Reported and stated as a fact that a wealthy English syndicate has purchased the Catawba Falls property between Chester and Lancaster counties and proposes to build a manufacturing city at that place.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on May 11, 1892 – “The Catawba Falls Picnic was held last Saturday. A large crowd was on hand from York, Lancaster, Chester and Fairfield Counties. Catawba Falls is certainly the grandest water power to be found in the state, and it is sad that it should be running to waste. For so many years while the North is manufacturing our cotton at such large profits.”
The Rock Hill Record on Feb. 11, 1907 – “The power house at Great Falls, for Southern Power Co., has been completed and the building has been turned over to the company by the contractor, Mr. W. A. Foil, of Charlotte.”
The RH Record of Aug 26,
Courtesy of the Lancaster Co Pictorial History by Bishop and Pettus, 1984
1907 – “A large hotel for the employees has just been completed at Ninety Nine Islands. It is a duplicate of the hotel built at Great Falls Station for the Southern Power Company.”
The RH Record reported on Sept. 19, 1907 – “Southern Power Co has 600 men employed on hydroelectric development at Rocky Creek near Great Falls. The site is one mile below Great Falls and is being developed for 40,000 HP.”
From the Rock Hill Herald, March 20, 1916:Monday’s Charlotte Observer carries a story that Mr. J. B. Duke, founder of the American Tobacco Company and president of Southern Power Company, plans to build a home near Great Falls on an island in the Catawba River. It will have views of three of the largest hydropower plants in the Southeast and will be surrounded by roads, parks, and flower gardens. He has had a rough sketch of the plans drawn and has had Mrs. Duke visit the site. They and their little daughter have been in Great Falls for several days. The site is known locally as “The Mountain Island.” Mr. Duke is owner of the magnificent estate in Somerville, New Jersey which is one of the show places of the country. Tentative plans for the house at Great Falls call for a cost of $100,000. It would be a secondary home for the Dukes.
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MISC IMAGE GALLERY OF DOWNTOWN GREAT FALLS, S.C.
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