Maxton is a town in Robeson and

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

counties,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, United States. The population was 2,426 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census.

History

The Maxton area was first settled in the 18th century. The community was incorporated in 1874 under the name of Shoe Heel. The name changed to Tilden, in honor of 1876 U.S. President candidate Samuel J. Tilden. The name reverted to Shoe Heel in 1881 before finally settling on Maxton in 1887. As agriculture in the industry consolidated into larger corporate ventures in the 1960s, Maxton's status as a local market town declined. Far away from major transportation links such as

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...

, its economy continued to wane in following decades without the arrival of new industry. White people began leaving in search of better prospects, leading Maxton to become a majority-black town by 2000. With a newly-elected government comprising many black officials, the town began expanding its incorporated limits to include many old black neighborhoods. In 2004 a highway bypass around the town was completed, depriving local businesses of the spending of travelers they had hitherto enjoyed. The Maxton Historic District was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1999.

Educational institutions

Maxton is the location of several former, but historically important schools. Flora MacDonald College was founded in 1841. It was the first college in North Carolina to grant degrees to women.

Charles N. Hunter ''For the educator, please see Charles Norfleet Hunter'' Charles Newton Hunter (January 11, 1906, Oneida, New York - June 14, 1978, Cheyenne, Wyoming) was the author of the book ''Galahad'' (1963) a first person account of the Burma Campaign i ...

a famous African-American educator who would go on to found the

North Carolina Industrial Association North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

opened his first school in Maxton. Carolina College was a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

college for women which operated in Maxton, North Carolina, from 1912 to 1926. Carolina Military Academy (Maxton, North Carolina) was a

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

school for boys (7th - 12th grade + post graduate which operated in Maxton, North Carolina, from 1963 to 1972. The school opened it doors to female day students during the 1970 - 1971 school year.

Confrontation between the Lumbee and the Ku Klux Klan

In January 1958, the Ku Klux Klan burned crosses on the lawns of two

Lumbee The Lumbee are a Native American people primarily centered in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties in North Carolina. They also live in surrounding states and Baltimore, Maryland. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is a state-rec ...

families. A few nights later, on January 18, 1958, the Lumbee surrounded and disrupted a public Klan rally near Maxton, dispersing the Klansmen, some of whom left under police protection while others escaped into the woods. The confrontation made national headlines, and the Klan never again held a public rally in Robeson County, even as they gained influence over the next decade in North Carolina. The Lumbee refer to the event as the

Battle of Hayes Pond The Battle of Hayes Pond, also known as the Battle of Maxton Field or the Maxton Riot, was an armed confrontation between members of a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) organization and Lumbee, Lumbee Indians at a Klan rally near Maxton, North Carolina, on the ...

, and celebrate it as a holiday.

Geography

Maxton is located at (34.738147, -79.351068). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.8 km²), all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 2,110 people, 1,006 households, and 644 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 2,551 people, 985 households, and 676 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 1,145.3 people per square mile (441.7/km²). There were 1,073 housing units at an average density of 481.7 per square mile (185.8/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the town was 25.52% White, 64.09% African American, 7.02% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population. There were 985 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 28.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.16. In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,143, and the median income for a family was $30,039. Males had a median income of $27,259 versus $20,218 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $12,783. About 23.7% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 43.4% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* Angus McLean (1870–1935) –

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

1924–1928. * Malcolm ("Malcom") McLean (1913–2001) – trucking industry innovator and "father of

containerization Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport using intermodal containers (also called shipping containers and ISO containers). Containerization is also referred as "Container Stuffing" or "Container Loading", which is the pro ...

". *

Alice B. Russell Alice Burton Russell (June 30, 1889 – January 1, 1985) was an African-American actress, producer, and the wife of director Oscar Micheaux. She appeared in several films directed by her husband. Biography She was born in 1889 in Maxton, ...

(1892–1984) – singer and actress married to

Oscar Micheaux Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (; January 2, 1884 – March 25, 1951) was an author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlled ...

. * Allen LaGrant "Mickey" Bowers (1949-) is a retired

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

player, scout,

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

and

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

whose entire uniformed career took place in minor league baseball. * Gilbert Brown Patterson (1863 – 1922) was an American politician and a member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from

. *

Effie Neal Jones Effie Neal Jones, (November 15, 1919 – April 30, 2002) was an American civil rights activist, food services provider, and counselor for the Four County Head Start Program in Laurinburg, North Carolina. In 1940 Mrs. Jones married Mr. Forest Jones ...

(1919-2002) -

civil rights activist Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

, Food Services Director, and Counselor for the Four County Head Start Program

References

Works cited

External links

City of Maxton official website

{{authority control Towns in Robeson County, North Carolina Towns in Scotland County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina Populated places established in the 1700s