Coharie Indian Tribe to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

An American Indian tribe linked to settlements primarily in Sampson and Harnett counties soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.

The marker commemorating the Coharie Tribe of North Carolina and a separate marker commemorating the East Carolina Indian School will both be dedicated during a ceremony Aug. 24 at 10 a.m., at the Coharie Tribal Center (7531 US-421, Clinton, N.C.).

The Coharie Indian people are believed to descend from several local tribes who were living in the Sampson County area in the mid-1700s - the Neusiok, Tuscarora, and perhaps also the Saponi. Today, they live primarily in four communities centered around historically Indian churches - Antioch (Harnett County), Holly Grove (Sampson County), New Bethel (Sampson County) and Shiloh (Sampson County). These churches, which all had Indian schools adjacent to them, served as community centers and the church leaders often made decisions regarding the school and community activities in general.

In 1910 the Coharie formally asked Sampson County for an official school for Indians, and in 1911 the New Bethel Indian school building was constructed with the backing of the North Carolina Legislature. In 1939, plans were initiated for a high school to be built near New Bethel for Indian students from seven counties across eastern North Carolina to assist Indians of the region who were lacking high school facilities. Named the East Carolina Indian School, it lasted until schools were integrated in 1965. The structure today serves as the office of the Coharie Indian Tribe.

Since 1969 the Coharie have held a powwow to raise funds for the tribe's cultural and educational activities, as well as to strengthen the cultural identity of Coharie Indians. The powwow is held annually during the second weekend in September. In addition, the tribe plants a community garden each year that provides food for community members, produces sorghum syrup for sale to the community, and conducts tours of the Coharie River by canoe and kayak to raise awareness of the historic connection of the Coharie to the river that bears their name.

The markers are two of nine markers being dedicated in 2024 that highlight American Indian culture and history in North Carolina. Historical markers were approved for the Coharie, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw Siouan tribes. In addition, historical markers were approved for the site of the East Carolina Indian School and the Buie Mound site. The N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission staff worked closely with N.C. tribes to complete applications to be considered for the historical marker program.

For more information about the historical markers, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/03/coharie-indian-tribe-i-98 and https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/03/east-carolina-indian-school-i-97, or call (919) 814-6625.

The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the N.C. departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.