Ten Fascinating Fayetteville-Area facts

5.  Home to a Key Site during the Civil War

During Union General Sherman’s march through the Carolinas in 1865, Fayetteville, and the arsenal producing guns and ammunition for the Confederacy, was his first target in North Carolina. 

Sherman and his troops entered Fayetteville on March 11, 1865 and took up quarters at the arsenal. Demolition of the arsenal began the next day.   In addition to destroying the arsenal, Sherman destroyed other key structures, such as textile mills and the Fayetteville Observer. Once completed, Sherman and his troops marched on to Averasboro, where outnumbered and outgunned Confederates delayed Sherman’s advance to Goldsboro, allowing a Confederate consolidation at Bentonville for a major offensive against the Union Army.

Today, runins of the arsenal can be viewed at Arsenal Park, which is one of three historic facilities at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. Learn more about this history on the Civil War Heritage Trail 

6. A Deep and Evolving Military Legacy

While Fayetteville’s military story spans centuries, modern military history began in 1918. This was when the U.S. Army established Camp Bragg, which expanded rapidly during World War II and earned a reputation as the Home of the Airborne. Today, Fort Bragg hosts more than 55,000 active-duty personnel, including the 82nd Airborne Division, the U.S. Army Special Forces, and the Golden Knights parachute team. Military heritage is deeply woven into the fabric of the region and proudly displayed throughout the city.

These museums tell our modern military history with interactive exhibits, equipment displays, and more.

• U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum
• 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum
• John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum

Dive deeper into the area's military history along the Patriots, Past & Present Trail.  

7.  Saint Ann Catholic Church: A Trailblazing Institution

St. Ann Catholic Church was born out of the desire of a small group of African American Catholics in Fayetteville to practice their faith without the constraints of the social prejudices of their time. With special permission from the bishop, the first Mass of St. Ann was held on December 24, 1939 in Mack’s Barber Shop, owned by church member Mr. Frank McKay. The church, which was dedicated in December 1940, has a collection of stained glass windows that depict its history. One window features a barber pole, in tribute to where the first Mass was held. 

St. Ann is also known for opening the first desegregated Catholic school in North Carolina in 1956, long before integration became required.

Learn more about Saint Ann Church  and more Cumberland County African-American history in the region along the African American Heritage Trail

8. The Rockefellers Had a Home in Cumberland County

Long Valley Farm, the winter estate of James Stillman Rockefeller, is now part of Carvers Creek State Park. Presently, the outside of the home can be viewed on the estate. Long-term plans are to open the home as the park’s visitor center.

The Long Valley Farm entrance offers easy walking trails to the estate. More challenging hiking and biking trails that span miles are at the second entrance.

Cumberland County’s first and only state park is home to several endangered species, including the Red Cockaded Woodpecker.

9. Fayetteville Native Invented Putt-Putt

Putt-Putt golf was born in Fayetteville in 1954 when local insurance salesman, Don Clayton,  was told to find a new career due to health issues. Soon after, founded the first course. Clayton was frustrated by the gimmicks often seen in miniature golf, such as windmills and waterfalls, and wanted a game focused purely on skill and precision. He designed standardized holes with smooth outdoor carpet and aluminum bumpers, creating a consistent, par-two challenge that rewarded practice and accuracy. The idea took off quickly, with early rounds costing just 25 cents, and eventually led to a national franchise

Although the original courses are gone, you can still enjoy a round at a Putt-Putt Fun Center franchise in Hope Mills today. 

10. Exploring Fayetteville’s Historic Faith Sites

Cumberland County is home to a remarkable collection of historic churches that reflect the region’s deep religious heritage. The Old Bluff Presbyterian Church, founded in 1758 by Scottish Highlander settlers, is one of the oldest churches in the county. For nearly a century, services were conducted in Gaelic, and visitors can still see memorials and graves of the early congregation in the adjacent cemetery. Their 1853 Greek Revival sanctuary in what is now the Town of Godwin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Equally historic is the Pentecostal Holiness Church, which traces its roots to the Octagon Tabernacle in the Town of Falcon. Constructed in 1898 with wood from tornado-uplifted trees, this unique octagonal building became the site where two denominations merged in 1911 to form the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. The tabernacle still stands today, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Learn more about Cumberland County’s historic churches on the Religious Freedom Trail.