A Short History of Bladenboro, North Carolina

February 26th, 2008 | webmaster | Historical Accounts

As mentioned by BTB Board President Jon Hasbrouck, articles written by his Grandmother and his Father were recently discovered stored away in the old home place where Jon and Pat reside. It is our intention, from time to time, to share these wonderful recollections and histories of our community. It is a special opportunity to learn, first hand, about life as it was in days gone by.

A Short History of Bladenboro, North Carolina

By Margaret Parker Bridger

Written about 1945—1954

On August 26, 1779, a land grant of 200 acres, recorded in Book Six, Page forty-three, was made and signed by His Excellency, Governor Richard Cashwell, to Rohan Redin of Bladen County. The original seal of the state, hold in a small circular piece of wood, was attached to ensure safe delivery, as the written grant was carried by a man on horseback. This grant of land marked the beginning of the progressive little town of Bladenboro.

In its early history, the town and most of its surroundings were owned by Absalom Wilson and his descendants. Later these lands were sold, or granted, to Wards, Lees, Elkins, Bryant’s, and Singletary’s.

Robert Tate came to Bladenboro in 1857, directly from Scotland. On the north side of Bryant Swamp, he and his Scottish sweetheart built their home. Tate conducted a mercantile business and a turpentine distillery, which marked the town’s first.

A new era dawned on the little town with the building of the Seaboard Railway in 1859.

Although this section was not abundant with slaves in the Civil War days, there is an account of an old blind black slave, Moses Swon, who was keeper of the Seaboard water tank; pumping water into the reservoir, and singing as he worked.

In 1885, two brothers, R.L. and H.C. Bridger, came to Bladenboro from Little River, South Carolina. Beginning with a little more than $1,000, they set up a partnership as turpentine operators. Eventually, they extended their operations to lumbering and the textile industry.

Until 1893, when the last barroom was closed, Bladenboro was without schools. Five men, H.C. Bridger, S.N. Ferguson, Monroe Singletary, R.L. Bridger, and James White had the vision and means to erect a two-story frame building where the Baptist parsonage now stands. In 1901, this academy was sold to the public for $650. Bonds were issued in 1917 for the purpose of building a consolidated school. 1918 marked the completion of the $35,000 building now used as the grammar department. In 1920, home economics and agriculture found their way into the school. Since then, buildings housing these projects, the high school, elementary building, and gym have been erected.

A bank was organized and built in 1908; practically all the capital coming from the local people.

The church and its activities have too, played an important part in the development of our town. In 1889, the Ferguson’s, Tato’s, Davis’s, and Mercer’s organized and built the old Presbyterian Church which stood on the site where Dan Freeman’s store now stands. This church remained the only church for the white in Bladenboro until the building of the First Baptist Church in 1911. The now Presbyterian /Church, a modern brick structure, stands on Main Street.

The First Baptist Church was organized in 1911 as a branch of the Galeed Church. The Methodists, in 1918, built a church where the Pait Boarding House now stands.

The organization and completion of the Bladenboro Cotton Mills in 1912 revolutionized the whole community. The mills are the leading business concern operating in the county today.

In more recent years, a public library has been set up, numerous clubs have been organized, and a beautiful National Guard Armory has been built.

Bladenboro’s fine historical background has indeed played a major role in the development of our county.