Raeford, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Raeford is a city located in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. In 2020, about 4,559 people lived there. Raeford is also the county seat of Hoke County. This means it is the main city where the county government is located.

History of Raeford: How the City Began
Geography: Where is Raeford Located?
Population and People of Raeford
- Raeford's Population in 2020
Famous People from Raeford
See also

History of Raeford: How the City Began

Early Beginnings and Naming the Town

The city of Raeford got its name from two important people. John McRae ran a turpentine distillery, which made products from pine trees. A.A. Williford owned a general store, where people could buy many different things. They combined parts of their last names, "Rae" from McRae and "ford" from Williford, to name the post office they started.

Scottish Roots and New Arrivals

The McRae family lived near a "ford of the creek," which is a shallow place to cross a stream. Many families in the area were Highland Scots. In the 1700s and 1800s, the Upper Cape Fear River Valley was home to the largest group of Gaelic-speaking Highland Scots in North America. Today, many of these old families still live in Raeford.

However, many new people have moved to the area. This is partly because of Fort Liberty, a large military base nearby. After World War II, many Lumbee Indian families moved north from Robeson County. They are now a big part of the population, along with people of European and African American backgrounds.

Historic Places in Raeford

Two important places in Raeford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Hoke County Courthouse and the Raeford Historic District. Being on this list means they are special places that are important to history.

Geography: Where is Raeford Located?

Raeford's Location and Waterways

Raeford is in the middle of Hoke County. To the northeast, it borders Rockfish Creek. This creek flows east and joins the Cape Fear River. The southern part of Raeford sends its water to Toneys Creek. This creek flows south and is part of a larger river system that includes the Lumber River, Pee Dee River, and Waccamaw River.

Major Roads and Travel Routes

Several main roads pass through Raeford. U.S. Route 401 runs along the north and west sides of the city. You can take U.S. 401 east about 22 miles to Fayetteville. If you go southwest, it's about 20 miles to Laurinburg.

A special road called U.S. 401 Business goes right through the center of Raeford. It is known as Harris Avenue and East Central Avenue. North Carolina Highway 20 starts in downtown Raeford as St. Pauls Drive. It goes southeast about 19 miles to St. Pauls.

North Carolina Highway 211 also goes through the center of Raeford. It enters from the south on Main Street and leaves to the west on Prospect Avenue. NC-211 leads south about 30 miles to Lumberton. It goes northwest about 17 miles to Aberdeen.

City Size and Land Area

The United States Census Bureau says that Raeford covers a total area of about 11.1 square kilometers (4.3 square miles). A very small part of this, about 0.06 square kilometers (0.02 square miles), is water.

Population and People of Raeford

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	580	—
1920	1,235	112.9%
1930	1,303	5.5%
1940	1,628	24.9%
1950	2,030	24.7%
1960	3,058	50.6%
1970	3,180	4.0%
1980	3,630	14.2%
1990	3,469	−4.4%
2000	3,386	−2.4%
2010	4,611	36.2%
2020	4,559	−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Raeford's Population in 2020

Raeford racial composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	1,707	37.44%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,793	39.33%
Native American	201	4.41%
Asian	40	0.88%
Pacific Islander	2	0.04%
Other/Mixed	225	4.94%
Hispanic or Latino	591	12.96%

The 2020 United States census counted 4,559 people living in Raeford. There were 1,909 households and 1,086 families in the city at that time.

Famous People from Raeford

Many interesting people have connections to Raeford:

Diamond and Silk — They are well-known internet personalities.
George Floyd — He was born near Raeford in October 1973 and passed away in May 2020.
Eric Maynor — He was chosen by the Utah Jazz in the 2009 NBA draft to play professional basketball.
Gil McGregor — He was picked by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1971 NBA draft for professional basketball.
Terrell McIntyre — A retired professional basketball player, he was named to the All-Euroleague First Team twice.
Jim McMillian — He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1970 NBA draft to play professional basketball.
Kathy McMillan — She is a former Olympic long jumper who represented the United States.
Detrez Newsome — He is a former running back for the NFL.
Ted Thomas Sr. — He was a religious leader with the Church of God in Christ.
Earl Wolff — He played football as a safety for the NFL's Washington Redskins. He was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2013 NFL draft.

Raeford, North Carolina facts for kids

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