High Shoals is a city[4][5] in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, named for the high rocky shoal across the Catawba River.

Fulenwider developed one of the earliest methods of making pig iron with the charcoal process.

During the War of 1812, his High Shoals ironworks produced cannonballs for use by the United States Army.

[8] In the last decade of the 19th century, the community of High Shoals became totally owned by High Shoals Mills, a textile company founded by Charlotte industrialist Daniel A.

[7] The South Fork Catawba River flows through High Shoals.

Sulfur Branch flows through western High Shoals (including Briarcreek Golf Course) and enters the South Fork at the south end of town.

21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Today, most of High Shoals is within the attendance district for Costner Elementary, except for a section on the eastern edge of town which belongs to the attendance district of Springfield Elementary School (grades K-2) and Kiser Elementary School (grades 3-5), both in Stanley.