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Laurinburg was settled around 1785 and named for the McLaurin family, Scottish Highlanders who were among the many Scots who made their homes in this corner of the Carolinas. The name was first spelled Laurinburgh and said like Edinburgh, and the town's Scottish heritage lives on in the name of the county it became the seat of in 1899: Scotland County. The arrival of the railroad in the 1860s turned the small settlement into a busy trading town for cotton and farm goods.
Downtown Laurinburg still has its brick storefronts along Main Street, the old offices of the Laurinburg and Southern Railroad and a mix of grand homes and churches. The John Blue House, built by a local inventor of farm machinery, is now a heritage center, and the Laurinburg Institute, founded in 1904 and once attended by jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, is one of the oldest historically Black preparatory schools in the country.
Each October the John Blue Cotton Festival celebrates the region's farming roots with crafts, music and old-time demonstrations. The Indian Museum of the Carolinas and the Storytelling and Arts Center of the Southeast add culture, and the blackwater Lumber River is a short drive east.
The ornate Victorian home of inventor and farm equipment maker John Blue, built in the 1890s and now a museum furnished in period style. The grounds include a cotton gin, a log cabin, a small railroad and other farm buildings. Check opening hours, which are limited outside festival days.
A historic African American boarding school founded in 1904 by Emmanuel and Tinny McDuffie, one of the oldest such schools in the country. Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie studied here. It is still a working school, so view the campus from outside unless you arrange a visit.
A popular fall festival held each October on the John Blue House grounds, celebrating Scotland County's farming heritage with antique engines and tractors, crafts, live music, food stands and demonstrations. It is family-friendly; arrive early on Saturday for easier parking.
The small historic downtown of the Scotland County seat has brick commercial buildings along Main Street with local eateries, shops and murals. It is quiet on most days and livelier during events, and makes an easy walk combined with a stop at the storytelling center.
A small museum in Laurinburg focused on the archaeology and cultures of Native Americans in the Carolinas, with displays of stone tools, pottery and other artifacts found in the region. Opening hours are limited and can change, so call ahead before planning a visit.
A cultural center in downtown Laurinburg that celebrates the Southern tradition of storytelling, with performances, a gallery, workshops and an annual storytelling festival. Check the calendar for evening events, which are the best way to experience the center.
A small university on a campus with a large lake and modern buildings, known for its equestrian program and riding center. Visitors can walk the lakeside paths and attend horse shows, games and performances. Respect campus rules and park in visitor areas when you visit.
A state park along the blackwater Lumber River, a National Wild and Scenic River, with the Chalk Banks access near Wagram in Scotland County. It offers canoeing, kayaking, fishing, picnic areas and short trails among cypress and longleaf pine. Paddling is calm and suitable for beginners.
A large state game land of longleaf pine forest and sandy ridges north of Laurinburg, home to the rare red-cockaded woodpecker. It is used for hunting, birding, hiking and horseback riding on dirt roads. Wear bright colors during hunting seasons and check rules before you visit.
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North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
Photo: Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Photo: Gerry Dincher, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Gerry Dincher, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Indy beetle, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Indy beetle, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Indy beetle, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
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