When I asked for suggestions on BlueNC for towns to tour, Anglico called out "Lumberton". I had been a little leery of touring the town because it really has a bad rap. Remember Eddy Hatcher? In 1988 he and fellow Native American Activist, Timmy Jacobs took over the offices of the Robesonian Newspaper in Lumberton to bring to the attention of the world the corruption within the police and government in the town.

After doing some research on the area, I agree with A, it’s worth a "Tour".

Lumberton is the county seat of Robeson County, established in 1787 by John Willis along what was then called Drowning Creek. It is part of the Inner Banks Region in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain.

It was a shipping point for turpentine, naval stores and lumber. The name of the river was changed to Lumber River in 1809 because of the lumber's industry heavy use of the river.

Today, this river system is part of the Lumber River State Park:

The Lumber River is one of the most highly prized recreation sites in North Carolina; recreation varies from active outdoor recreation, to festivals, to passive activities. Among the most popular activities are canoeing and boating, fishing, hunting, picnicking, camping, nature study, swimming, biking, jogging, crafts and fossil and artifact hunting.

Native Americans, however, lived in the Lumber River Region as early as 20,000 B.C. To-date, there are 429 archeological dig sites in this area.

By the late 1700's, the Native Peoples that settled this area of rivers and swamps were trying to escape tribal wars and the incursion of Europeans. It is speculated that the Lumbee Indians took in and mixed with the settlers of the Roanoke Island Colony, The Lost Colony. Hamilton McMillan supports his theory by the discovery of a large tribe of Native Peoples who spoke English, were practicing Christianity and had mixed Caucasian and Native American features.

During the post-Civil War era, a Lumbee Indian became a local hero and a 19th century Robin Hood. Henry Berry Lowrie at the age of 17 had witnessed his father and a brother executed at the hands of the Home Guard, an arm of the Confederate Army. Lowrie organized a group to hunt down and avenge these deaths.

During this time, the Home Guard forced any Indian man to help with the building of Fort Fisher in Wilmington, NC. Some of the men would avoid this conscription by hiding in the swamps. Lowrie and his group would steal the money and livestock of Home Guard sympathizers and would then give their plunder to the poor and hungry. His story was presented every summer until 2003 when the funding ran out, in the outdoor drama, Strike At The Wind.

In 1958, the Lumbee’s celebrated another victory, the victory over the Ku Klux Klan. A big Klan rally was advertised to take place in a large field and the Lumbee men decided to do something about the Klan activity. On the night of the rally, a large group confronted the Klan.

Reportedly several hundred Indian men (by some accounts 1,000 men), many of them armed decided to put a stop to the Klan's activities in this area. It has also been reported that a group of Black men spoke with some of the Indian men on their way to the rally, offering their support if it was needed. Apparently it was not needed. The Indian men confronted the Klansmen, and after heated words were exchanged, shots were fired and the only light bulb knocked out, leaving the field in darkness. The Klansmen apparently disappeared quickly into the night, abandoning their fallen flag, cross, and other items for the safety of the woods. The Indian community, and no doubt the Black community, and the county's progressive Whites, celebrated. What could have been a massacre turned out to be a miracle: there were only a few minor injuries, and no one was killed.

This event quickly made national headlines. LIFE magazine carried two separate articles on the subject. Letters poured in to the area from all over the country, most of them in support of the Indians. The Klan did not really die that night, but it did apparently learn to stay out of Indian Country.

We drove into Lumberton late in the day. The majority of the fields along highway 211 were planted with cotton, a few with soybeans and corn. There were large grassy areas carved out of the fields with doublewides parked along the road. Scores of churches were mixed in with the occasional convenient store. Lumberton is located next to I-95; it’s the central point between New York and Florida. As we approached, it looked like every other exit off of an Interstate Highway, gas stations, hotels and restaurants.

We crossed over I-95 and drove into historical downtown Lumberton. I was struck by this juxtaposition of steeples in the skyline behind this funeral home.

The monument in front of the County Courthouse pulled us into the downtown area.

The road leading from the well-traveled and garish I-95 exit areas was another contrast. Large homes with manicured lawns lined both sides of this tree covered way. The downtown area is filled with architecturally pleasing buildings, many with vacant store fronts or big, "Going Out Of Business" signs.

It was the music that pulled us further downtown. Echoing through the town was old time gospel music, we followed it to the town square. Just by chance, this night was a benefit for the Firemen’s Association with a list of entertainers that would out number the crowd. We parked and walked over to listen. After exploring the town and the area, this was a pleasant and unexpected end to another NC Tour.

Upcoming Events and Festivals for next weekend:

"'til DEATH us do part"
9/22/2006 - 9/23/2006

In Marion -An audience-participation murder mystery presented by Foothills Community Theatre. Murder and mayhem arrive at Little Siena Restaurant when Bruce & Tina exchange wedding vows. Tickets are $20/adult and $15/student. Prices include dinner and are available by reservation only; call 828-659-7529

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Nashville
9/22/2006 - 9/22/2006

In Raleigh -Carolina Hurricanes 2006-2007 hockey season.

Charlotte Shout: Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
9/22/2006 - 9/23/2006

This family-friendly festival, the officially sanctioned Memphis Barbecue Association Cook-Off site, features national and local teams, along with live national known Blues acts, BBQ demonstrations, and more!

Living History Day at Hope Plantation
9/22/2006 - 9/22/2006

In Windsor - Hope's 200-year history comes alive with interpretive activities, hands-on learning, and special tours.

Silver Dollar Music Park Storytelling Festival
9/22/2006 - 9/22/2006

In Glade Valley - Festival features traditional stories to kick-off Mountain Heritage Festival on following day.

5th Annual Onslow Bay Open KMT
9/22/2006 - 9/24/2006

In Swansboro - 1-day fishing tournament in which the proceeds will go to Camp Emahenwu, Boys and Girls Home of N.C., Childrens Flight for Hope, Miracle Farms Therapeutic Riding Center & the Onslow County Christmas Cheer Program.