Editing Scotland County, North Carolina (section)

===Creation===
[[File:N.98.2.77 Group of Red Shirts pose at the polls (5908630058).jpg|thumb|left|[[Red Shirts (United States)|Red Shirts]] at [[Old Hundred, North Carolina|Old Hundred]], November 1898]]
By the late 19th century, Richmond County had a majority black population and tended to support the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] in elections, while the state of North Carolina was typically dominated by the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. In response to this, white Democrats built up a political base in Laurinburg.<ref name= elder/> Legislator Maxey John introduced several unsuccessful bills in the [[North Carolina General Assembly]] to carve out a new county around Laurinburg between 1893 and 1897.<ref name= mcknightprofile/> During the state legislative elections of 1898, Democrats organized intensely in the area to unseat the statewide [[Fusionism in North Carolina|Fusionist coalition]] of [[North Carolina Republican Party|state Republicans]] and [[People's Party (United States)|Populists]], including the deployment of paramilitary [[Red Shirts (United States)|Red Shirts]] in Laurinburg to intimidate black residents and other opponents at the polls.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=3}} Democrats regained their erstwhile majority in the General Assembly. In tribute to the efforts of Democrats in Laurinburg, on February 20, 1899, the assembly split off the town and the surrounding area from Richmond County and created the new Scotland County,{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=4}}{{sfn|Stewart|Stewart|2001|p=8}} named in homage to the Scottish settlers.{{sfn|Powell|1976|p=443}} Laurinburg was designated the county seat.<ref name= mcknightprofile/>

The creation of Scotland County took official effect on December 10, 1900.{{sfn|Marks|2021|p=57}} The first courthouse was erected in Laurinburg the following year.<ref name="History"/> At its creation, the county was socially and politically dominated by its resident white planter class and businessmen.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=4}} No black citizens were allowed to register to vote again until 1928.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=38}} The county's first cotton mill was built in 1899. In subsequent years, additional textile mills were established, as was a cotton [[oil mill]]—the largest in the state at the time, a flour mill, and a fertilizer plant.{{sfn|Marks|2021|pp=57–58}} A county road law was passed by the state in 1903, leading the county to construct its first improved roads of sand and clay. Another road law passed six years later led the county to greatly increase its road building program and erect its first concrete bridges.<ref name= anniversary/>