Harnett County

Harnett County was formed in 1855 from Cumberland County. It was named for the Revolutionary War Patriot, Cornelius Harnett, delegate to the Continental Congress. The first settlers came in the mid 1720s, followed by the Highland Scots. After the defeat by the British of Bonny Prince Charles at Culloden, the Scots came up the Cape Fear River in ever increasing numbers and settled in western Harnett County. Many in this area today have Scottish ancestry.

Lillington, the county seat, on the Cape Fear River is named in honor of Alexander Lillington; another Revolutionary patriot. Averasboro Battleground in southeast Harnett County is the site of a Confederate attack on Sherman's Army (March 15, 1865) and is marked by a grove of large oak and beech trees.

Today, Lillington, Dunn, Coats, Angier, and Erwin are the leading trading and commercial areas. Harnett County is now moving into the industrial development phase. Community planning is being undertaken on an unprecedented scale and new leadership is emerging which holds promise of broadening the county's economic base.

The western and southwestern portion of Harnett County could easily become the playground of East-Central Carolina. The terrain, the geological character and its proximity to large and growing metropolitan areas place this portion in an excellent competitive position.

Harnett County is proud to be the home of Campbell University in Buies Creek, a four-year, fully-accredited liberal arts institution of higher education. The university confers an associate degree, six undergraduate degrees and seven graduate degrees, and makes available 40 fields for undergraduate major courses of study. The university also offers professional programs in education, business, law, pharmacy and divinity.

Central Carolina Community College is also in Harnett County. It is committed to the growth of individuals by offering a wide variety of basic, employment-related, academic and vocational programs.

Angier

Angier, the Town of Crepe Myrtles, is a town of quietness, security and tremendous opportunity for its residents. Despite the substantial growth in this area, Angier is still the kind of town where you know your neighbors. During the 1930s, the Angier Woman's Club undertook a project to have crepe myrtles planted on roadsides leading into town from all directions. The trees make a spectacular show during June, July and August. The town chose "The Town of the Crepe Myrtles" as its slogan. Every year a Crepe Myrtle Festival is held in September with food, crafts and entertainment for all.

J.C. Williams, who grew up in the area that is now Angier, is credited with being the "Father" of the town. "Jake" was one of the eight children of Jacob Williams, and often called Jake-of-all. His ancestry has been traced all the way back to the sixteenth century to the Isle of Wales, Scotland.

Today Angier is one of the fastest growing areas in Harnett County; it has been called the bedroom of the Research Triangle Park. Angier is located 20 miles south of Raleigh, 9 miles north of Lillington, the Harnett County seat, and 10 miles west of Interstate 40, on NC 210.