The first post office in Cleveland—which was named Cowansville at that time—was established on 18 March 1831 with John Cowan the first postmaster.

On 7 January 1856, prior to the US Civil War and the completion of the Western Carolina Railroad, the town was renamed to Rowan Mills.

Rowan Mills was the name the nearby plantation owned by Osborn Giles Foard.

The Rowan Mills Post Office served the area until 25 February 1884 when it was renamed to Third Creek.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), all land.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 846 people, 392 households, and 283 families residing in the town.