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Scottish Heritage Center

What is the
Scottish Heritage Center?

Located on the St. Andrews campus in Laurinburg, North Carolina, the Scottish Heritage Center was established to highlight and preserve the Scottish heritage and traditions of the region of southern North Carolina and beyond.

Lecture Series

The Scottish Heritage Center at St. Andrews University has scheduled its monthly lectures for February and March.  These monthly presentations have been offered since September of 2023 and provide varied topics related to the history of our local community.  The lectures are free and open to the public.  All are invited.

There are currently no events.

For further information or questions about this and other presentations offered by the Scottish Heritage Center at St. Andrews University, please contact Center Director Bill Caudill at:  (910)277-5236 or [email protected].

What's Featured in the SCH?

The Scottish Heritage Center houses a notable collection of old and rare books dealing with Scottish and Scottish-American history, genealogy, and culture as well as current scholarly titles and periodicals. The Center also contains exhibits relative to the Scottish settlement of the southeastern region of North Carolina, as well as artifacts relative to the famed Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald who resided briefly in the region in the late 18th century. The Center also houses the “Fiona Ritchie Radio Archive for ‘The Thistle and Shamrock’” – the archive of the popular radio program heard over hundreds of National Public Radio stations nationwide. This is the largest collection of Celtic music of its type in the United States. 

The Scottish Heritage Center sponsors a number of activities each year which include special concerts and lectures.

Why is Scottish History Relevant?

The Upper Cape Fear and Sandhills regions of the Carolinas were home to the largest settlement of Highland Scots in North America until well into the 19th century. In 1989, on the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of Highland Scots (the now famed “Argyll Colony”) in North Carolina, the college undertook a number of projects aimed at providing educational resources relative to these Scots and others who settled in the region. The Scottish Heritage Center provides assistance and resources for hundreds of interested parties annually.

Preserve Scottish Culture

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Contact Information

For further information on the Scottish Heritage Center, its resources, and the annual “Scottish Heritage Weekend” held annually in March, please contact Bill Caudill, Director of the Scottish Heritage Center, (910) 277-5236.