Completed faded on one side and the other is starting to fade, this marker along US-74 Business…read morepoints out the rail history of Hamlet. There is parking in a neighboring lot so that you can stop to read this marker. It has the same on both sides, reading "Built in 1900 to serve Seaboard Air Line Railroad. Depot was major stop for passengers on east-west & north-south rail lines. About 2 blocks east." There is more information online. Hamlet became a key southeastern rail hub where major north-south and east-west lines converged, shaping its growth and identity. Incorporated in 1897, the town was defined by five rail spurs linking it to Richmond, Wilmington, Atlanta/Birmingham, Savannah/Charleston, and Columbia. In 1900, Seaboard Air Line Railroad built a grand passenger depot--among the finest in North Carolina--on land donated by founder Frank Shortridge. Seaboard expanded in 1954 with a state-of-the-art pump-retarder yard handling up to 5,000 cars, though passenger service waned with the rise of automobiles and air travel. The depot was repurposed as the National Railroad Museum. This is marker number K-46 and it was erected in 1973 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. [Review 1334 of 2025 - 4453 in North Carolina - 24886 overall]

There are multiple markers pointing out where Union General Sherman's troops marched across the…read moresouth and in some places, they haven't forgotten. This marker points out one spot where the army passed through. The marker is on US-74 and reads, "Invading North Carolina, Sherman's army occupied Fayetteville, Mar. 11-14, 1865, destroying the Confederate Arsenal, which stood 1 mile W." There is more information online. " In late 1864, Union General William T. Sherman began moving his forces, some 60,000 battle-hardened soldiers strong, northward from Atlanta to "divide the Confederacy in two." The plan was to march the Union forces through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina in order to squeeze Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee in Virginia between Sherman's men to the south and those of General Ulysses S. Grant to the north. Along the way, Sherman hoped to disrupt Confederate supply lines and break the will of southerners on the home front. This "total war" assault on civilians - women and children included - by Union forces was a break from traditional warfare that had, up until this time, focused largely on military targets." "As planned, Sherman's army moved into Fayetteville and occupied the city as he rested his troops and horses for three days beginning on March 11, 1865. Fayetteville was an intermediary goal between Sherman's entry into the state and Goldsboro, his primary objective. The leading Union lines encountered little resistance as they entered the city. Confederate forces in the area had barely left the area before the Union arrival and were planning to mass their numbers to confront Sherman at either Goldsboro or Raleigh. Sherman set up temporary headquarters at the former United States Arsenal and directed his men to construct pontoon bridges across the Cape Fear River to speed their advance to Goldsboro. Sherman also ordered the destruction of the area's key facilities that supported the Confederate army including railroad trestles, mills, factories and the "utter destruction" of the arsenal and its supplies. The city's residents were also thoroughly ransacked with all supplies, money and valuables taken by Union bummers." This is marker number I-18 and it was originally cast in 1940. There is an intersection here where you can stop to read the marker. [Review 2022 of 2024 - 3738 in North Carolina - 23044 overall]

This marker is located in front of the Richmond County Court House here in Rockingham and points…read moreout a sign that is six miles away. That seems to be the usual, but if it was there then no one would see it. So here it is. The marker reads, "Alfred Dockery. 1797-1875. United States Congressman; state legislator for 10 years. A founder of the state Republican party, 1867. Home is 6 miles northwest." Online, there is more information. "Alfred Dockery, Congressman and legislator, was born in 1797 into a large family living in Richmond County. Unable to attend school regularly because of his responsibilities on the family farm, Dockery planned to become a farmer but became involved in politics at the age of twenty-five when he served in the House of Commons from his home county. Always interested in continuing to work his farm, Dockery returned to farming whenever not involved in political office." "As a Whig, Dockery pushed for internal improvements and general reforms statewide although he focused his efforts on promoting western interests. He was also a proponent of public education, supporting a public schools bill while serving in the state senate. Among his major contributions was his involvement in the establishment of Wake Forest Institute and his service on the first board of trustees of Wake Forest College. In 1845, he was elected to Congress for one term, after which he refused to be re-elected to the same post, seeking, instead, to return to his farm." "Dockery was elected to serve in Congress from 1851-53. He was a Unionist at a time when pro-Union sympathies were unpopular in most parts of North Carolina. However, once war was declared, Dockery quietly supported the war, sending two of his sons to fight for the Confederacy. After the war, he served in the postwar government of North Carolina and was a member of the 1865 failed state convention to end Reconstruction. A founding member of the state's Republican Party, Dockery did not live to see the end of Reconstruction and died at home in 1873. [The marker is incorrect.]" [Review 15503 overall, 1007 of 2021, number 3045 in North Carolina.]

Richmond County takes its name from Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond--a staunch advocate for…read morethe American colonists during the Revolutionary era. Lennox was notable for his vocal opposition to British military presence in the colonies and his support for colonial self-governance. The county itself was formally established in 1779, and by 1780, Rockingham had been designated as the first county seat, anchoring the region's civic identity in a time of profound transformation. The current Richmond County Judicial Center presents a distinctly modern architectural profile, blending red brick, glass, and concrete in a clean, contemporary composition. Its most visually commanding feature is the northeast corner entrance, where vertical glass panels soar uninterrupted to the fourth story, creating a dramatic sense of openness and institutional transparency. Along the east elevation, a series of projecting sections add depth and rhythm to the façade, while the flat roofline is crisply defined by two horizontal belt courses that lend a subtle visual punctuation to the building's silhouette. These design choices reflect a deliberate shift toward clarity and accessibility in civic architecture. Inside, the Judicial Center serves as the home of the County Superior Court and County District Court for North Carolina's 16th Judicial District, which encompasses Richmond, Anson, Robeson, and Scotland counties. Its construction marked a pivotal moment in the county's legal infrastructure, replacing the historic courthouse across the street with a facility designed to meet contemporary needs while honoring the region's legal and architectural heritage. The transition from classical revival to modernist design underscores Richmond County's commitment to progress, even as it continues to respect and preserve its historical foundations. [Review 1332 of 2025 - 4451 in North Carolina - 24884 overall]

Scotland County, named for the country of Scotland in the British Isles, was established in 1889…read morewith Laurinburg chosen as its county seat. The original courthouse, completed in 1901, stood as a symbol of civic pride until its demolition in 1964, when it was replaced by the current structure. The design is a reflection of mid-century architectural sensibilities. It is a one-story building constructed of buff-colored brick and concrete, embodying the mid-20th-century emphasis on functionality, simplicity, and accessibility. Its west-facing entrance is defined by a tall canopy supported by two square brick pillars, offering a sheltered, processional approach. Large square projecting corners and broad arched windows lend visual rhythm and soften the building's otherwise rectilinear form, balancing utility with understated grace. Inside, the courthouse serves as home to the County Superior Court and County District Court of North Carolina's 16th Judicial District, which includes Scotland, Anson, and Richmond counties. The main courtroom, located on the east side, features a spacious and practical layout consistent with the era's preference for clarity over ornamentation. Though modest in scale, the building continues to anchor Laurinburg's civic landscape, quietly affirming the county's commitment to accessible justice and public service. I found street parking nearby. This was a quick visit - it's not a very fancy or refined structure. [Review 1336 of 2025 - 4455 in North Carolina - 24888 overall]

This marker is in front of a farm stand not far from downtown Rockingham and points out the history…read moreof an important local union. The marker reads, "North Carolina Farmer's Alliance. Organized by statewide convention of delegates in Rockingham, Oct. 4, 1887. Leonidas L. Polk elected first secretary." Online, there is more information. "The Farmers' Alliance, which originated in Texas and appeared in North Carolina in 1887, was an important agent of change in an era of political and social upheaval. The organization, national in scope, was private and nominally nonpartisan. According to John D. Hicks, pioneer of Alliance historiography, the national organization's aims were fourfold: social, educational, financial, and political. In North Carolina the entanglements of the Alliance with politics were many, culminating with the defection of a sizable number of Alliance men to the Populist Party in 1892. Historian Lala Carr Steelman detailed the State Alliance's attempts to win control of the Democratic Party, purify politics, elected farmers to office, and enact agrarian reforms." "The organizational meeting of the State Alliance was held in Rockingham over two days, October 4-5, 1887. The convention drew up a constitution and appointed committees. Chosen as officers were: Alexander, president; Thaddeus Ivey, vice-president; Polk, secretary; J. D. Allen, treasurer; and Elias Carr, chairman of the executive committee." [Review 15457 overall, 961 of 2021, number 3001 in North Carolina.]

This marker is alongside a busy highway and there is a spot at the intersection to stop. It is of…read morecourse not near the actual subject but it's probably as close as anyone really gets. The marker reads, "Samuel Spencer. Jurist & Antifederalist leader. Member of court which in 1787 issued the first reported precedent for judicial review. His home stood 3 miles northeast." Online, there is more information. "Samuel Spencer, superior court justice and university trustee, was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, in 1734, the son of Samuel and Jerusha Spencer. Descended from highly respected and wealthy New England families, Spencer attended the College of New Jersey, where he graduated in 1759. It remains unclear as to when or why he moved to North Carolina. He was living in Anson County by October 1765 when he was appointed county clerk." "From 1766 to 1768 he represented Anson County in the Colonial Assembly. During the War of Regulation he served as an officer in William Tryon's army and participated in the campaign leading to the Battle of Alamance. However, his allegiance to the Crown waned in the early 1770's and he served as Anson County's representative to the first three provincial congresses of 1774-1776." "In 1787, Spencer and his fellow Superior Court judges John Williams and Samuel Ashe oversaw a landmark case in legal history. When Elizabeth Cornell Bayard attempted to overturn the confiscation and purchase of the properties of her father, a noted Loyalist, by Spyers Singleton, the court agreed with her that the confiscation acts of 1785 had violated the Fourteenth Article of the 1776 state constitution which ensured all citizens a trial by jury in cases that could result in a loss of property. The case, Bayard v. Singleton, set a precedent for judicial review. The North Carolina case preceded the more famous court case Marbury v. Madison, often credited with such establishment, by more than sixteen years." "Spencer retired to his plantation along Smith's Creek near Wadesboro. He became a founding trustee of the University of North Carolina in 1789. Married in 1776 to Phillipa Pegues, Spencer was the father of four children." [Review 15027 overall, 529 of 2021, number 2888 in North Carolina.]

Located on the lane that leads into the cemetery, this marker points out some of the pre-Civil War…read morehistory. North Carolina was a "slave" state and so markers like this are a valuable reminder of times past so that we don't slip back. The marker reads, "Free black served as a Baptist pastor at Rocky River Church until law in 1831 barred blacks from public preaching. Buried 500 yards west." Online, there is more information. "Historian Guion Griffis Johnson identified three preachers--John Chavis, Henry Evans, and Ralph Freeman--as "probably the three best-known free Negroes of the antebellum period" in North Carolina. The story of "Ralph" (also spelled Ralf and, occasionally, Rafe) is less well known than that of the other two. Born a slave, Ralph belonged to John Culpeper (1764-1841), minister to the Baptist congregation at Rocky River in Anson County. In 1806 Culpeper was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the first of six terms, the last concluding in 1829. When he rode off for the District, Culpeper left the church in the hands of his faithful servant, who performed all duties as a supply pastor, among them sermons, weddings, funerals, and the like. Baptist minutes in 1809 list him as "Elder Ralf," while beginning in 1811 his name appears as Ralf Freeman indicating that he had been freed. Described as "perfectly black" with a smiling countenance, Freeman was popular with members of both races in his home church and preached to Baptists in neighboring counties and across the Pee Dee region." "In 1831, in the fevered atmosphere following the insurrection led by Nat Turner in southeastern Virginia, the North Carolina legislature enacted a law forbidding blacks from preaching to gatherings where slaves of different masters were gathered. A petition was circulated expressing the "earnest desire" that Freeman be permitted to exercise his gift of preaching the Gospel. It garnered eighty-three signatures but failed to gain the support of legislators. Freeman is said to have been "greatly mortified" by the turn of events and thereafter largely disappears from the historical record. He transferred his membership to Bethlehem, an anti-missionary Baptist church about five miles east of Rocky River, and was buried there around 1838." [Review 294 of 2024 - 3551 in North Carolina - 21329 overall.]