High Shoals

History

High Shoals was the location of the High Shoals Iron Works, founded by Swiss-born John Fulenwider in about 1795. Fulenwider developed one of the earliest methods of making pig iron with the charcoal process. During the War of 1812, his High Shoals ironworks produced cannonballs for use by the United States Army. Fulenwider died in 1826 and is buried at High Shoals cemetery. The ironworks he developed remained in operation until 1875. In the last decade of the 19th century, the community of High Shoals became totally owned by High Shoals Mills, a textile company founded by Charlotte industrialist Daniel A. Tompkins. Eventually, the mill homes were sold to private owners. High Shoals was incorporated on November 6, 1973, the most-recently incorporated municipality in Gaston County.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.10%, is water. The South Fork Catawba River flows through High Shoals. Areas northeast of the river are assigned to the Hoyle Creek watershed, while those southwest of the river are in the Beaverdam Creek watershed. Sulfur Branch flows through western High Shoals (including Briarcreek Golf Course) and enters the South Fork at the south end of town. Most of High Shoals is located in Dallas Township, except for a western portion of the town which is in Cherryville Township.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,753
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  3,843
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,632
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  3,480
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,085
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,927
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  2,792
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,531

Largest nearby schools

• Piedmont Community Charter School
  Other · Gastonia · 1,906 students · 16.4:1 ratio
• North Gaston High
  High · Dallas · 1,134 students · 21:1 ratio
• East Gaston High
  High · Mount Holly · 883 students · 18.4:1 ratio
• Pleasant Ridge Elementary
  Elementary · Gastonia · 866 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Stanley Middle
  Middle · Stanley · 670 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Carr Elementary
  Elementary · Dallas · 633 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• W P Grier Middle School
  Middle · Gastonia · 610 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Community Public Charter
  Elementary · Stanley · 607 students · 16:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.73 — 2025-08-14
  7 km N of Columbus, North Carolina
• M 2.65 — 2021-08-17
  6 km N of Morganton, North Carolina
• M 2.68 — 2018-06-10
  2 km NE of Hays, North Carolina
• M 3 — 2014-12-15
  13 km NNW of Cedar Rock, North Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2014-06-12
  4 km NE of Blowing Rock, North Carolina
• M 2.9 — 2013-08-25
  3 km NNE of Blowing Rock, North Carolina