Rock City Falls, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rock City Falls
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George West House (2020)
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 Rock City Falls
Location in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Saratoga |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
12863
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| Area code(s) | 518 |
| GNIS feature ID | 962699 |
Rock City Falls is a small community called a hamlet. It is located in the town of Milton, within Saratoga County, in New York, United States. The main roads that go through Rock City Falls are Route 29 and Rock City Falls Road.
This hamlet became well-known because of a person called George West. He was known as the "Paper Bag King." He started his first paper mill, the Empire Mill, here in 1862. Later, in 1866, he built another mill called the Excelsior Mill right next door. He also built a large house across the street. This house, known as the George West House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 because it is an important historical building.
The Early Days of Rock City Falls
Long ago, even before the year 1800, there were busy mills in the upper part of Rock City. These were sawmills, which cut wood, and grist-mills, which ground grain. They were often called the Hatch mills, but they were owned by Swan. These mills were the first to use the strong water power available in the area.
Not long after, another mill was built by Rathbone. He was one of the first people to settle in the hamlet of Rock City. There were two Rathbone brothers. One was a pioneer merchant and landlord, meaning he ran a store and rented out land. The other brother owned the mill. One of them later moved to a nearby place called Greenfield.
Getting Around Long Ago
From 1898 to 1929, Rock City Falls had a special way of transportation. It was served by The Ballston Terminal Railroad. This was an electric trolley system. It was used to carry heavy freight cars for the paper mills. It also carried passengers to a nearby town called Ballston Spa.
Rock City Falls Today
Today, Rock City Falls is mostly a place where people live. Many of the old buildings are now homes. However, the Cottrell Paper Company is still operating. It works much like it did over one hundred years ago.
The old Empire Mill and Excelsior Mill, which George West built, are now part of a park. There are plans for the old trolley railroad path. It is scheduled to become a walking trail. This new trail will be called Boice Park. It will be a great place for people to enjoy the outdoors.
