Wilson County, North Carolina

On September 5, 2015, I enjoyed a visit to Wilson County, North Carolina. Wilson County was formed in 1855 from neighboring counties in eastern North Carolina, and named for Louis Dicken Wilson, a state legislator from neighboring Edgecombe County who was a colonel in the Mexican-American War.

Wilson County Courthouse

I spent most of my time in the county seat of Wilson, which has a population of nearly 50,000. It was the birthplace and initial headquarters of Branch Banking and Trust (BB&T). Although the headquarters has moved to Winston-Salem, the bank is still Wilson County's largest employer.

One of Wilson County's local treasures is Vollis Simpson. Although he passed away in 2013, his art lives on in the form of whirligigs throughout the area. While I didn't make it to the Wilson Whirligig Park, I saw a number of them across the city! They're delightful!

I also stopped to visit St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, which is a beautiful older church (built in 1906), and found several local geocaches.

My photo album of Wilson County is here.

Cumberland County, North Carolina

Cumberland County Courthouse

Last Saturday, I enjoyed an afternoon trip to Cumberland County, North Carolina, just an hour and a half from home! Cumberland County is the fifth largest county (population-wise) in North Carolina, and was formed in 1754.

Oval Ballroom

The county seat of Cumberland County is Fayetteville, which is also home to Fort Bragg and Pope Army Airfield. I enjoyed driving around Fayetteville, where I stopped to take photos of both the old and newer courthouses. I stopped at Heritage Square, where I found a geocache and enjoyed taking a few more pictures. My favorite building there was the Oval Ballroom--the outside of the building is an octagon!

Local attractions I'd like to return to Fayetteville to visit include the Fayetteville Museum of Art, the Museum of the Cape Fear, and the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

I also explored the Cumberland County town of Hope Mills. As I drove into town, I saw the remnants of Hope Mills Lake, which used to be full but was drained a few years ago, due to a sinkhole that was causing a leak in the dam. I enjoyed a stop at Big Rockfish Presbyterian Church, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

I really enjoyed my visit to Cumberland County, and look forward to going back. The rest of my Cumberland County photos are here.