My understanding of Scottish history is pretty much limited to what I’ve learned from reading the epic time-travel romance series, Outlander, which is to say there are probably plenty of gaps in my knowledge. I do know enough though to understand that when North Carolina’s colonial government in 1754 gave the name Cumberland to an area settled primarily by Scottish highlanders, in recognition of the man who had recently defeated the Scots at the Battle of Culloden, that was one intentionally snarky move! Apparently, there was an effort in 1784 to change the county’s name to Fayette County but nothing came of it and all these years later, our state is still honoring the Duke of Cumberland.

Cumberland County’s main claim to fame is as the home of Fort Bragg, which will become Fort Liberty on June 2, 2023. The name change doesn’t appear to be provoking much controversy, maybe because Braxton Bragg not only fought against the U.S. during the Civil War but is generally considered to have been an ineffective general as well.

When my daughter Katy and I explored Cumberland County on a pretty spring day, we weren’t focusing on name changes but simply looking for what the area had to offer. We were underwhelmed until we came upon revitalized Hay Street in the middle of downtown Fayetteville. Our spirits were lifted with a good cup of coffee from Rude Awakening Coffee Shop, time spent browsing in Reverie Goods and Gifts, and the discovery of street art in the form of woodpeckers. Woodpeckers because Cumberland County is home to the red-cockaded woodpecker, and endangered species that makes its home in long leaf pines and lends its name to Fayetteville’s baseball team. As long as we are considering changing names, I think that Woodpecker County has a nice ring to it.

May 28, 2022 – County #49 – Cumberland (for now)