Town guide · Coastal Plain
Laurinburg
The Scotland County seat near the South Carolina line, named for the McLaurin family and once home to St. Andrews University.
34.76° N · -79.48° W · Scotland County
–Ray Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓The town
About Laurinburg
Laurinburg is the county seat of Scotland County, close to the South Carolina border in the south central part of the state. Settlers arrived around 1785 and the town was named for the McLaurin family; its name was first spelled Laurinburgh. A rail line came through in the 1850s, and in March 1865 Union troops burned the depot and railroad shops. The town was incorporated in 1877. In 1898 Red Shirt riots aimed to intimidate Black voters and Fusionists, and in 1899 the area split from Richmond County to form Scotland County. In 1904 Black residents founded the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute, later Laurinburg Academy. The town was once home to St. Andrews University. Its sister city is Oban, Scotland, and jazz trumpeter Woody Shaw and performer Ben Vereen are among its notable people. Source: Wikipedia
Events in Laurinburg
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Every art form on one list, each in its own color. Sample events — illustrative dates
All Laurinburg eventsNothing posted for the next few weeks yet.
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More towns in Coastal Plain
Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina
Report Card
Ray Arts Index · 2026
- Town
- Laurinburg
- County
- Scotland County
- Standing
- Not yet graded
| Subject | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts | 18% | – |
| Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps | 12% | – |
| Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries | 18% | – |
| ActivityArts events each month | 13.5% | – |
| FestivalsActive arts festivals | 13.5% | – |
| Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets | 13.5% | – |
| Creative economyArts businesses and working artists | 7% | – |
| HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups | 4.5% | – |
Overall
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HonorsNone yet
Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured
Teacher’s remarks
The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.
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