Shannon's Area

Prologue

My dad recently moved to Fayettville, North Carolina. He and I walked through the Historic Downtown, and I just found it so intriguing that I had to write something about it! So here it is. Fayettville: History in Abundance.

The Settlement of Fayettville

Fayettville actually started out as two seperate settlements, Cross Creek and Cambellton. Cross Creek was established first as a trading post. It was named after two fast-moving creeks that crossed eachother just before they entered the Cape Fear river.

A few years after Cross Creek was settled, Cambellton came next. It was settled a mile away from Cross Creek.

The two settlements were established by explorers from the Highlands of Scotland. In 1783, the two settlements merged into one and named themselves Fayettville, after the French Revolutionary war hero, Marquis De Lafayette. Out of all the cities named after Lafayette, Fayettville was the only town he actually visited.

The Key to History

Fayettville played a big role in developing history. The Liberty Point Resolve of 1775 pleged local support for the Revolutionary War cause of independance from England. After the Revolution, because there was no permanent state capital, the state's legislature met periodically in Fayettville. In 1789, North Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution and chartered the University of North Carolina, America's oldest state university

Fayettville Destroyed!

On May 29, 1831, a horrible fire spread through Fayettville. It had started in a kitchen at a house on the northwest corner of Market Square. Just as the people thought they had the blaze under control, strong winds picked up and the fire swept through the town. It destroyed one of the most important buildings in Fayettville, the old state house, where the General Assembly met once. It was also the place where North Carolina adopted the U.S. Constitution.

The fire destroyed every single church in town excluding the Methodist Church. People swiftly abandoned the town, giving up hope on putting the terrible fire out. The only thing they could do was to take away the fire's fuel supply, and the entire town went up in smoke as people blew up their houses and shops to keep the fire from spreading. Nearly every house, 105 shops, two banks, a school, and two hotels were blown up. Amazingly, nobody died, though many people were injured. More than $100,000 was raised for those in need.

The Civil War?

During the Civil War, Fayettville was in the path of General Sherman's Union troops. The troops left a path of destruction behind them, and destroyed the N.C. Arsenal, which had been a munitions center for the Confederates. Again, the citizens of Fayettville had to rebuild their city from the bottom up.

Fayettville stands a proud testament to it's past struggles and hardships. It's a very history abundant place to be, and if anyone ever gets the chance, it's a greaet place to visit.