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I drove to the Maxton/Laurinburg area on work-related assignment two times in the past couple weeks. I had never been to that area of North Carolina before. I have been to other fairly rural parts of NC out in the mountains and along the coast, but while I'd see a confederate flag or two flying around, I never felt creeped out. Once I got off the 501 and started driving through rural towns like Wagram and out into the country, I felt this absolute sense of dread. I was the only car on the road in the middle of the day. It was very quiet. The buildings were run down and many were abandoned and boarded up. Among other creepy things I saw were a mailbox standing literally in the middle of nowhere; I could see tents in the trees off the road in the middle of nowhere; I saw a disheveled man walking down the middle of the road out in the boonies. I have never felt so unsettled while driving, and I have been in much more remote locations than that up in Northern Canada, etc. where there wasn't a person for 50 miles. But rural, southern NC really gives me the creeps. It seemed like something out of a horror movie. I locked my car doors and was trying not to die haha.
No, been through this area and all over the state. I've never felt creeped out at all. Matter of fact, I've found most of the folks in the more rural areas to be very nice and welcoming. Way back in the 80s, my mom got a flat out in the middle of nowhere. The men that lived off that road saw her and came out of their homes to change her tire for her. Not one of them tried to rape or murder her, imagine that!
No, been through this area and all over the state. I've never felt creeped out at all. Matter of fact, I've found most of the folks in the more rural areas to be very nice and welcoming. Way back in the 80s, my mom got a flat out in the middle of nowhere. The men that lived off that road saw her and came out of their homes to change her tire for her. Not one of them tried to rape or murder her, imagine that!
A very similar experience happened to me way back in the 90's in between Goldsboro and Kinston and I had a very similar experience. During a similar experience in the Triangle, people couldn't be bothered to be helpful, outright refusing to help with a jump start when I had a dead battery (whether that was due to being more rushed and in their own bubbles, more fearful of strangers in the area, etc.) . Ultimately, the battery ended up being beyond charging. Despite that, I was able to walk to an auto parts store, buy a battery, carry it about a mile back to the side of the road and figure out how to change it myself despite the local population's lack of assistance (this brings back a memory I still must apparently need to vent about ).
Not saying that completely reflects everyone who is from those areas, but it does go to show that the area that looks much worse on paper can sometimes be the one to come through with good Samaritans. At least it was for me.
I drove to the Maxton/Laurinburg area on work-related assignment two times in the past couple weeks. I had never been to that area of North Carolina before. I have been to other fairly rural parts of NC out in the mountains and along the coast, but while I'd see a confederate flag or two flying around, I never felt creeped out. Once I got off the 501 and started driving through rural towns like Wagram and out into the country, I felt this absolute sense of dread. I was the only car on the road in the middle of the day. It was very quiet. The buildings were run down and many were abandoned and boarded up. Among other creepy things I saw were a mailbox standing literally in the middle of nowhere; I could see tents in the trees off the road in the middle of nowhere; I saw a disheveled man walking down the middle of the road out in the boonies. I have never felt so unsettled while driving, and I have been in much more remote locations than that up in Northern Canada, etc. where there wasn't a person for 50 miles. But rural, southern NC really gives me the creeps. It seemed like something out of a horror movie. I locked my car doors and was trying not to die haha.
Now that you've mentioned it, I've felt this way many times and I grew up here. I know exactly what you mean. I've felt a sense of unease plenty of times and it's hard to explain. Try taking a ride through rural Johnston County late in the evening. You'll never want to return.
Now that you've mentioned it, I've felt this way many times and I grew up here. I know exactly what you mean. I've felt a sense of unease plenty of times and it's hard to explain. Try taking a ride through rural Johnston County late in the evening. You'll never want to return.
I guess its because yall aint used to it... i live out here in Zebulon and never felt scared in rural areas at night, in fact on a clear night i drive really slow , roll windows down and enjoy gazing at the sky ahead of me... do it all the time.
I'm probably odd here, but I find a unique sense of beauty in the area described by the OP, simply because as you're leaving the Piedmont, you come upon an area that looks so different, in soil type, longleaf pines, wiregrass, even getting swampy in places, etc.
It also reminds me of fun times heading to the beach and when you get in that area of the state, you feel like you're really starting to get there.
That might be entirely different if I were looking at that environment every day, and it's definitely much more of a ho-hum area than heading towards the Piedmont in the fall with fewer vibrant colors.
I am from the Upstate of SC and I remember that feeling of getting closer to the beach when you crossed over I 95 going southeast on I 26 heading towards Charleston.The land below Orangeburg County really flattens out . As you get closer to Charleston in Dorchester and Berkeley County there are these low lying areas in the highway median with trees that fill up with water and when I was very young I thought alligators lived there.When you get to those areas on I 26 it lets me know I am in the home stretch on the way to Charleston and the Isle of Palms and Folly Beach. I always love it when you see the first palmetto tree on I 26 when you get south of Columbia.
What I like best about SC is how you don't need to drive all that far before the land changes from the Piedmont to the Lowcountry. I love the land east of Columbia with its fields broken by forests and then another field.As much as I love the beach you can enjoy riding around the Lowcountry, stopping at the boiled peanut stands and the bbq shacks . I am sure its the same in coastal NC.I just got back from visiting family in NYC and I felt at home when we stopped in Henderson NC on the way back south.We ate at a great fish camp there and Waffle House the next morning.Man the sausage at the WH was great .I was in NY for the better part of 12 days and they just don't know what good breakfast sausage is.I think here in the Carolina's we do pork best ! lol
Last edited by senecaman; 12-19-2017 at 11:25 AM..
The OP is talking about the Laurinburg area. This person video below) ranks Laurinburg as the #4 WORST place to live in North Carolina. And he specifically points out Scotland County (Laurinburg is the county seat). #3 on the list is nearby Rockingham, and #1 is nearby Lumberton. Check particularly what he says at 2:30. This is completely consistent with what the OP wrote. So apparently those sentiments are shared by others.
Laurinburg is fine for what it is. Certainly NOT creepy. Boring maybe, but not creepy or scary.
I have been all over rural southeastern NC and while it is not my favorite part of the state it's definitely not creepy or scary, nor does it give me a sense of dread or unease. I just think, "Glad I don't live here" when I drive through because I could have easily. My dad's side of the family is all from SE NC. I worked some summers at a camp not far from Laurinburg. It was fun at the time and I do have some fond memories, but I wouldn't want to live there now, but I have relatives who live in SE NC and probably some who live around Laurinburg and Maxton.
I made a wrong turn coming home from the beach one time and ended up in Tabor City with a coolant leak. I was trying to go by Lumberton to visit my aunt, but I ended up in Tabor City. That was a depressing little town. Wasn't creepy or scary or anything though. I refilled the coolant at a gas station and folks were very nice to me. No zombies or chainsaw murderers. I made my way back to Lumberton and visited my aunt and then came on home.
Don't find Johnston County scary at all. Did get a little creeped out driving through Caswell County (north of Burlington) late at night once. We were taking the back way from Washington, DC after a TransAtlantic flight and although the van had plenty of gas, physically we were running on fumes. Didn't bother me at all during the day when we went up that way, but it felt like the road would never end coming home.
Did get a little creeped out driving through Caswell County (north of Burlington) late at night once. We were taking the back way from Washington, DC after a TransAtlantic flight and although the van had plenty of gas, physically we were running on fumes. Didn't bother me at all during the day when we went up that way, but it felt like the road would never end coming home.
I assume you took NC-86 from Danville to Hillsborough? That is a mind-numbing and boring drive. It always seems like it's a much longer drive than it really is. As much as I love going back to NC, I always dread the commute on NC-86. I'll be very happy when we finally get to move back and not have to commute on NC-86 anymore (hell, I'll be happy to be out of Danville period but that's another story).
I am from the Upstate of SC and I remember that feeling of getting closer to the beach when you crossed over I 95 going southeast on I 26 heading towards Charleston.The land below Orangeburg County really flattens out . As you get closer to Charleston in Dorchester and Berkeley County there are these low lying areas in the highway median with trees that fill up with water and when I was very young I thought alligators lived there.When you get to those areas on I 26 it lets me know I am in the home stretch on the way to Charleston and the Isle of Palms and Folly Beach. I always love it when you see the first palmetto tree on I 26 when you get south of Columbia.
What I like best about SC is how you don't need to drive all that far before the land changes from the Piedmont to the Lowcountry. I love the land east of Columbia with its fields broken by forests and then another field.As much as I love the beach you can enjoy riding around the Lowcountry, stopping at the boiled peanut stands and the bbq shacks . I am sure its the same in coastal NC.I just got back from visiting family in NYC and I felt at home when we stopped in Henderson NC on the way back south.We ate at a great fish camp there and Waffle House the next morning.Man the sausage at the WH was great .I was in NY for the better part of 12 days and they just don't know what good breakfast sausage is.I think here in the Carolina's we do pork best ! lol
The Amish in PA know what to do with a pig. You can get some of the best food in the world in NYC, and some of the worst. You can find good BBQ, biscuits, sausage, grits, collards, and all sorts of good food in NY, NJ, and PA. You just have to know where to go. Sometimes those places are labeled soul food.
I assume you took NC-86 from Danville to Hillsborough? That is a mind-numbing and boring drive. It always seems like it's a much longer drive than it really is. As much as I love going back to NC, I always dread the commute on NC-86. I'll be very happy when we finally get to move back and not have to commute on NC-86 anymore (hell, I'll be happy to be out of Danville period but that's another story).
Yes. It was very dark and we were very tired.
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