A city of progress with a modern outlook, and yet one with the deep seeded southern friendliness that has made this section of the nation so popular.
Forest City has the outlook of a city, but still retains the neighborliness of a small town.
It's a community that grows on you. The original chimney no longer stands, but some ninety years ago, Forest City was incorporated as Burnt Chimney. The town had its official beginning in 1877, but it has been growing into a sizable community for many years. The late historian, Clarence Griffin, who was a native of the area, said the original, rather unusual name came as a result of a fire which destroyed a large home at a crossroads, which is now the east-central section of the city. When the James McArthur home burned, it left standing a solitary, blackened chimney.