The Wilmington, Charlotte, and Rutherfordton Railroad was the first to cross Robeson County. It had stops in communities that no longer exist, such as Bellamy and Alma. The Maxton station, shown here, was the last stop in Robeson County. This photograph is courtesy of the Carolina Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill and is featured in…
Category: Blog
Maxton – Eliza McQueen
Miss Eliza McQueen of Maxton, a milliner, is shown wearing one of her elaborate designs. At one time no lady would be seen outside of her home without her hat and gloves. This photograph is courtesy of the Maxton Historical Society and is featured in my book Images of America- Robeson County.
Fairmont – Pittman Drug Co
For time out of mind men have gathered in front of stores on benches to contemplate the problems of the world. Luke Blue, J.P. Brown, Wiley Taylor, Knox Kyle, Marvin Stubbs, Hyden Rouse, Royal Rouse, Nance Jones and John Gibson are doing just that in front of the Pittman Drug Company in Fairmont. This photograph…
A Century of Service by K. Blake Tyner
Who would have thought that when Joe Sugar was driving his wagon to Raleigh in 1916 and stopped to check out a store in St. Pauls, NC that 100 years later his grandson and namesake would still be operating the family business. The journey took many twist and turns from his immigration to store owner….
When Sherman’s troops invaded Robeson County by K. Blake Tyner
After Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s Union Army devastated Atlanta, he began his infamous march through the South in early January 1865. By March 7, his troops had reached North Carolina and begun their reign of terror on Robeson County. While Sherman himself passed through the Laurinburg area on his way toward Fayetteville, his troops were…
Stephens Funeral Home served Robeson for 67 years by K. Blake Tyner
Driving down Elm Street in Lumberton, N.C., you see the typical architecture that is found in most Southern towns. But when you reach the 600 block, you find a Spanish-style building with a distinctive letter S over the arched entryway. The building is so different that it stands out, raising curiosities about its history. This…
Burneys built Lumberton Landmarks By K. Blake Tyner
A walk around downtown Lumberton reveals many unique and interesting buildings. If you venture out of the commercial district into the nearby residential areas you will find equally wonderful homes. A desire to find out more about who designed and built these monuments for the movers and shakers of Lumberton led me on a trip…
Red Springs the Saratoga of the South by K. Blake Tyner
For centuries people have been drawn to the mineral springs in America and around the world. It was claimed that the waters of Saratoga, New York would cure kidney and liver complaints, rheumatism, diabetes, heartburn, cancer, malaria, hangovers and, “weakness of women”. The red colored waters of Red Springs became a drawing card for those…
Small Stone Marks at Large Life by K. Blake Tyner
For nearly 70 years a granite monument stood at the intersection of U.S. 501 and N.C. 710 on the outskirts of Rowland. The monument honored Dr. James Robert Adair – physician, patriot, Indian trader and author. Monument ceremony The hot summer sun beat down on August 2, 1934 as the Robeson-Richmond Committee of the National…
Laurinburg Maxton Airbase – Start to Finish by K. Blake Tyner
December 7th, 1941, was justly called a “day that will live in infamy.” Indeed, repercussions of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor from Japan were felt even in the Robeson county area. The immediate response found the men and women volunteering to enlist in the nation’s armed forces. World War II left lasting mark on…