Has Scotland moved to North Carolina USA?
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.
After the highland clearances where the major landowners evicted several thousand crofters (small-holders) large number of Scots made their way by boat to the new American settlements. One party of nearly 2,000 Scots from the Isle of Jura and surrounding area settled in North Carolina. You could read more about that on the Laird of Jura website.
Some parts of North Carolina even today could still be confused with parts of Scotland. Here are some of the similarities:
The town of Laurinberg is situated in the state 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.
The main local fast food company called Scottish Foods has a Highland Piper as its logo.
A local soccer team is known as the Scottish Claymores.
As we might expect there are a large number of local streets named after places such as Argyllshire, Kintyre and Skye where the first Scottish settlers lived before coming to North Carolina.
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.