Cross Creek & Campbellton

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The immigrant Scots established the community of Cross Creek in 1746 close to the merge of the Cape Fear River and the Cross Creek. At that time the settlement was a part of Bladen County (now called "The Mother of Counties), but in 1754 the NC colonial government divided Bladen County, creating Cumberland County which included Cross Creek. To remind the Highlanders of their defeat at Culloden the ruling English named it after William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, King George II's brother and commander of the English Army at the Battle of Culloden. In 1762, Campbellton was established at Cross Creek with provisions for public buildings. In 1778 Cross Creek and Campbellton were joined and the courthouse was ordered to be erected in the part of town known as Cross Creek and the two became Campbellton.

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In 1783, following the American War of Independence, Campbellton was the largest trading center in the newly named State of North Carolina, and as such was under consideration by the General Assembly as a potential site for the state capital. That possibility prompted local leaders to change Campbellton's name to Fayetteville in honor of the popular Marquis de la Lafayette, the French general who aided the colonies during the war. The name change was part of the efforts to boost the community's chances of landing the capital, although in the end it didn't matter. Raleigh was named the state capital.

 

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