Has Scotland moved to North Carolina USA?
If you thought there were more Scots in Scotland than people of Scottish Descent in the one USA state of North Carolina you would be wrong.
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.
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”.
The main school is called Scotland High School. The school song is “Scotland the Brave” (the official national anthem of Scotland).
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.
Lastly but not least there are numerous streets and roads named after places such as Oban, Skye, and Argyllshire the origins of the first settlers before they left Scotland.
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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