Moravian Falls, North Carolina

Moravian Falls is a census-designated place in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,440 as of the 2000 census.GeographyMoravian Falls is located at at an elevation of 1,118 feet above mean sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.1sqmi, of which, 5.1sqmi of it is land and 0.20% is water. Moravian Falls is located in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains, which rise to the south of the community. Pores Knob, the highest point in the Brushy Mountains, is located in Moravian Falls.BackgroundMoravian Falls takes its name from a waterfall in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains. The area was originally settled by the Owen family in about 1750. In 1754, the Moravian Church purchased approximately 9000 acres of land which now lies under the nearby W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. However, there is no record that the Moravians ever attempted to establish a settlement in the area during the 18th century. Today the waterfall is a local tourist attraction.Wilkes Central High School, and Central Wilkes Middle School, are located in Moravian Falls. The two schools are the largest and most ethnically diverse high school and middle school respectively in the Wilkes County public school system.