It takes its name from the nearby 410-foot Feather Falls[4][5] The community's ZIP code is 95940, which is shared with part of Oroville.

The Feather River post office opened for a time in 1919, and was re-established in 1921.

The name was changed to Feather Falls that same year, and moved to its present location in 1938.

[3] In history, the community was called Mooretown and Moresville according to the US Geological Survey.

The town was the eastern terminus of the Feather River Railway which ran west.