Great Falls, South Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Great Falls, South Carolina
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Location of Great Falls, South Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Chester |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.38 sq mi (11.34 km2) |
| • Land | 4.24 sq mi (10.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2) |
| Elevation | 466 ft (142 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,979 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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1,877 |
| • Density | 442.79/sq mi (170.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
29055
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| Area code(s) | 803, 839 |
| FIPS code | 45-30490 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1222851 |
| Website | www.greatfallssc.org |
Great Falls is a town in Chester County, South Carolina, United States and is located fourteen miles southwest of Lancaster, South Carolina. The population was 1,979 at the 2010 census.
Contents
Geography and climate
Great Falls is located at 34°34′15″N 80°54′1″W / 34.57083°N 80.90028°W (34.570912, -80.900238).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11 km2), of which, 4.2 square miles (11 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (3.19%) is water.
History and culture
Great Falls was first known as Catawba Falls, which was named for the waterfall there on the Catawba River. The first Republic textile/cotton mill was built in 1909, after a hydroelectric plant was built, providing electricity to the town. The roots of Duke Energy, one of the largest power companies in the U.S., are in Great Falls. The company which would evolve into Duke Energy, Southern Power Company, was chartered in 1905, when tobacco baron James B. Duke and Dr. W. Gill Wylie, a Chester native and New York physician, implemented a plan to harness energy from the roaring Catawba River here. The "company store" near the mill provided the workers with everything that they could possibly need, and deducted payments on these goods from the workers' wages. By 1923, two more Republic mills were in operation in Great Falls, which caused the "mill villages" to be referred to as #1, #2 & #3, depending on which mill the houses were closest to. The Duke Foundation was the principal stockholder until 1946 when the mills were sold to J.P. Stevens and Co. The mills remained in operation until 1980.
Up the road, or 'down,' depending on your perspective, a merchant named Andy Morrison, who had a drooping eyelid, would sell many of the same items at lower prices. The company tried to discourage its workers from trading with 'that old flopeyed man' down the road. However, people liked his prices, and seemed to genuinely like old 'Flopeye.' This caused the area around the #1 mill, company store, bank, and First Baptist Church to be referred to as "Downtown", while the other retail area, where "Flopeye" ran his place of business, came to be called "Flopeye". To this day, there are two separate and distinct business areas in Great Falls. The main street, Dearborn, which connects these two areas, winds past Republic Park, a football stadium-come-baseball field that is home of the 1934 State Champions with noted player Banks McFadden, several churches, the elementary school, and the single remaining grocery store.
The Flopeye Fish Festival is held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend at 2534 James Baker Blvd, off Highway 21 north of Great Falls at the Industrial park. Admission is FREE. The Flopeye Fish Festival brings about a community-wide recreational highlight. With a variety of food, fun and entertainment accompanied by the enthusiasm of a homecoming atmosphere, the festival attracts visitors from many states. The event brings our citizens together and preserves the history of the area known as Flopeye.
The Great Falls Depot, Great Falls Downtown Historic District, and Republic Theater are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 3,533 | — | |
| 1960 | 3,030 | −14.2% | |
| 1970 | 2,727 | −10.0% | |
| 1980 | 2,601 | −4.6% | |
| 1990 | 2,307 | −11.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,194 | −4.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,979 | −9.8% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 1,877 | −5.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,190 | 60.99% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 644 | 33.01% |
| Native American | 5 | 0.26% |
| Asian | 5 | 0.26% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 88 | 4.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18 | 0.92% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,951 people, 730 households, and 454 families residing in the town.
Education
Great Falls has a public library, a branch of the Chester County Library System.
Notable residents
- Cal Cooper, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Torrey Craig, NBA player
- Banks McFadden, All-American football player at Clemson University, member of College Football Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Great Falls (Carolina del Sur) para niños
