Day 8

by   August 15, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Still searching for the perfect day, but with some improvement!


   I keep thinking I am going to hit my stride one day soon. There have been unusual challenges often with the first seven days, but I felt better about things in general today.


  I left Sartell with the Great River Road right in front of my motel. I had a nice night and a good breakfast at the AmericInn. Heading east, the first 5 miles or so were right along the river with good viewing almost constantly. I passed a big dam and an old paper mill in the Sartell area.


   Then came a long ride to Little Falls through the country, most of it through farmland with little traffic. Good riding with only a few hills. I rode in the cool morning temperatures starting in the mid-50s and didn’t take my long sleeved shirt off for a couple hours. I spotted the river occasionally but more often as I neared Little Falls, some of it with the river within 20 feet of the road.


   Little Falls was named after some former falls near the town. Apparently some industry had changed the low falls. Just before reaching town, I saw the state park that includes the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh, one of the most famous aviators for his first ever solo flight across the Atlantic. The home was built by his dad, Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh.


   I followed the GRR signs all morning and rode into the town of Little Falls. I stopped at the Speedway convenience store and asked the clerk if the GRR continued straight. Rather smugly, he said, “Oh, the GRR stops right here at our store.” I told him that wasn’t right snd showed him the map, but he was defiant that it did stop. I just continued straight through the town and soon found more signs that told me to turn, and rode on about 10 miles following them. I thought of calling that store back and telling the guy he was wrong. The GRR does continue all the way to the source.


   I passed Camp Ripley, the National Guard base that specializes in winter training. It had a beautiful main gate entrance and encloses 53,000 acres. Most guardsmen train 2 weeks a year at Camp Ripley. A frontier fort used up until the 1870s is still maintained within the camp.


   Next, I got my big challenge. I continued on following the signs and the map. Just on the other side of Camp Ripley, the GRR signs directed me onto the interstate. I noticed right away the signs forbidding bikes on the interstate in Minnesota, and reluctantly rode back off the ramp. I asked Siri for a bike route to Brainerd, the next town. The distance was about the same, which seemed fine. Until, I saw that the first road was gravel. A loaded bike is almost impossible to ride on loose gravel, but I made it a mile, then found that she wanted me to turn on another gravel road for seven miles. I simply couldn’t control the bike and it wouldn’t climb in the gravel.


    A US Postal Service vehicle passed me, and I wished I had stopped her for information. I walked up and coasted down another hill with both feet out to keep from crashing. I spotted a white truck ahead parked next to a corn field. Andy Eller, who works for Steffes Power, had an iPad that showed the available roads. Andy had been having lunch, a good thing for me. We had a very enjoyable talk about things, before he gave me a route out of the mess. First he hauled me to the end of that road, where I had a paved option and a similar distance ride to avoid the gravel roads. Andy told me about the major drought in the area, and added that lots of the roads in the area were gravel. Fine for vehicles, terrible for loaded bikes. Thank you, Andy!


    I made it to Brainerd and then into Baxter where I am spending the night in a wonderful Super Eight. I have eaten a huge load of food, including today’s ice cream flavor, Drumstick, the Original Sundae Cone by Nestle.


   My legs came around today and I felt good all the way, finishing in 69 miles. Tomorrow, I am going for Grand Rapids, which if successful will be the longest ride of this journey so far. I don’t expect to see the river much tomorrow as the GRR doesn’t look close.


    Thanks for following along! See you tomorrow!

Equipped

by   August 15, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

I’ve been thinking about a word I saw in Scripture, and praying it for my husband and me. You see, we’ve just let go of a lot of security and left jobs we had at the same school for the past twenty years. Yep. We are that crazy. Anyway, he was a middle school teacher [math, Bible, & culinary] and I was the school secretary. And we really loved it. But the Lord kept nudging us to step out of the boat and do a little wave walking.

A while back I heard a teaching series through the book of Nehemiah. The pastor said. “Don’t allow fear to be bigger than your God.” It was at that point that I had real confirmation that God wanted us to do something more. That was in January. So in March, when it was time to sign contracts for the next year, God gave us both peace and assurance that we needed to be done there. And we let go.

One day I was reading and came across the word equip. It’s contained in a prayer at the end of Hebrews. Chapter 13:20 says, “And now, may the God of peace, Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing His will.” Since we are definitely old dogs in need of new tricks, equipping by God sounds like a great request. So this has become my prayer for us. Today, I saw an interesting commentary on that word. The writer, Dennis Fisher, says it is the same word used in several contexts. Stay with me, this is pretty cool. Ephesians 4:12 uses it to describe what pastors and teachers do for us as they bring us God’s Word. Galatians 6:1 speaks of restoring [equipping] a fallen brother. And my favorite is in Matthew 4:21. Mending [nets] is the same word.

God is so practical. He never asks us to do anything without equipping us to do it. And if we fall, and odds are pretty good we will, He reaches out His hand for us. And when we need mending, He’ll do that too. People may think we are not worth the effort, but God never gives up on us. And the coolest part of all is that the power He uses to equip us is the same power He used to RAISE CHRIST FROM THE DEAD! Ephesians 1:19-“I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of His power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead!” Strong stuff! Makes me think we can do anything He asks!

So the prayer for today is for equipping. Lord, strengthen us with the tools we need to build Your church. Put in our hearts what You want us to do. Then give us the knowhow, stamina, and understanding to do the things You want done. Help us remember that we cannot rely on ourselves. Then strengthen us to stay so close to You, that when the waves get big, we instantly call to you like Peter did when he stepped out on the water. Hold us by Your strong and mighty right hand! Equip us to do great things we’ve never done before!

More: Psalm 18:16-20; Matthew 14:22-33; Isaiah 43:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Isaiah 48:17- “The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says, I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling like waves.”

Blessed

by   August 14, 2023 with No Comments

Beatitude. Beatitude. Beatitude. Say that three times really fast. Something about that word never got my proper attention until recently.

If I heard the words ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ I envisioned a lovely mountainside, picnic baskets, and Jesus.

There were picnic baskets, right? It WAS the longest sermon on record.

But hearing the word ‘beatitude’ did not sound nearly as special – until I saw the definition. Beatitude means supreme blessedness.

We all want supreme blessedness, right?

Well, the beatitudes are the key.

Blessed are:

The Humble. Humility means to have a modest view of our own importance. Not to think less of ourselves, but to think of ourselves less.

The Mourners. We are in a world that believes in happiness at any cost. But – Ecclesiastes 7:2-3 says that it is better to go into the house of mourning than the house of feasting. Sorrow is better than laughter. By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

The Meek. Meekness is about our behavior toward others. The word is meekness- not weakness. It is meek – not EEK! Moses was described as meek in Numbers 12:3. Jesus said, “I am meek and lowly in heart,” in Matthew 11:29. They had great power – but it was power under control.

The Hungry for Righteousness. Righteousness is the desire to do what is right. It is desiring God. It is pursuing God. We should be hungry for righteousness – and go after it!

The Merciful. Mercy is what you give to someone who does not deserve it. Compassion. Forgiveness. Surely the word mercy originated at the cross – as the greatest show of mercy possible was extended to us – the sinner.

The Pure in Heart. Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

The Peacemakers. Jesus gave His life to make peace between us and God. We are to carry that message of peace to the world. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15

The Persecuted. Persecution often refers to those who are mistreated because of religious beliefs. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:12

The beatitudes say that if we do these things: We are blessed. We will receive the kingdom of heaven. We will be comforted. We will inherit the earth. We will be filled.

We will obtain mercy. We will see God. We will be called the children of God.

That, my friends, is supreme blessedness.

*8 beatitudes from the Lord that teach us how to live.

*Beatitudes – my new favorite word.

*Godly examples for us to follow.

*Teach them to our children and grandchildren.

*Let the beatitudes be a part of our family legacy.

*That sure was some great preaching on the hillside near Capernaum.

*Brought to you by: Jesus in ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ in Matthew 5:3-12.

Day 7

by   August 13, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Still looking for the perfect day!


 The day dawned cool and pleasant this morning at the Regency Inn in Anoka, Minnesota. I hoped to make significant progress while Ethan Horne was again riding with me. Ethan is from China Grove and we are longtime fiends. Ethan lives in Minneapolis, so he took the time to ride with me Saturday afternoon and part of Sunday morning before heading back home.


   We checked out the town, interesting since the Rum River empties in the Mississippi near the town. They are building a 20 mile trail that includes both rivers and the town. Lots of historic buildings still remain in Anoka.


    We road north on the Great River Road through Dayton, Otsego and into Monticello through a few hilly segments but some easier riding as well. Turkeys were abundant in the area. Ethan turned around at Monticello, which was incorporated in 1855, and headed back home. It was fun to have him along, especially with his own  outstanding list of endurance cycling accomplishments.


   After some light rain, the sun came back out and so did a consistent headwind. I passed the edge of Clearwater and then rode into St. Cloud, a city of about 51,000. I had a dilemma, wanting to continue riding on to Little Falls about 35 more miles but the only listed regular motel was full. I decided to continue on to Sartell and AmericInn. I had tried to talk Ileen Geisel into a deal, but still stopped here for the evening. We had a very pleasant conversation about my rides and about her bike. This is the nicest motel so far on this ride. Sartell has one of the few sets of rapids on the Mississippi.


   Tomorrow, I am hoping for at least Brainerd, Minnesota, where I will complete three bridge crossings. Those crossings will continue the rest of the way to Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi. At each crossing, I am seeing the smaller size of the river as I head north. There will also be less towns coming up too. Right now, I think it will be three more days to the source.


   Following the Lake Itasca stop, I will ride east to Lake Superior and hope to ride into Canada briefly at Thunder Bay. I understand that the area is called the Northwoods and will have some interesting stops along Lake Superior, the biggest of the Great Lakes.


   Thanks to David Post for sponsoring again this year.
   See you back here tomorrow! I am sure it will be another interesting journey.

Long Term Lessons from the 2nd Grade

by   August 13, 2023 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Armed with the most adorable puppy-themed green Trapper Keeper, a zipper pouch of brand new pencils and crayons, I marched into the 2nd grade of my new school. Though shy, I always looked forward to the first day of elementary school. Mrs. Deal met me at the door with a smile and the look of someone well-acquainted with children.

We each have a favorite teacher or grade, like Mrs. Deal and the 2nd grade. To this day, I can recall songs she taught us, though I can barely make out most words in many worship songs on the radio today. I can remember Bible verses we worked through, though now, I cannot give you more than three digits from the phone numbers of my dearest contacts.

She made completing schoolwork a joy, rewarding those who finished well and early enough with time at a quiet table enjoying puzzles or games. I still employ that tactic with myself on mundane housework. “After this load of laundry, I’ll read one more chapter from my book while sitting on the porch.”

Likewise, character development had rewards with a merit system for multiple categories, sometimes resulting in a small cup of ice cream with a tiny wooden spoon as a sweet reward. Today, the benefits of pursuing godly character are sweet and long-lasting.

Mrs. Deal planted the first seeds of international missions into my 2nd-grade heart. Stories about Amy Carmichael thrilled my soul and made me wonder about others worldwide. I have since served on missions teams at local churches, supported friends on long-term and short-term missions, and read many biographies to my children, including the one about Amy Carmichael.

I know she is a Christian and well acquainted with Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” I wonder how many students she has had through the years who can attest to that truth and her part in their lives?

Caregivers who send their children off to school, if you have done the work of finding a good teacher, as you entrust them, pray for them regularly. Thank them often and tell them when and how their influence translates at home. Parents who teach from home, the children are soaking up so much that you are well-equipped to teach them. Enjoy the gift and pray through the hard seasons, trusting a good harvest in the years ahead.

Teachers in traditional school buildings, you may only sometimes get to see the long-view results, but your work matters and is shaping each child. A child’s one year with you may instill something unique that stays with him for a lifetime. Though not immediately, when looking back, they will one day see the many hands God has used to shape them, and I pray they one day give you a delayed, but well-earned thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Deal!

Ashlie Miller is a homeschool teacher of 5, often using the tools she learned from Mrs. Deal in 2nd grade. You may reach her at ashliemiller.com.

Taking Care of Yourself

by   August 12, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            Have you ever had more to do than time to get it done? We all have times when our calendar is so full that we feel overloaded. Many people get overloaded during the holiday season, but that isn’t the only time that we allow life to overwhelm us. Sometimes the pressures come from work, while other times it comes from our personal lives.

            I remember when I was teaching and we approached the end of the semester how stressful it would get trying to wrap things up. There was always a pile of papers that needed to be graded and recorded. I had to go check on my work-release students. I also had to prepare for class each day. I was always sleep-deprived and I would drink lots of caffeine, forcing myself to push through. 

            When everything was done, I would collapse. Your body will allow you to push the limits for a while, but then it will require some catch up. I know that I have been guilty of pushing myself many times in the past. You have to do what you have to do. Deadlines have to be met and you have to dig deep to make it happen.

            We can also find ourselves drained when life comes at us from too many directions.  It’s okay when one thing goes wrong and we can focus on solving that one thing. We fix it and we move on. But when five, six, or seven things are all calling our name at the exact same time and needing immediate attention…those moments create undue stress.

            It’s often during these crazy times that we neglect to take care of ourselves. We put ourselves on the back burner. We forfeit sleep in order to try and get something off our plate. We neglect exercise or fail to give ourselves some down time. We add one more thing to our calendar. We lean on the energy from caffeine and chocolate, expecting our bodies to respond.

            When we neglect to take care of ourselves we can’t perform at our best. When our stress level is through the roof, how can we expect ourselves to get it all done? When time pressures are pressing us, something has to give. The result is poor performance, hurting people we love, or possibly health issues because we are failing to take care of ourselves.

            I don’t believe that God expects us to be super-human. In fact, God tells us that we need a Sabbath rest. God spent six days creating our world and universe and then He rested on the seventh day. He tells us in His word that we need to rest, too. Some things are going to have to be put off until next week. We are going to have to learn to say “no” to other things. I have a hard time saying no because I don’t want to disappoint people.

            God puts the responsibility to take care of ourselves squarely on our shoulders. That means that we have to get proper rest…take a day and unplug from the demands. That also means that we need to exercise our body. My doctor has made it clear to me that I need to walk. Walking is great for the heart, legs, mind, and spirit. I have found that when I skip walking because I need to get things done, I suffer for it. Some people swim, run, ride bikes, or lift weights…whatever you choose, do it for yourself.

            Some people may argue that acting this way is selfish. The opposite of that is true. When we take care of ourselves by getting proper rest, eating good food, and getting some exercise, we will be healthier in body, mind, and spirit. Then we will be better equipped to serve God’s Kingdom and our families and our employers. Being stressed out and pulled in too many directions leaves us drained and unable to be the blessing God intends in all areas of our lives.

            I want to encourage you to focus on taking care of yourself so you can be ready to serve Him in whatever capacity He needs you. God can do great things through us, but He needs us to take care of our bodies (His temple). That means get proper rest. That means feed your body good food, your mind with good thoughts, and your spirit with God’s word. That means get the exercise and take the medications your body needs to be healthy and strong. Then you will be ready to serve Him to the best of your ability.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

An Educational Opportunity

by   August 11, 2023 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

During the weekend when Representative John Lewis was being honored in his home state of Alabama, a thirty-year-old state representative who represents a district northwest of Montgomery chose to honor another native of Alabama.

According to his Facebook post, Will Dismukes gave the opening invocation for the annual celebration of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s birthday. His post showed him standing behind the lectern surrounded by several Confederate flags at a location named Fort Dixie. He writes on his post, “Always a great time and some sure enough good eating.”

Dismukes and all the other celebrators at Fort Dixie, someone’s private property near Selma, are free to observe the birthday of a Confederate officer, a slave owner, and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Kian. They are free to hang all the Confederate flags they want and to continue this annual event with  all the “good eating” present at such occasions.

It does not surprise me that some areas of America still celebrate such men as Forrest. What shocks me is that a politician so young as Dismukes would attend, participate, and share his role on Facebook, then he expresses surprise that some readers react negatively to his post. A graduate of Faulkner University and the pastor of his Baptist church, Dismukes  saw nothing wrong in honoring Forrest but not Lewis.

Senator Tom Cotton has spent a year trying to stop the use of the 1619 curriculum in public schools. He views the curriculum as biased concerning racism is America. Senator Cotton firmly believes that America is not a racist country and that slavery was “a necessary evil” that helped build our country.

While reading various newspaper accounts of Senator Cotton’s battle against the 1619 curriculum and of Dismukes’ celebration of a racist traitor to America, I kept wondering how did these men manage to graduate college and law school without gaining knowledge of slavery and its horrific effect on America? As an educator who required students to read and discuss and write about books by Richard Wright, Earnest Gaines, Alice Walker, and Gloria Naylor, to name a few, I am saddened that these men, elected leaders, have such a limited understanding of that “peculiar institution.” I wonder what they understand about the Jim Crow era and how Dr. King, Jr. used non-violence for change.

Dismukes is only thirty. I had believed that we had done a better job of educating our young people. Yet, he chooses to honor a bigot, not a hero. He chooses to go to a place named Fort Dixie, which is  ironically near Selma, where Mr. Lewis helped change our country. Does his choice to travel to Fort Dixie and not Troy, Alabama demonstrate his failure to learn our history or does it speak to our failure to educate him?

Senator Cotton writes falsehoods and pushes misinformation about the practice of human chattel. I wonder what he has read about slavery. Has he considered reading Tocqueville’s examination of slavery. If his blind loyalty to Southern heritage prevents him from reading an account by a non-American, I highly recommend Hodding Carter’s Southern Legacy, which examines the South, but does not glorify it.

My take of all this  is that we have a long way to go in educating our citizens concerning slavery, the Traitor’s War, Jim Crow, and more. But because of the influence of COVID-19 on our educational system, we have the opportunity to change our educational systems. The pandemic has given us a chance. Let’s take advantage of it by teaching the true history of our country.

Day 6

by   August 11, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Still searching for the perfect day, but with some improvement!


   I keep thinking I am going to hit my stride one day soon. There have been unusual challenges often with the first seven days, but I felt better about things in general today.


  I left Sartell with the Great River Road right in front of my motel. I had a nice night and a good breakfast at the AmericInn. Heading east, the first 5 miles or so were right along the river with good viewing almost constantly. I passed a big dam and an old paper mill in the Sartell area.
   Then came a long ride to Little Falls through the country, most of it through farmland with little traffic. Good riding with only a few hills. I rode in the cool morning temperatures starting in the mid-50s and didn’t take my long sleeved shirt off for a couple hours. I spotted the river occasionally but more often as I neared Little Falls, some of it with the river within 20 feet of the road.

   Little Falls was named after some former falls near the town. Apparently some industry had changed the low falls. Just before reaching town, I saw the state park that includes the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh, one of the most famous aviators for his first ever solo flight across the Atlantic. The home was built by his dad, Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh.
 

  I followed the GRR signs all morning and rode into the town of Little Falls. I stopped at the Speedway convenience store and asked the clerk if the GRR continued straight. Rather smugly, he said, “Oh, the GRR stops right here at our store.” I told him that wasn’t right snd showed him the map, but he was defiant that it did stop. I just continued straight through the town and soon found more signs that told me to turn, and rode on about 10 miles following them. I thought of calling that store back and telling the guy he was wrong. The GRR does continue all the way to the source.
 

  I passed Camp Ripley, the National Guard base that specializes in winter training. It had a beautiful main gate entrance and encloses 53,000 acres. Most guardsmen train 2 weeks a year at Camp Ripley. A frontier fort used up until the 1870s is still maintained within the camp.
 

  Next, I got my big challenge. I continued on following the signs and the map. Just on the other side of Camp Ripley, the GRR signs directed me onto the interstate. I noticed right away the signs forbidding bikes on the interstate in Minnesota, and reluctantly rode back off the ramp. I asked Siri for a bike route to Brainerd, the next town. The distance was about the same, which seemed fine. Until, I saw that the first road was gravel. A loaded bike is almost impossible to ride on loose gravel, but I made it a mile, then found that she wanted me to turn on another gravel road for seven miles. I simply couldn’t control the bike and it wouldn’t climb in the gravel.
 

  A US Postal Service vehicle passed me, and I wished I had stopped her for information. I walked up and coasted down another hill with both feet out to keep from crashing. I spotted a white truck ahead parked next to a corn field. Andy Eller, who works for Steffes Power, had an iPad that showed the available roads. Andy had been having lunch, a good thing for me. We had a very enjoyable talk about things, before he gave me a route out of the mess. First he hauled me to the end of that road, where I had a paved option and a similar distance ride to avoid the gravel roads. Andy told me about the major drought in the area, and added that lots of the roads in the area were gravel. Fine for vehicles, terrible for loaded bikes. Thank you, Andy!
 

   I made it to Brainerd and then into Baxter where I am spending the night in a wonderful Super Eight. I have eaten a huge load of food, including today’s ice cream flavor, Drumstick, the Original Sundae Cone by Nestle.

   My legs came around today and I felt good all the way, finishing in 69 miles. Tomorrow, I am going for Grand Rapids, which if successful will be the longest ride of this journey so far. I don’t expect to see the river much tomorrow as the GRR doesn’t look close.


    Thanks for following along! See you tomorrow!

Lillington to Elizabethtown

by   August 10, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Leftover from my last trip as we ran out of print space was Lillington, county seat of Harnett County. A post office called Lillington has been in operation since 1874. The town was originally called Harnett Court House but was then chartered by the State of North Carolina on March 4, 1903. Lillington is named for John Alexander Lillington who was an officer from North Carolina in the American Revolutionary War, fighting in the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge in 1776 and serving as brigadier general in the state militia. Lillington is on the Cape Fear River and has a new Harnett County Courthouse. Campbell University is adjacent to the town.

My first stop on July 3 was Raeford, county seat of Hoke County, N.C.’s 99th county. Raeford was granted a U.S. Post Office on Aug. 11, 1885, when it was still in Cumberland County. There were no paved roads, and the economy was strictly based on cotton. The men who operated the turpentine distillery and general store wanted the post office in their store for the convenience of the townspeople. In order to choose a name for the post office, they took a syllable from each of their names. One being John McRae, and one being A.A. Williford, and the town name became “Raeford.” The only high school in the county became the Raeford Institute. Raeford was originally settled on the site of an old cotton field with those few families who had settled there making up the population in 1898. In 1899, the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad was extended to the present-day Raeford. When the first train came down the track, teachers let the children from the institute walk through the woods to meet the train.

Raeford, chartered in 1901, was composed almost exclusively of people who had moved to the community in the interest of their children obtaining a better education. Today’s Raeford has the 1912 Hoke County Courthouse and is located about 22 miles from Fort Liberty (Bragg).

My next stop was Fayetteville, county seat of Cumberland County. In 1783, Cross Creek and Campbellton joined together and the new town was incorporated as Fayetteville in honor of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, the French military hero who aided the American forces during the Revolutionary War. Fayetteville was the first city to be named in his honor in the United States. Lafayette visited the city on March 4 and 5, 1825, during his tour of the United States.

After a devastating downtown fire in 1831 that consumed 600 buildings, the city built a Market House. The new building had a covered area under which business could be conducted since every store in Fayetteville had been destroyed in the fire. Completed in 1832, the Market House became both the town’s and county’s administrative building until other buildings could be replaced.

General Sherman’s Union Army entered Fayetteville on March 11, 1865, where a skirmish occurred near the Market House. On the site of Ft. Liberty, the last all-cavalry battle of the war occurred at Monroe’s Crossing. Sherman’s army caused major destruction to the city.

Since the 1960s, Fayetteville has been one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Fort Liberty, with about 57,000 soldiers and 14,000 support personnel, provides a major boost to the local economy.

The downtown portion of Fayetteville was really cool with historic buildings, the train depot, restaurants and shops. The modern Cumberland County Courthouse is just a block away from the previous one, built in 1926. The 1923 Hotel Prince Charles, after a long list of owners, has recently reopened as The Residences at the Prince Charles with two original rooms combined into one apartment. Parking was easy with lots of marked places on the street. So easy that I got my first parking ticket, one that I will appeal. Not a meter or sign in sight and I only was gone from my truck for 50 minutes.

Lumberton, county seat of Robeson County, was my next stop. Located in southern North Carolina’s Inner Banks region, Lumberton is on the Lumber River and is named for it. It was founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the American Revolution who owned land nearby. Developed as a shipping point for lumber used by the Navy, logs were guided downriver to Georgetown, S.C.

Lumberton was formally created by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly on Nov. 3, 1788, which granted the town a charter and the power to levy taxes. Most of the town’s growth happened after World War II.

Robeson County was impacted by Hurricanes Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018, which broke the flooding record. As a result of extensive damage to homes, entire streets in south and west Lumberton were left abandoned.

Luther Britt Park has 143 acres for outdoor recreation and Lumberton has the annual Lumbee Indian Homecoming each July. The Robeson County Courthouse is modern, built in 1987.

Then on to Elizabethtown, county seat of Bladen County. Established in 1773, the town is currently celebrating its 250th year with several events. No one is sure of the town’s namesake. The most famous resident is Lt. Col. Brown, a former NASA astronaut and retired United States Air Force colonel. He participated in six space missions and the airport, the Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field Airport, is named in his honor.

The Battle of Elizabethtown took place in town during the Revolutionary War on Sept. 29, 1781, when a small force of about 60 patriots defeated roughly 300 Tories. The Tory Hole Battleground has a marker denoting the battle.

While I was there, rain threatened but never got serious. A large townwide sidewalk sale was in progress and drew plenty of pedestrian traffic. I stopped for a couple of pastries at “Burney’s Sweets and More” before leaving this friendly town. Five more counties done for a total of 79, with 21 to go. See you next week!

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