94-494: Fair Bluff is a town in Columbus County , North Carolina , United States that was devastated by coastal flooding from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and inundated again by high water by Hurricane Florence in 2018. Before the two events, the population was 951 at the 2010 census but is believed to be lower following the two disasters, some estimates going as low as 450 people. The shrinking of town's size, and damage from
188-549: A Spanish settlement on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina , was the capital of La Florida from 1566 to 1587. It was founded by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , the first governor of Spanish Florida. There had been a number of earlier attempts to establish colonies in the area by both the Spanish and the French, who had been inspired by earlier accounts of the plentiful land of Chicora . Menéndez's Santa Elena settlement shifted
282-607: A bill setting the border. North Carolina's Senate also passed a bill, which also had to clear the House . North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed his state's bill in June. Three families who actually lived in North Carolina had South Carolina addresses, and 16 South Carolina residents had believed they lived in North Carolina. On December 9, 2016, McCrory announced that he signed a four-page executive order formally defining
376-414: A community was platted on land owned by James B. White for the purpose of creating a county seat. It was originally known as White's Crossing before being incorporated as Whiteville in 1832. The first courthouse and jail, made of wood, were built there in 1809. At the time of its creation, Columbus County was sparsely populated. A new brick courthouse and jail were erected in 1852. The construction of
470-516: A couple and transported them into South Carolina. Abduction crossing state lines was a federal crime , and as a result the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) became involved. In February 1952 the FBI, state agents, and county sheriff's deputies initiated a crackdown and arrested 11 Klansmen responsible for the October abduction. Law enforcement made additional arrests over subsequent months. Of
564-465: A decline in the 1990s. Between 1999 and 2014, the county lost about 2,000 manufacturing jobs. The number of local farmers also declined. The county was heavily impacted by Hurricane Florence in 2018. Columbus County is bordered by Bladen County , Pender County , Brunswick County , and Robeson County in North Carolina and Horry County and Dillon County in South Carolina. According to
658-706: A former FBI informant moved to the county and reported that he was being told to pay bribes to ensure the smooth operation of his business. Taking into account the previous complains they had received, upon being informed the FBI initiated an undercover investigation into corruption in Columbus County, codenamed "Colcor". FBI agents posed as corrupt businessmen with connections to the Detroit Mafia . They set up an illegal gambling club in Lake Waccamaw to make connections with locals and paid bribes to
752-452: A local judge and the town's police chief to protect their operation. The agents also paid bribes to county commission chairman Ed Walton Williamson in exchange for political influence. With Williamson's help, the agents devised a scheme to investigate election fraud by instigating a referendum in the town of Bolton to legalize liquor-by-the-drink and supplying a local political leader with funds to buy votes to achieve their desired outcome,
846-506: A mainstay of the economy in the town. Tobacco was a major commodity grown in the area. By the eighties, tobacco growing subsided. This caused a shift for the town and its citizens. The downtown continued to thrive until the late 1980s when a car dealership moved from the business district to another location. Haphazard town planning saw a mixture of residential, business, and industry all over town. Tens of millions in US government grants poured into
940-601: A more significant industrial base than most Southern states. As mechanization increased in farming, along with textiles, apparel, and furniture jobs shifting because of globalization , combined with the decline of the tobacco industry, many rural and small urban communities suffered economically. During the late 20th century, both states began to experience growth in the technological and banking sectors, bringing jobs, population growth, and new economic industries. These changes, as with earlier industrialization, were more pronounced in North Carolina, with South Carolina experiencing
1034-619: A new petition for Greene's removal from office, including a request to permanently disqualify him from elected office in Columbus County. Greene would later resign from office for the second time in January 2023. As of January 2024, a federal investigation into the actions of Sheriff Jody Greene and the Columbus County Sheriff's Office was pending. After the Reconstruction era , Columbus County's politics fell under
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#17327917942501128-665: A railroad along the Bladen-Columbus border in the 1860s spurred growth. The laying of the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad later in the decade connected Whiteville with Wilmington and supported the development of strong lumber and naval stores industries. The county also produced corn, wheat, cotton, and wool. Most white men in the county fought during the American Civil War , while most free blacks and mulattoes were exempted from service. The county
1222-467: A region of small farms and factories heavily dependent on just a few labor-intensive crops, relying on sharecropping and tenancy , especially for black laborers. The Carolinas are distinct for their economic dependence on tobacco as well as on cotton and rice, and for their many small-scale furniture, textile , and tobacco factories. These industries gave the Carolinas, particularly North Carolina,
1316-411: A school. As of June 2018, the rebuilding effort was still underway but several hundred residents who had fled rising floodwaters never returned and a number of businesses remained shuttered. In September 2018 Fair Bluff was flooded again by the impact of Hurricane Florence, again forcing evacuations and leaving the downtown area under water again, and destroying 72 homes. After Florence, many buildings in
1410-540: A sizeable community, and became the base of operations for the Jesuits and military working in the northern zone of Spanish Florida . From this base the Spanish founded a number of other ephemeral forts as far inland as the Appalachian Mountains , but resistance from local Native American tribes and the lack of interest of Spain in the area, caused these to be abandoned, relocated or destroyed. Santa Elena
1504-702: A slower rate of economic growth for several years. Since the 1980s, North Carolina has emerged as a financial hub with Charlotte becoming the second-largest financial district in the United States after New York City. Charlotte is headquarters to several major publicly traded corporations such as Bank of America , Truist Financial , and the East Coast operations of Wells Fargo , and Centene Corporation , as well as six other Fortune 500 companies, including Lowe's , Duke Energy , Nucor , Honeywell , Brighthouse Financial , and Sonic Automotive . According to
1598-584: A smaller unionist presence, although the Upstate region of the state was a haven for Confederate Army deserters and resisters, as they used the Upstate topography and traditional community relations to resist service in the Confederate ranks. The culture of the Carolinas is a distinct subset of larger Southern culture . Notably, the coastal Carolinas region was settled by Europeans over a century before
1692-569: Is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners. The county is represented in the North Carolina Senate in district 8 and in the North Carolina House of Representatives in district 46 . The county is a member of the regional Cape Fear Council of Governments , where it participates in area planning on a variety of issues. Columbus County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 15th Prosecutorial District,
1786-680: Is located at 34°18′40″N 79°1′57″W / 34.31111°N 79.03250°W / 34.31111; -79.03250 (34.311212, -79.032387), The town lies within the Carolina Border Belt, a regional network of tobacco markets and warehouses along both sides of the North Carolina-South Carolina border . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km), all land. As of
1880-634: Is served by a single hospital, Columbus Regional Healthcare System, based in Whiteville. According to the 2022 County Health Rankings produced by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Columbus County ranked 91st in health outcomes of North Carolina's 100 counties, an improvement over recent years, as it was ranked last from 2010 to 2015. Per the ranking, 26 percent of adults say they are in poor or fair health,
1974-739: The Tuscarora and Yamasee wars. Afterward most of the Tuscarora people migrated north, joining other Iroquoian-speaking peoples of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in New York State by 1722. At that point the leaders declared their migration ended and the tribe officially relocated to that area. The Waccamaw Siouan ancestors retreated for safety to an area of Green Swamp near Lake Waccamaw . Throughout
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#17327917942502068-445: The 2020 census , there were 50,623 people residing in the county. Unlike the 2010 census figures, the population of incarcerated persons were included in the 2020 figures. In proportions, the county was racially/ethnically 59.3 percent white, 28.6 percent black, 5.8 percent Hispanic, 3.4 percent American Indian, 0.3 percent Asian, 0.2 percent Pacific Islander, 3 percent two or more races, and 0.3 percent other. Compared to state averages,
2162-660: The American Civil War (1861–1865), South Carolina was the first Southern state to secede from the Union, while North Carolina was the second to last state to secede. South Carolina was generally one of the strongest supporters of the Confederacy . The war began in Charleston, South Carolina, where cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy, known as The Citadel , fired the opening shots at
2256-566: The Board of Trade in London two years earlier, Burrington had "insisted that the Waccamaw should be the boundary from its mouth to its head," while South Carolina agreed the border should be located 30 miles (48 km) from the mouth , not the source. Johnson said this was "only a mistake in wording it." Both Carolinas selected commissioners to survey the line between them. The plan called for
2350-543: The North Carolina Court of Appeals , leaving in place the 90 to 117-month prison sentence originally imposed. Lewis will not be eligible for parole before November 2022. In 2016, the town was devastated by flooding on the Lumber River caused by Hurricane Matthew, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Floodwaters reached the town hall, police department, fire department, a grocery store, and
2444-885: The Pelicans . At that time, the Hornets also regained sole ownership of the pre-relocation history of the original Charlotte Hornets. The Hurricanes formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association . After the NHL-WHA merger in 1979, they joined the NHL as the Hartford Whalers until 1997 when they relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina . Currently, the Hurricanes are
2538-609: The Province of Carolina during America's early colonial period, from 1663 to 1712. Prior to that, the land was considered part of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia , from 1609 to 1663. The province was named Carolina to honor King Charles I of England . Carolina is taken from the Latin word for "Charles", Carolus . The region was claimed as part of the Spanish territory named La Florida by Ponce de Leon in 1513. Santa Elena ,
2632-594: The Tabor City Tribune in reporting on Klan activities and denouncing the organization, leading to threats against Cole. The following January the Klansmen began night raids on homes, abducting and flogging residents who they felt had violated traditional mores . Over the following months the Klan continued to conduct raids, heightening local tensions. In early October 1951 Klansmen from Fair Bluff abducted
2726-499: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total land area of 955.00 square miles (2,473.4 km ), of which 938.12 square miles (2,429.7 km ) is land and 16.88 square miles (43.7 km ) (1.77%) is water. It is the third-largest county in North Carolina by land area. Columbus is drained by the Lumber River and Waccamaw River. There are several large lakes within the county, including Lake Tabor and Lake Waccamaw. One of
2820-454: The U.S. state of North Carolina , on its southeastern border. Its county seat is Whiteville . As of the 2020 census , the population is 50,623. The 2020 census showed a loss of 12.9% of the population from that of 2010. This included an inmate prison population of approximately 2,500. The area comprising Columbus County was originally inhabited by the Waccamaw people. Historically,
2914-657: The West Indies and Barbados . In 1729 the Province of Carolina was divided when the descendants of seven of the eight Lords Proprietors sold their shares back to the Crown. Only the heirs of Sir George Carteret retained their original rights to what would become the Granville District . Both the Province of North Carolina and the Province of South Carolina became British Crown Colonies in 1729. During
Fair Bluff, North Carolina - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-473: The census of 2000, there were 1,181 people, 505 households, and 308 families residing in the town. The population density was 547.4 inhabitants per square mile (211.4/km). There were 588 housing units at an average density of 272.6 per square mile (105.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 59.27% African American , 37.93% White , 0.68% Native American , 1.19% from other races , and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of
3102-528: The "eastern Siouans" had territories extending through the area of Columbus County prior to any European exploration or settlement in the 16th century. English colonial settlement in what was known as Carolina did not increase until the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Following epidemics of new infectious diseases , to which indigenous peoples were exposed in trading and other contact, the Waccamaw and other Native Americans often suffered disruption and fatalities when caught between larger tribes and colonists in
3196-671: The 13A Superior Court District, and the 13th District Court District. The Columbus County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for the county as well as operating the Columbus County Detention Center. There are two state prisons within Columbus County: In November 2022, Sheriff Jody Greene was re-elected to office after resigning several weeks prior due to allegations of obstructing justice and racism. Immediately after his re-election, District Attorney Jon David filed
3290-504: The 1813–1815 survey and GPS technology. A few stone markers still read, "NC/SC 1815 AD " but other locations were marked with trees which no longer stand. South Carolina had recently been involved in a costly legal battle with Georgia over a small number of islands in the Savannah River , and wanted to avoid the expense of a lawsuit regarding the North Carolina border, so the two states agreed in 1993 to cooperate in resurveying
3384-532: The 19th century, the Waccamaw Siouan were seldom mentioned in the historical record. If descendants intermarried with whites and/or African Americans, their children were assumed to lose their Indian status, although they were often reared in Indian culture. Since North Carolina was a slave society, whites classified anyone with visible African features as slaves and blacks first. As America was colonized by
3478-477: The 20th century, South Carolina was a bastion of the " solid Democratic South " with almost no Republican officeholders, and the state frequently elected politicians who were outspoken supporters of racial segregation . North Carolina, while mostly Democratic , contained a large Republican minority – the state voted Republican in the presidential election of 1928 and elected several Republican congressmen, governors, and senators from 1868 to 1928 – and North Carolina
3572-655: The British, the area encompassing Columbus County was first organized part of the Bath Precinct of North Carolina, established by the British Crown in 1696. In 1729 a southern portion was split off by the General Assembly to create New Hanover County, and five years later Bladen was formed out of part of New Hanover. In 1764 Brunswick County was formed out of Bladen and New Hanover. Throughout this time
3666-524: The Cape Fear headwaters were very close to Virginia, which would not have "permitted any extension on the part of North Carolina to the westward." In 1732, Governor George Burrington of North Carolina stated in Timothy's Southern Gazette that territory north of the Waccamaw was in North Carolina, to which Johnson replied that South Carolina claimed the land. Johnson also said that when the two met before
3760-574: The Carolinas first formed during the late 20th century. The oldest pro team in the Carolinas, the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, were established in 1988, while the youngest, Major League Soccer 's Charlotte FC , were established in 2019. The Hornets were known as the Bobcats from 2004 to 2014, and were renamed the Hornets again in May 2014, one season after the former New Orleans Hornets decided to rebrand themselves as
3854-567: The Confederacy alive, because of their deepwater ports in Wilmington and Charleston. These two cities were key in supplying Southern armies with weapons, clothing, and ammunition, and producing food and provisions for Southern civilians. A Unionist presence would persist throughout North Carolina during the Civil War, with North Carolina forming its own Union Army regiments . In South Carolina, no Union Army regiments were formed due to
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3948-679: The Lords Proprietor title to all of the land from the southern border of the Virginia Colony at 36 degrees north to 31 degrees north (along the coast of present-day Georgia). The establishment of separate colonies did not officially occur until 1729, when seven of the Lords Proprietors sold their interests in Carolina to the Crown , and both North Carolina and South Carolina became royal colonies. In 1665,
4042-525: The Pee Dee crossed the 35th parallel. An extension of the line in 1737 ran 22 miles (35 km) to a stake in a meadow. However, the stake placed at the endpoint of the survey was 12 miles (19 km) too far south. In 1764, a second extension ran 62 miles (100 km) westward. In 1772, after making adjustments to keep the Catawba Indians in South Carolina, "extended in a due west course from
4136-465: The Police Chief of Fair Bluff Marty Lewis was arrested, tried and convicted for selling and delivering oxycodone and possession with the intent to sell and conspiracy to traffic while acting as police chief. He was sentenced to a minimum of seven years in prison and fined $ 100,000. On April 9, 2015, Marty Lewis filled an appeal of his case. On November 3, 2015, the verdict was unanimously affirmed by
4230-651: The Prefatory Notes to Volume 5 of the Colonial Records of North Carolina , the process of determining the boundary between North and South Carolina began in 1720 "when the purpose to erect a third Province in Carolina, with Savannah for its northern boundary" began. On 8 January 1730 an agreement between the two colonies said for the border "to begin 30 miles (48 km) southwest of the Cape Fear River , and to be run at that parallel distance
4324-527: The Union Ship Star of the West . North Carolina was also a key Confederate state, raising and supplying many regiments of soldiers to the Confederacy. At Gettysburg, one in four Confederate soldiers was from North Carolina, despite the fact that some North Carolinians (especially in the western part of the state) refused to support the Confederacy. North Carolina's Civil War governor, Zebulon Vance ,
4418-559: The area was largely forested and had few white settlers, though the General Assembly established two roads through the area in 1764. William Bartram , a botanist from Pennsylvania, journeyed to Lake Waccamaw to study the flora and fauna of the region in the 1730s, creating the first detailed written account of the area. At least two skirmishes of the American Revolutionary War were fought on Columbus soil: one near Pireway and another at Brown Marsh. Columbus County
4512-507: The average life expectancy is 74 years, and 17 percent of people under the age of 65 lack health insurance . Columbus County has been heavily impacted by the opioid epidemic and led the state in opioid pills per person from 2006 to 2012 averaging 113.5 pills per person per year. North Carolina-South Carolina border The Carolinas , also known simply as Carolina , are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to
4606-403: The average family size was 2.98. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.5 males. The median income for a household in the town
4700-981: The border between the two states based on the 20 years of work. The Carolinas have three professional sports teams in the Big Four major leagues : the Carolina Panthers of the NFL , the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA , and the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL . Supported by both states, the three teams are all based in NC, with two in Charlotte and the third in Raleigh. Professional sports franchises in
4794-430: The border. The effort included using colonial-era maps to reconstruct the positions of trees marking the border that had long since died, and tracking down the original positions of stone markers that had been moved. After 18 years and $ 980,000, it was predicted that the process of determining the border between the Carolinas would be complete in 2012. Financial problems delayed the last survey until October 2012, meaning
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#17327917942504888-522: The charter was revised slightly, with the northerly boundary extended to 36 degrees 30 minutes north to include the lands of the Albemarle Settlements along the Albemarle Sound , which had been settled mainly by Virginians migrating south. Likewise, the southern boundary was moved south to 29 degrees north, just south of present-day Daytona Beach, Florida , which had the effect of including the existing Spanish settlement at St. Augustine, an unenforceable overreach of English power. The charter also granted all
4982-416: The city beginning in the mid-1980s until present day. But the town continued to decline and people left for better opportunities elsewhere. The decline in Fair Bluff was similar to neighboring towns of Tabor City , Boardman , Brunswick , Cerro Gordo , and Chadbourn . A town manager was hired to handle administrative duties of the town, In 1999, Fair Bluff experienced a devastating flood event. In 2012,
5076-408: The coast. Then they turned northwest and marked the location with stakes. The surveyors agreed to meet again on September 18. However, only the North Carolina team returned at that time, extending the line northwest 70 miles (110 km). The South Carolina team arrived in October and followed the previous line for only 40 miles (64 km) because they had not been paid. A deputy surveyor marked where
5170-419: The confluence of the north and south forks of the Catawba River to Tryon Mountain ." However, this extension was based on the erroneous position of the 1737 stake, removing 422,000 acres (1,710 km ) from South Carolina. Joseph Caldwell , president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , found that the line west of the Pee Dee did not run along the 35th parallel, but 12 miles (19 km) to
5264-452: The country's two most politically similar states, according to a comparison of the states along a range of 19 variables performed by the statistician Nate Silver in 2008. Historically, like much of the South, the Carolinas economy was one based around agriculture production. The predominance of certain crops would help influence the regional economy: Like other [Southern] states, until after World War II , North Carolina remained primarily
5358-418: The county , which mostly serves rural areas, and one for the city of Whiteville. Both are led by elected school boards. The county government maintains a system of six libraries. The county also hosts Southeastern Community College . According to the 2021 American Community Survey , an estimated 14.1 percent of county residents have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Columbus County
5452-632: The county hosts about 36,200 registered voters, comprising about 15,344 registered Democrats, 10,100 registered Republicans and 10,700 unaffiliated. Despite Democrats' registration advantage, only one unopposed Democrat was elected to a county office in the 2022 local general elections. In 2024, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won the county with 67 percent of its vote. The economy of Columbus County centers on agriculture and manufacturing. Columbus farmers produce crops such as pecans and peanuts, along with soybeans, potatoes, and corn. Cattle, poultry, and catfish are other agricultural products in
5546-456: The county reported higher proportions of black and American Indian residents and lower proportions of white, Asian, and Hispanic residents. Whiteville is the largest municipality. Between 2010 and 2020, Columbus County lost 7,475 residents, a population decline of 12.9 percent. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded declines in 12 of 14 reported communities. Census experts anticipate a further population decline between 2020 and 2030. Columbus County
5640-469: The county. The North Carolina Department of Commerce classifies the county as economically distressed and it has regularly suffered from a higher unemployment rate than the state average. Airplane facilities are provided by the Columbus County Municipal Airport in Whiteville. The R.J. Corman Railroad Group operates a shortline railroad in the county. Columbus is one of the few counties in North Carolina that has two public school systems: one for
5734-431: The county. Factories in the region produce textiles, tools, and plywood. Household products such as doors, furniture, and windows are also manufactured in Columbus. The county hosts two industrial parks and shares a third with Brunswick County. International Paper is the largest employer. According to census figures, over 14,000 Columbus residents commute to other counties for work, while about 7,600 residents work within
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#17327917942505828-448: The course of the investigation. Of those indicted, 38 were convicted of crimes, with many reaching plea bargains with prosecutors. The U.S. House of Representatives and the North Carolina State Board of Elections were critical of the FBI's involvement in the vote-buying sting surrounding the liquor referendum in Bolton, with the Board of Elections ultimately nullifying the referendum. The manufacturing sector in Columbus County began
5922-451: The differences between the two states, Gunther noted that, in 1947, divorce in North Carolina "may be granted simply on the ground of absence of cohabitation; South Carolina is the one American state in which divorce is not possible." Despite North Carolina being a swing state in presidential elections since the early 21st century, and South Carolina being one that reliably votes for Republican presidential candidates , they are technically
6016-522: The domination of the Democratic Party . Through much of the 20th century, local primaries were the preeminent political contests, marked by intense intraparty competition. General elections often displayed low turnout. Throughout much of the 2000s, the county electorate regularly supported Republican presidential candidates and Democratic local and state candidates. Following the election of Democrat Barack Obama as U.S. president in 2008, Republicans' performance in local races markedly improved. As of 2022,
6110-434: The downtown area of the town lay abandoned, with no plans to reoccupy or fix them. The town's only factory closed several months later, and hundreds of residents moved away. The federal government bought out some residents' properties, straining the municipal government's tax base. The town government drew up plans to level the historic business district and turn it into a park, and build a new business district further away from
6204-455: The first time the FBI had ever tried to manipulate a public election. The town ultimately voted in favor of legalizing liquor-by-the-drink. The agents were also asked by State Representative G. Ronald Taylor to burn down a business competitor's property, though Taylor eventually enlisted other men to commit the arson. The FBI publicly revealed the Colcor operation on July 29, 1982. A total of 40 people were indicted for crimes observed during
6298-431: The focus of Spanish colonial efforts northward from St. Augustine , which had been established in 1565 to drive the French from their colony of Fort Caroline . Santa Elena was ultimately built at the site of the abandoned French outpost of Charlesfort , founded in 1562 by Jean Ribault . The establishment of Santa Elena followed the destruction of the French Fort Caroline by Menéndez in 1565. The Spanish settlement housed
6392-462: The inland regions of the South. There was a particular early influence of Caribbean culture , especially from the English colony of Barbados ; from which came many of the early governors during the unified period . Though the two states both make up part of the Southern United States, there are historically a number of differences in the settlement patterns, political development, and economic growth between North and South Carolina. During most of
6486-435: The land, between these northerly and southerly bounds, from the Atlantic Ocean, westward to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, an even more unenforceable overreach. Between 1663 and 1729 there were many disagreements relating to defense, governance and the difference between the two differing agrarian styles employed by the inhabitants of the Colony of Virginia and that practiced by the planters arriving to Charles Town from
6580-401: The line of 1772 until 1813. A 1905 survey determined the border between Scotland County, North Carolina and Marlboro County, South Carolina . A 1928 survey decided the border between Horry County, South Carolina and Brunswick and Columbus counties in North Carolina. In the mid-1990s, Duke Power determined that the border between the Carolinas needed to be re-surveyed, as the company
6674-410: The line to run northwest to 35 degrees latitude , unless the Pee Dee River was reached first, in which case it would run along the Pee Dee to 35 degrees north. Then the line would run west to Catawba town , though if the town were north of the line, the line was to run around Catawba to keep it in South Carolina. In May 1735, the surveyors went from the Cape Fear westward 30 miles (48 km) along
6768-598: The most significant geographic features is the Green Swamp , a 15,907-acre area in the north-eastern portion of the county. Highway 211 passes alongside it. The swamp contains several unique and endangered species, such as the venus flytrap . The area contains the Brown Marsh Swamp, and has a remnant of the giant longleaf pine forest that once stretched across the Southeast from Virginia to Texas. As of
6862-617: The most successful after their 2006 Stanley Cup championship marked the first professional sports title for the region. In 2019, a Major League Soccer team was awarded to Charlotte, and begin play in 2022. Bank of America Stadium currently hosts three major sporting events, the Duke's Mayo Bowl , the Belk Kickoff Game and the ACC Championship Game . Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts three major NASCAR events,
6956-444: The name, in honor of that king, of Carolana". " Carolus is Latin for 'Charles'. The charter was unrealized and later ruled invalid. On March 24, 1663, Charles II issued a new charter to a group of eight English noblemen, granting them the land of Carolina, as a reward for their faithful support of his efforts to regain the throne of England. The eight were called Lords Proprietor or simply Proprietors . The 1663 charter granted
7050-605: The near 100 Klansmen arrested, 63 including Hamilton were convicted of various crimes. For their efforts against the Klan, in 1953 the Tabor City Tribune and The News Reporter won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service . By the early 1980s, Columbus County had a reputation for intense political competition marked by accusations of fraud and impropriety. The FBI had received several complaints from local police officers and residents about alleged protection rackets run by public officials and election fraud . In early 1980
7144-497: The new state, and continue in the same schools. Lake Wylie Minimarket could be grandfathered , or Congress could change the defined border at the store's location, though the commission intended to avoid such an action. As of August 2014, the states were expected to pass legislation to mitigate many of the negative impacts to affected landowners. On June 1, 2016, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed
7238-443: The north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining North Carolina's population of 10,439,388 and South Carolina's of 5,118,425, the Carolinas have a collective population of 15,557,813 as of 2020. If the Carolinas were a single state of the United States, it would be the fifth-most populous state , behind California, Texas, Florida, and New York. The Carolinas were known as
7332-407: The population. There were 505 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 20.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and
7426-478: The publisher of the Tabor City Tribune , issued an editorial the following day denouncing the Klan as a violent group and urging local residents to ignore them, leading to a threatening note being placed on his car the following day. The county hosted many Klan sympathizers and a Klavern was organized later that year in Whiteville. The News Reporter of Whiteville, led by editor Willard Cole, joined
7520-888: The results were not expected to be known until Spring 2013. It was found that a gas station and 30 homes could change states. Lake Wylie Mini Market has been located in South Carolina, along U.S. Route 321 , and the move to North Carolina would result in higher gas taxes and change laws on beer and fireworks . The state legislatures involved expect to pass laws alleviating the concerns those changing states would face. The Joint Boundary Commission met in February 2014 in Monroe, North Carolina , to determine what actions still needed to be taken. The persons living in 50 homes that changed states would have to get driver's licenses and register to vote in their new states. Legislative action could allow people to keep utilities, avoid back taxes to
7614-506: The river. Fair Bluff has a part-time town manager, assisted by the elected town mayor and town council. The town manager also works for five other deteriorating towns in Columbus County. Fair Bluff is in the 13th District for the North Carolina Senate, represented by Michael Walters as of September 2014, and in the 46th district for the North Carolina House of Representatives, where, as of September 2021, they are represented by Tabor City native and used car dealer Brenden Jones . Fair Bluff
7708-473: The south. However, the western part of the line ran far enough to the north to make up for the difference. West of this point the border was shifted to run north of the 35th parallel so that the total areas of the states would return to what was intended, although the accuracy of this part of the survey was marred by a magnetic anomaly in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. North Carolina did not agree to
7802-528: The storms has led to a rapid decline in tax base. Fair Bluff was the name originally given to a bluff overlooking the Lumber River . In 1807 plans were made to build a town upon the lands of John Wooton at the bluff to be known as Wootonton. The town was established but the name was never changed. The community was reincorporated in 1873. The Powell House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Agriculture has always been
7896-469: The whole course of said river;" The next June Governor Robert Johnson of South Carolina said the border should start 30 miles (48 km) southwest of the source of the Cape Fear "due west as far as the South Sea", unless the " Waccamaw River lyes [sic] within 30 miles (48 km) of the Cape Fear river," which would make the Waccamaw the boundary. North Carolina agreed to this until the discovery that
7990-503: The world. Another courthouse and jail were built in 1914. In 1950 Thomas Hamilton, a South Carolina leader of a white supremacist Ku Klux Klan chapter, began a recruiting campaign to expand his organization's reach into Columbus County, focusing on the towns of Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Tabor City, and Whiteville. In late July they paraded through Tabor City, passing out handbills which exhorted white men to join them in resisting "Jews, nigger, and integrationist quacks". W. Horace Carter ,
8084-417: Was $ 17,008, and the median income for a family was $ 22,969. Males had a median income of $ 20,764 versus $ 16,731 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 9,829. About 31.8% of families and 37.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 50.9% of those under age 18 and 24.3% of those age 65 or over. Columbus County, North Carolina Columbus County is a county located in
8178-478: Was an outspoken critic of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and frequently refused to obey Davis's orders for reinforcements and supplies; Vance insisted the soldiers and supplies would be needed for North Carolina's Confederate effort. However, during the seven days' battles, North Carolina did send large numbers of troops for the general aid of the South as a whole. The Carolinas were both instrumental in keeping
8272-422: Was annexed to Columbus. In the post-Reconstruction period, after white Democrats regained dominance in politics, they emphasized white supremacy and classified all non-whites as black. For instance, Native Americans could not attend schools for white children. Toward the end of the century, the U.S. Census recorded common Waccamaw surnames among individuals in the small isolated communities of this area. Tobacco
8366-399: Was created by the General Assembly on December 15, 1808, to make it easier for local residents to conduct official business without having to travel to the seat of Brunswick County. Columbus was formed from parts of Bladen and Brunswick counties and named in honor of Christopher Columbus . The county's borders were modified several times by legislative act between 1809 and 1821. In 1810,
8460-526: Was introduced as a crop in Columbus in 1896, and that year a tobacco warehouse was established in Fair Bluff. It remained a marginal crop until 1914, and at the conclusion of World War I overtook cotton as the county's major cash crop. The county's first bank was opened in 1903. Strawberries were introduced at Chadbourn in 1895, and by 1907 Chadbourn had become one of the leading strawberry producers in
8554-489: Was selling and donating land in the Jocassee Gorge area, which included parts of both states. Also, with more people living outside cities, the precise boundaries of fire, tax, and school district lines needed to be known. This was especially a problem in the mountains, where people had previously lived in valleys, not on the ridges where the border was. A 15-year plan to re-establish the boundary began, using maps from
8648-414: Was spared direct fighting, but the war demands stressed the local labor and food markets, and severe rains in 1863 diminished grain yields. Most residents resorted to trade via the barter system. After Wilmington fell to Union troops in February 1865, Union marauders sacked Whiteville. After the war Columbus' economy grew more heavily reliant on corn and cotton production. In 1877, part of Brunswick County
8742-484: Was ultimately abandoned in 1587, with its survivors relocating to St. Augustine. The Spanish never pressed their colonial claims to the area again, focusing on other areas of the American continent. The territory was thereafter left to the native Americans until October 30, 1629, when Charles I granted a patent to his attorney-general, Sir Robert Heath , for the lands south of 36 degrees and north of 31 degrees , "under
8836-420: Was widely known as one of the more progressive Southern states on the issue of segregation and civil rights. In 1947, the journalist John Gunther wrote, "that North Carolina is by a good deal the most progressive Southern state will, I imagine, be agreed to by almost everybody." On the other hand, he described South Carolina as "one of the poorest American states, and probably one of the balkiest." In describing
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