Town of Maxton
Economic need
The town (population 2,550) has a poverty level of 28 percent. The county unemployment rate is 7.5 percent.
Located in tier 2 Robeson County, Maxton's economy has stagnated. Several area factories have closed, including a knitting mill that had once employed 1,500 and several companies that had employed 100 to 150. Altogether, Robeson and neighboring Scotland County have lost more than 10,000 jobs in recent years. For Maxton, the loss of the local high school to consolidation dealt yet another blow.
History
Maxton has been working hard to turn things around. It launched a downtown revitalization campaign and received National Historic Register designation for it in 1999. Private donations enabled restoration of the historic Patterson Building, which is now used as the town hall. Two parks, new street lamps, new sidewalks and improvements to several building facades further spruced up downtown.
The results so far have been mixed. Some small businesses have moved in, but an old freight building that was renovated for a restaurant sits vacant. A few houses have been built, but the real estate market is depressed overall, and many of the grand old homes in towns are vacant or deteriorating.
Vision/Goals/Expectations
Through its involvement with STEP, Maxton will complete a comprehensive strategic plan for the town's revitalization, one that town leaders say will provide direction, goals, and strategies beyond the lifetime of any single administration. The plan will guide development and identify resources.
Just as important, it wants to build its leadership capacity for long-term economic development by strengthening skills and creating a leadership team.
Contact
Terry Gallman, Clerk
201 McCaskill Avenue
Maxton, NC 28364
Phone: 910-844-5231
Fax: 910-844-5802
E-mail: clerk@ci.maxton.nc.us
