Editing East Laurinburg, North Carolina

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | official_name            = East Laurinburg, North Carolina
 | settlement_type          = [[Unincorporated community]]
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
 | image_skyline            = 
 | imagesize                = 
 | image_caption            = 
 | image_flag               = 
 | image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
 | image_map                = Scotland County North Carolina incorporated and unincorporated areas East Laurinburg highlighted.svg
 | mapsize                  = 260px
 | map_caption              = Location in [[Scotland County, North Carolina|Scotland County]] and the state of [[North Carolina]].
<!-- Location -->
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[North Carolina]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in North Carolina|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Scotland County, North Carolina|Scotland]]
 | government_footnotes     = 
 | government_type          = 
 | leader_title             = 
 | leader_name              = 
 | leader_title1            = 
 | leader_name1             = 
 | established_title        = Incorporated
 | established_date         = 1909 (revoked)<ref name=WRAL/>
<!-- Area -->
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
 | area_magnitude           = 
 | area_total_km2           = 0.50
 | area_land_km2            = 0.50
 | area_water_km2           = 0.00
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 0.19
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 0.19
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 234
 | population_density_km2   = 470.34
 | population_density_sq_mi = 1218.75
<!-- General information -->
 | timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
 | utc_offset               = -5
 | timezone_DST             = EDT
 | utc_offset_DST           = -4
 | elevation_footnotes      = 
 | elevation_m              = 64
 | elevation_ft             = 210
 | coordinates              = {{coord|34|46|8|N|79|26|41|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
 | postal_code              = 28352
 | area_codes               = [[Area codes 910 and 472|910, 472]]
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 37-19620<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
 | blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
 | blank1_info              = 1020084<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
 | website                  = 
 | footnotes                = 
 | pop_est_as_of            = 
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 
}}
'''East Laurinburg''' is an unincorporated community in [[Scotland County, North Carolina|Scotland County]], [[North Carolina]], United States. The population was 345 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. The town was incorporated in 1903 but, due to financial improprieties and failing finances, the town's charter was revoked by the state effective June 30, 2022, in which the area became an unincorporated part of Scotland County.<ref name=WRAL>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/east-laurinburg-mayor-claims-nc-is-wrongfully-punishing-town-after-dissolving-its-charter/20028721/|title=East Laurinburg mayor claims NC is wrongfully 'punishing' town after dissolving its charter :|date=December 10, 2021|website=WRAL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/55905/state-pulls-plug-on-east-laurinburg|title=State pulls plug on East Laurinburg|first1=W. Curt Vincent Katelin|last1=G|first2=ee Cheris Hodges Staff|last2=writers|date=December 30, 2021|website=Laurinburg Exchange}}</ref>

== History ==
Scotland Village was incorporated as a town in southern Scotland County in 1903. In 1909, the name was changed to East Laurinburg.{{sfn|Powell|1976|p=156}} Early in East Laurinburg's history, Waverly Mills established a textile mill in the locale, which grew to include numerous homes and several churches and stores.{{sfn|Marks|2021|p=11}} The mill workers largely lived separately from the residents of nearby [[Laurinburg]], the latter looking down upon the former and stalling attempts to enroll East Laurinburg children in Laurinburg city schools.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=23}} In May 1934, 500 workers from four Waverly Mills plants in the town went on strike in protest of work conditions in the mills and living conditions in the company housing. The strike gained state-wide media attention after the strikers engaged in a brawl with loyalist workers, with nine people wounded by gunfire.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|p=21}} The standoff ended 44 days later when the strikers and Waverly management agreed to arbitration, and the company subsequently promised to make improvements to plumbing in the village.{{sfn|Covington|Ellis|1999|pp=21–22}}

East Laurinburg's population peaked in 1940 with 890 residents and thereafter declined.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wunc.org/news/2021-02-19/small-town-in-scotland-county-might-soon-cease-to-exist| title = Small Town In Scotland County Might Soon Cease To Exist| last = Prioleau| first = Naomi| date = February 19, 2021|website= WUNC 91.5| publisher = WUNC North Carolina Public Radio| access-date = August 1, 2022}}</ref> In June 2016 the town ceased submitting annual audit reports to the state government, as required by law. In October 2021 the [[North Carolina State Auditor]] published an audit which accused the town finance officer of embezzling $11,000 of public funds. [[North Carolina State Treasurer]] [[Dale Folwell]] subsequently urged the [[North Carolina Local Government Commission]] to vote to revoke the town's incorporation, saying the town was not a financially viable unit of government. In December the commission voted to unanimously do so,<ref>{{cite news| last = Darrough| first = Mark| title = NC town set to cease existence as state treasurer calls for criminal charges| newspaper = Border Belt Independent | date = June 29, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/nc-town-set-to-cease-existence-as-state-treasurer-calls-for-criminal-charges/| access-date = July 20, 2022}}</ref> reverting the town's governing jurisdiction to Scotland County on July 1, 2022.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.carolinajournal.com/east-laurinburg-charter-dissolved-after-massive-financial-mismanagement/| title = East Laurinburg charter dissolved for financial mismanagement| last = Marsh| first = Brayden| date = July 5, 2022| website = The Carolina Journal| publisher = John Locke Foundation| access-date = September 28, 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==
East Laurinburg is located at {{coord|34|46|8|N|79|26|41|W|type:city}} (34.768960, -79.444766).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.{{citation needed|date= July 2022}} [[U.S. Route 74]] and a rail line pass through the community.{{sfn|Marks|2021|p=11}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 577
|1920= 541
|1930= 813
|1940= 890
|1950= 745
|1960= 695
|1970= 487
|1980= 536
|1990= 302
|2000= 295
|2010= 300
|2020= 345
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 295 people, 124 households, and 81 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1,619.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 140 housing units at an average density of {{convert|768.7|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the town was 83.05% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.76% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 8.81% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.36% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 1.02% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 124 households, out of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 33.9% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The [[Median household income|median income]] for a household in the town was $25,938, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $21,944 versus $20,313 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,415. About 24.1% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 30.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.7% of those 65 or over.

==References==
<references />

== Works cited ==
* {{cite book|last1=Covington|first1=Howard E. Jr|last2=Ellis|first2= Marion A.|title=Terry Sanford: Politics, Progress, and Outrageous Ambitions|publisher=Duke University Press|location=Durham|year=1999|isbn=9780822323563|url=https://archive.org/details/terrysanfordpoli00covi|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book| last = Marks| first = Stuart A.| title = Southern Hunting in Black and White: Nature, History, and Ritual in a Carolina Community| publisher = Princeton University Press| date = 2021| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sucSEAAAQBAJ| isbn = 9780691226866}}
* {{cite book| last = Powell| first = William S.| title = The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places| publisher = The University of North Carolina Press| date = 1976| location = Chapel Hill| isbn = 9780807812471}}

{{Scotland County, North Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Scotland County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in North Carolina]]
[[Category:2022 disestablishments in North Carolina]]