Milestone 1754

Selected Milestones in Cumberland County's History

1754

Cumberland County formed from Bladen County. Named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, second son of George II.
First school house of record stood near the intersection of Cool Spring Lane and Cool Spring Street.

1755

Choffington (Linden) is the traditional site for the first courthouse for Cumberland County.

1756

Longstreet community held first worship service in this area.

1758

Bluff Presbyterian Church established. First known as River Meeting House.

1762

The Colonial legislature passes an act establishing on the land of John and William Russell, the Town of Campbellton.

1763

First court held at Campbellton in November 1763.

1769

All Cumberland County records are destroyed in the burning of the Bladen County courthouse.

1770

Cape Fear Baptist Church is believed to have been founded in 1770.

1775

The Liberty Point Declaration of Independence is signed by 39 patriots on June 20th at the corner of Bow and Person Streets.
Flora McDonald arrives in Cross Creek with her husband.

1776

Alexander McKay formally organizes the Longstreet Presbyterian Church.

1780

Henry Evans founded Fayetteville’s first Methodist Church. Originally a black church, the congregation later contained whites as well.

1781

Isaac Hammond, a free black and barber in the Fayetteville, North Carolina community enlists as soldier in the Revolutionary War. He served honorably in the 10th Regiment of the NC Continental Line during the American Revolution. Shortly after the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry was organized in 1793, Isaac Hammond became the first Company Fifer.

1784

Moore County was formed from Cumberland County.
Name of county seat is changed from Cross Creek to Fayetteville in honor of General LaFayette.

1786

The General Assembly meets in Fayetteville. This was during the period when North Carolina didn’t have a “capital” city (1774-1789).

1788

Fayetteville is the meeting place for the Superior Court of the Fayetteville District.

1789

Convention of North Carolina meets in Fayetteville in November to ratify the United States Constitution.
University of North Carolina is chartered in Fayetteville.
Dolphin Davis opens Cool Spring Tavern.
First printing press built in North Carolina was built in Fayetteville.
First issue of the Fayetteville Gazette is published.

1790

Flora McDonald, heroine of Cross Creek dies in Scotland on March 4th at age 69.
Cumberland County’s total population is 8,671
The census for Cumberland County lists 31 free persons. Not listed as whites or slaves. (Indians, free Negroes and other nationalities are listed in this column).

1793

Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry organized on August23, 1793.
Quarters established on July 13, 1793 for Fayetteville’s first Masonic Lodge.

1799

Fayetteville Seminary is chartered.