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.
However what I did not know until fairly recently when I was reading about the town of Laurinburg in North Carolina which is as Scottish as the country of Scotland if not more so. For example:
Laurinberg is in the county of Scotland.
Laurinberg’s High School is actually called “Scotland High School”. And what better school song could they have than “Scotland the Brave” the national anthem of Scotland itself.
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!)
Visit St Andrews Presbyterian College (named after the patron saint of Scotland) and you will be challenged by a large Scottish Highlander with his Claymore Sword defending the college or at least a bronze statue of a highland warrior.
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.
What about shopping? Simple answer. Just go to the large Scotland Crossing Shopping Center which has a Rampant Lion as it’s main centrepiece feature. This is the same red lion on a yellow background officially used only by the Scottish Monarch. It’s a good job our legal officers have generally turned a blind eye to this breach of the royal protocol.
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?
Want to become a Scottish Lord or Lady? Its easy enough and can be the ideal unique gift idea for anyone whether they have a Scottish connection or not.
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