February 27th, 2009 by admin

Would it surprise you to discover that there are more people living in the state of North Carolina of Scottish Descent than Scots in Scotland.

That is hardly surprising as huge numbers of Scots left Scotland at the time of the Highland Clearances and in the following years to seek their fortune in the New World of USA as well as Canada, Australia and the Far East. Our Laird of Jura website looking at the history and culture of the Isle of Jura tells of nearly 2,000 people who left the island and the surrounding area and ended up in North Carolina.

This area still has close connections with the home country of Scotland and many would say that the town of Laurinburg, North Carolina for example is as Scottish as any town on the Scottish Mainland. Did you know that :

Laurinberg is in the county of Scotland.

The town high school is of course called “Scotland High School”. And to go with that the School song is the national anthem of Scotland “Scotland the Brave”.

Apart from their traditional marching band who wear the Royal Stewart Tartan as a uniform they also have a prize winning Scottish bagpipe team.

The school Football, Baseball and the Basketball teams are called the “Fighting Scots”. (Did you know that the game of Basketball was invented by a Scottish American who was charged with finding some sports activity for youths to play indoors during bad weather? Its true!)

The local college is St Andrews Presbyterian College (St Andrew is of course the patron saint of Scotland) has a huge bronze statue of a highlander in native dress waving a Claymore sword.

The College is also home to the Scottish Heritage Centre.

Feeling hungry? Visit the local fast food company called Scottish Foods using a Scottish bagpiper as its main logo.

“Scotland Crossing” is the main shopping center for people in the town. The centre uses a red lion on a yellow background as its main central feature. Officially this is a breach of Scottish law as only the Scottish monarch can use this Rampart Lion but we do normally turn a blind eye to it even here in the real Scotland.

The Square Dance Club is the Scottish Twirlers.

Remember the large two handed sword on the highlander statue at the college well there is also a local soccer team called the Scottish Claymores.

We cannot ignore the fact that many local street names are named after places in Scotland including Skye, Argyllshire, Oban, Kintyre.

Do you know any other place which is more Scottish than this town in North Carolina?

Did you know you could increase your Scottish ness by becoming a landowner on the isle of Jura and become a Scottish Royal? It makes an idea unique gift idea for anyone with or without an existing Scottish connection.

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