A town of two thousand people has sent a governor to Raleigh and, less obviously, changed how everything in the world gets shipped.
Invented containerised shipping. Before McLean, cargo was loaded piece by piece by hand; he put it in standard steel boxes that move straight from lorry to ship. It reshaped world trade, and he came from here.
Governor of North Carolina, 1924 to 1928.
Singer and actress, who worked in the era of independent Black cinema.
Civil rights activist and program director.
Professional baseball player, scout, coach and manager.
The town grew through the market-town years, peaked around the turn of this century, and has fallen since — agricultural consolidation from the 1960s, and a highway bypass in 2004 that took passing trade off the main street.
As of the 2020 census Maxton is 61.0% Black or African American, 16.9% white (non-Hispanic) and 16.7% Native American, with a median age of 38.5. It covers 2.70 square miles across Robeson and Scotland counties.
Family pictures, team photos, festival snapshots, anything from the town's past. We would like to add them here, with credit to you.
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