In observance of Independence Day, Town of Lillington offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th, 2025.
About Lillington
The Town of Lillington is the county seat of Harnett County, North Carolina. It is situated along the Cape Fear River, between Raleigh and Fayetteville. It is a charming and steadily growing town which offers myriad forms of recreation, entertainment, and exploration. Lillington has a long history of community and tradition which provide a strong foundation for connection and growth.
The region that is now Harnett County was originally settled by the Tuscarora and Saura (Cheraw) Peoples. The Tuscarora were known as the most powerful and highly developed tribe in Eastern NC. Unfair trading deals combined with land encroachment from new settlers led to the Tuscarora War which was fought from 1711-1713 against British settlers, and resulted in many members relocating to Niagara County, NY to join the 5 Nations (then 6 Nations). Some of their descendants later reformed around Robeson County in 4 communities- none of which have been formally recognized as of the early 2000s (Tuscarora Indians).
Then the Cape Fear was then settled by a group of Scots who relocated after the last of the Jacobite Rebellions in 1745. Stories of these Scots are well chronicled in the book They Passed This Way, written by local historian Malcolm Fowler in 1955. These original settlers’ legacy remains apparent through various geographic landmarks including Buies Creek, which was named after Archibald ‘Archie’ Buie. Additionally, Neill’s Creek was named for Reid ‘Red’ Neill MacNeill- a large, red-headed Scotsman who claimed many tracts of land in the area. Many of these Scots were known to not permanently settle on much of the land they claimed. Instead, they remained on the tract only as long as was required to claim it and then continued their travels to claim a new tract of land farther inland.
Red MacNeill has also been credited with the naming of Barbecue Creek, as the mists rising over the hills, “reminded him of his sailor days and barbecue fires smoking in the West Indies” (Fowler, 1955). Red was such a fan of the cooking style that he is credited with introducing barbecued meat to the valley by throwing parties and inviting other nearby settlers in the area to share the bounty with him. Reid’s final party was thrown in 1759, just as a Spotted Fever epidemic swept through the area. The epidemic ravaged the colony, killing many people- including the Town doctor and Red MacNeill. A notable survivor of the epidemic was Reverend James A. Campbell, who provided spiritual guidance for town residents following the early death of the town’s only doctor. Campbell would go on to found Buies Creek Academy, now known as Campbell University (Fowler, 1955).
The first ship of so-called permanent settlers arrived in the Cape Fear region in 1739. The residents that would replace the Scots were largely farmers who worked on small and medium (100-acre) tracts of land. These settlers contrasted with the Scots- they settled and remained on the land they claimed rather than simply claiming it and moving on. These farmers mostly raised wheat, flax, and produce- not the cotton that became a staple of plantations in colonies further south. Some of the most lucrative industries were in cattle and timber sales, since the Cape Fear River provided an excellent means of transport to larger markets in Wilmington and Fayetteville.
The Town of Lillington was named after the Revolutionary War Colonel John Alexander Lillington. Lillington famously led 150 minutemen in the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge, near Wilmington, in February of 1776. Lillington’s Patriots won a decisive victory over the Loyalists. The Patriots suffered only one loss and one injury, compared to British casualties of 30 killed, 40 wounded, and 850 captured. This American victory spurred revolutionary sentiment throughout the Carolinas, and discouraged the growth of the Loyalist faction. This event, more than any other, is credited as having led North Carolina to vote for independence at the Second Continental Congress on April 12, 1776 (Lillington: The Centennial Sketchbook).
Harnett County became a political entity in 1855, following a vote by the NC General Assembly in February. The county seat was originally named Toomer, after an Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court at the time. Toomer was established about 3 miles north of the Cape Fear River- which posed a problem for county residents. At the time, the only way to cross the river was via boat or barge. Residents were forced to leave their horses and conveyances at the river and walk the 3 miles into town. There is no existing record of when the election of “For Toomer” and “For Lillington” took place. Historical record only shows that Lillington won the election, and that the act was ratified on February 16th, 1859.
Lillington was first incorporated as a town in 1871, but their charter ‘lapsed’ and the Town failed to function. It was re-incorporated on March 4, 1903, and has been steadily growing ever since. At the time of its inception, Lillington only had two buildings- a jailhouse and a barroom which was operated by a black man likely named John McLean. His bar went out of business very soon after the Town was founded. The Town bought 100 acres of land along the Cape Fear River, and the first construction began in 1861. The Harnett County Courthouse was one of the first buildings- the wooden structure was built in 1897 but stood for only 5 years before it burned down in 1892. A new courthouse was built out of brick in 1897-98 and remained until it was replaced in 2003 (Lillington: The Centennial Sketchbook).
Lillington’s Bridges have also been a mainstay of the Town’s infrastructure. The first bridge was built in 1900, despite parts of the bridge being washed away on three occasions during its construction. It was fully washed away in the great flood of 1908. A second bridge stood from 1909 until it partially collapsed in December 1930. A third bridge was built of concrete in 1931. Prior to 1900, all crossings of the Cape fear were by boat or barge. A ferry was maintained at the river, famously operated by two black men, Hector Turner McLean and Joshua McLean, “whose voices could easily carry a mile in clear weather” (Lillington: The Centennial Sketchbook).
Another early structure in town was the Fire Station, which was built on Main Street in 1933, under the guidance of Fire Chief Matthews. In 1933, using funds donated by Mr. L.D. Burwell, a state-of-the-art fire/police station and town hall was built on Main Street and is still in use. Two bays were built within the station to house the pumper, hose reel, and various other equipment. In the same year, the board enacted an ordinance prohibiting anyone who was not a fireman from riding the truck to a fire. This was considered a misdemeanor and punishable by a $5.00 fine. At the time, the Town’s only firetruck was a 1928 type 99 American LaFrance 500g.p.m. pumper. It featured an 80-gallon water tank designed to be filled with buckets outside the area where hydrants existed. The Town still owns this truck and has since had it restored.
Today, the Town of Lillington is home to more than 4,600 people. The Town enjoys a proud, small-town heritage with an excellent quality of life. The Town is growing quickly, and saw a 2.5% population increase (from 4566 to 4683) in 2022. Lillington is continually investing in its future through infrastructure improvements, the maintenance and expansion of utilities, and its continued dedication to responsible land management. The Lillington Planning Department is instrumental in guiding the Town’s growth using tools like the Lillington Comprehensive Land Use Plan to provide new amenities to residents while protecting the land for all its future inhabitants.
Lillington also benefits greatly from its prime location between several major metropolitan areas. New retail and dining options are being added all the time, and business owners benefit from our consistent population growth. The Lillington area employs over 1,700 people in a variety of sectors including management occupations, transportation, manufacturing, government, and food prep (Lillington, N.C.). Residents also benefit from a low cost of living. Harnett county also has one of the lowest effective property tax rates in the nation at .75%, compared with the NC Median rate of .83% and a national median of 1.02% (Ownwell). The benefits of Lillington’s low cost of living can be seen in its low poverty rates- 6.29% in Lillington compared to a national average of 12.4%, according to 2023 Census data.
The Town has put a lot of investment into parks and green spaces across town. River Park, McPhail Park, and Senter Park (the newest addition- established 2025) each features a unique playground and plenty of room to fun and play. The Lillington Ball Parks offer a space for the Town’s many youth athletics teams, as well as a well-maintained path for running, biking, or an afternoon stroll. The Cape Fear River also continues to be a central feature of the Town, and offers many opportunities for fishing, kayaking, tubing, and more. Several of Lillington’s parks, including River Park, have a dedicated canoe/boat launch for residents to enjoy convenient access to the water. The Lillington Parks and Recreation Department provides more than just parks, too. Their dedicated staff provides programs to engage and entertain all ages- from kindergarten and summer camps to Pilates classes and senior fitness hour, they have it all! Check out our Community Calendar for more information about events.
The Town of Lillington is growing rapidly. We have over 11,000 new residential lots approved and anticipate over 1,000 new final platted plots in 2025 alone. In preparation for this expansion, Lillington’s Planning, Engineering, and Public Works Departments are working together to revitalize Lillington’s Downtown and shape the city’s expansion and annexations. The Town is working to finalize plans that would improve walkability for pedestrians, improve our streets to support the influx of commuters and trucks, and improve our stormwater infrastructure to make the town more resilient during extreme weather.
The Town is also going to build a new Fire Station off NC HWY 210. Plans are in their final stages, and the Town hopes to begin construction on the new station in June of 2025 and open the station by the Summer of 2026. The 1-Story brick building will have 4 bays to store our fire engines, as well as office and living spaces for the 24-hour shift workers. The new station will help Lillington’s Fire Department to keep up with the ever-increasing number of calls they respond to each year, and to provide the best possible response and service to the residents of Lillington.
Lillington is also working with Greenfield communities to create Capeton; a master planned, mixed-use, residential community which will be situated off of NC HWY 421 and along the Cape Fear River. The 840-acre development will include approximately 2,250 residential units of various sizes and styles, as well as a shopping center, office park, and a 2.5-mile riverfront greenway nature trail which will connect Lillington’s city limits with Campbell University’s campus. This development will begin in the first quarter of 2025, and it is an exciting opportunity for the future of the Town.
Life in Lillington is centered around the beauty of the outdoors and the joy of local traditions. In town, residents enjoy a vibrant downtown with a variety of shops and dining options, lively festivals like the annual 4th of July Celebration, and parks that invite families to gather and unwind. Our Town has many assets, but we understand that its single greatest resource are its people- the residents who live, work, and shape the Town each and every day. Lillington is more than just a place to live—it's a place to belong.
Fowler, Malcolm, 1901-1980. They passed this way; a personal narrative of Harnett County history. 1955. F262.H3 F6 1955. East Carolina University Digital Collections. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/17023. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
Lillington, NC. Data USA. (n.d.). https://datausa.io/profile/geo/lillington-nc#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20Lillington%2C%20NC%20had,%2463%2C393%2C%20a%209.73%25%20increase.
Ownwell. (n.d.). Lillington, Harnett County, North Carolina property taxes. https://www.ownwell.com/trends/north-carolina/harnett-county/lillington
Ross, S. F., & Hood, M. G. (Eds.). (2003). Lillington: The Centennial Sketchbook (Vol. I). The Greater Lillington Community Fund, Inc.
Tuscarora Indians. Home. (n.d.). https://www.ncpedia.org/american-indians/tuscarora