River Falls

River Falls is located in northwestern Covington County in the extreme south-central part of the state, on the Alabama/Florida state line. It has a mayor/city council form of government. The Conecuh River runs through River Falls.

History

Old River Falls Post Office The town was named for a nearby waterfall on the Conecuh River and arose around the Horseshoe Lumber Company during the late nineteenth century. Virtually all of the residents of River Falls worked for company into the twentieth century, and the majority of the town’s citizens lived in housing leased from the company. The post office was established in 1891. The town incorporated in 1902, but incorporation lapsed in 1910, and the town did not legally incorporate again until 1935.

The Horseshoe Lumber Company suffered a series of disasters that fueled the town’s decline. The mill burned down in 1907, was rebuilt, burned again in 1925, and was rebuilt once again. A huge flood in 1929 severely damaged both the sawmill and the town. The Conecuh River and its tributaries inundated the area with 10 feet of water, totally submerging River Falls.

In October 2012, law enforcement authorities arrested the 91-year-old mayor of River Falls, who had served in the office for 37 years, reportedly for stealing public funds from the town for the three years. The total she embezzled added up to just over $200,000, which she passed on to dependents and friends. Though sentenced to ten years in prison, the local judge reduced the penalty to five years of probation given her advanced age. She resigned as mayor, agreed to testify against accomplices, and took out a lien on her house to reimburse the town for the stolen money.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, River Falls recorded a population of 551. Of that number, 54.8 percent of respondents identified themselves as African American and 45.2 percent as white. The town’s median household income was $29,028, and the per capita income was $22,906.

Employment

According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in River Falls was divided among the following industrial categories:

  • Educational services and health care and social assistance (30.9 percent)
  • Construction (14.3 percent)
  • Manufacturing (12.6 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (12.6 percent)
  • Retail trade (11.4 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (10.3 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (3.4 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (1.7 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (1.7 percent)
  • Public administration (1.1 percent)

Education

Students in River Falls attend Covington County schools; no public schools are located within the town limits.

Transportation

U.S. Highway 84 runs east-west through River Falls, then intersects with State Road 55 and exits town to the southeast. State Road 55 runs through town from the north before it intersects 84. County Highway 107 also enters town from the north.

Events and Places of Interest

River Falls abuts Point A reservoir and lies about six miles southwest of Gantt Lake, and both provide boating and fishing opportunities. Conecuh National Forest lies approximately 12 miles south of the town and offers hunting; it is home to the Blue Lake Recreation and Open Pond Recreation Areas.

Additional Resources

Covington County Heritage Book Committee. Heritage of Covington County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2003.

Robbie Brown, “Mayor, 91, Admits to Stealing from her Alabama Town.” New York Times, October 12, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/13/us/alabama-mayor-91-admits-stealing-201000-from-taxpayers.html?_r=0

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