Formed January 1, 1812 (63rd county)
Scotland County (34,180), Laurinburg (14,974)
The Modern tan brick and masonry building was constructed in 1964 at Biggs and Cronly streets. United States Highway 501 passes one block to the west of the courthouse. W. E. Matthews is the architect. The building was remodeled in 1991. The building features brick columns and a tin roof. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. An Annex supports the courthouse. Scotland County was organized on January 1, 1812 from Richmond County as the 63rd county with Laurinburg as the only county seat. There has been a 1901 version also. The county is named for the country. The county seat is named for the family of settlers, McLaurin. Scotland County was the birthplace for 1 North Carolina Governor, J. Terry Sanford.
Scotland County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive). It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.) Twenty-four Superior Court Judges serve Scotland, Alamance, Anson, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Stanly, Union, and Wake counties, Five District Court Judges serve Scotland, Anson, and Richmond counties and a court clerk serves Scotland County (judicial.) Scotland County is on the southeast border with South Carolina. Fayetteville, North Carolina is northeast and Charlotte, North Carolina is northwest of the county. The center of the county is 5.1 miles North of Laurinburg. The county is surrounded clockwise by Moore, Hoke, and Robeson counties and South Carolina and Richmond County.
The area of the county is 321 square miles. It is 82 out of 100 in the state. It ranks 68 out of 100 in population in the state. It has a density of 106.5 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 100 in the state. Scotland County has 48.2% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 15 comes into the county from the north, Hoke County, and goes south into South Carolina. United States Highway 74 crosses southeast to northwest from Robeson County to Richmond County. United States Highway 401 enters from Hoke County, northeast, and joins United States Highway 15 into South Carolina. United States Highway 501 is joined with United States Highway 15 from Hoke County, splits and continues southeast into Robeson County. Scotland County resembles a candy drop. Laurinburg is located in the southeast quarter of the county. Laurinburg is the county seat and the largest city. It is 43.8% of the county population. This county is in the Laurinburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.
