To the early Zulu Inhabitants of the area it was known as 'Kwa Nongwaza' The Place of the Tall One' whilst to the early settlers of Natal it was known simply as the 'Umgeni Waterfall'. Today the people of Howick are proud of their waterfall and its splendour as a natural wonder The area around the Falls was well known to travellers in the 1840's as it was situated adjacent to the main ford across the Umgeni River on the road to the north. The original ford was known as Alleman's (Everyone's) Drift and was situated just below the present day Midmar Dam wall. The route was altered in 1850 to the dangerous but more convenient crossing at the top of the falls. This crossing was less than. 200 metres from the edge of the falls In the vicinity of the weir alongside the Caravan Park. In 1849 the Wesleyan Missionary, the Rev James Arch bell bought three farms above the northern bank of the Umgeni River. With the increase in traffic to the north, the Government decided to establish a village at the crossing and so purchased part of the Rev Arch bell's farm. In November 1850 a proclamation appeared in the Natal Government Gazette offering 36 village allotments on the Umgeni Waterfall Drift for sale. This marked the beginning of the town. In choosing a name for the new town the Government officials decided to honour the then Secretary of State for the Colonies in London. He was Henry Grey and had recently acquired the title of Lord Howick. The name derived from his ancestral home of Howick Hall in Northumberland, England. Two other towns were at the same time named Howick, the one in New Zealand and the other in Canada. With the growth of the town of Howick it was not long before the falls became known as the Howick Falls. Despite being so close to Howick's business centre, the falls and the viewing platform site were only incorporated into the town of Howick in 1972.