Cape Fear Scottish Memorial Cairn

By John McKinnon

Between the 1730s and the American Revolution, more than 20,000 Scottish Highlanders arrived in Brunswick Town, North Carolina, as a result of the Highland Clearances in Scotland.

The Scots settled in the “Sand Hills Region,” comprising Moore, Cumberland, and Scotland Counties, as well as the surrounding mountains. Today, that very ground will host a powerful tribute: the Cape Fear Scottish Immigration Memorial, a project born from the vision of The Scottish Society of Wilmington and now led by the Cape Fear Scottish Immigration Memorial Fund, a dedicated 501(c)(3) organization.

At the heart of the memorial stands a Cairn, a traditional Scottish marker. The construction of a cairn is traditionally made of local stone. This cairn is more significant since it was built from the ballast stones of the actual ships that transported the Scots from Europe. The Cairn is surrounded by signage explaining the significance of the location. A brick path featuring the names of project donors is included.

Just a short walk from the colonial wharves where the Scots first landed, the Cairn invites visitors to reflect on the courage it took to leave everything behind—and the legacy that still shapes North Carolina today.

Learn more here: https://www.capefearscotsmemorial.org/