Richmond County, North Carolina

George and I recently enjoyed a chilly Saturday in Richmond County, a rural county located on North Carolina's southern border. Richmond County has been around for a while, formed in 1779 from neighboring Anson County.

For such a rural county, Richmond County has several famous native sons, including musicians John Coltrane (born in Hamlet), Terius Youngdell Nash (born in Rockingham), and  Bucky Covington (born in Rockingham), NFL players Dannell Ellerbe and Melvin Ingram, Family Dollar founder Leon Levine, and former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye (born in Ellerbe).

Richmond County Courthouse

One of our first stops was in Rockingham, the county seat. We found the lovely Richmond County Courthouse there. It's been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979.

One of the biggest draws in Rockingham in the Rockingham Speedway, known now as the Rock.It used to be a NASCAR racetrack until 2004. It's being redone as an entertainment venue. Nothing was going on when George and I stopped by, but it was still fun to see in person. I've never been into car racing, but growing up in the South, I can appreciate the fandom and enormity of the race track.

Hamlet Public Library

George and I also stopped in the city of Hamlet. Hamlet has a history as a railroad hub, and is home to the National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame. George and I didn't get to visit it this time, but maybe next time we're in Hamlet.

The rest of my Richmond County photos are in an album on Flickr. Click on this sentence to view. 

Cakedy Cakes Mural in Hamlet