The Maxton area was first settled in the 18th century. The community was incorporated in 1874 under the name of Shoe Heel. The name changed to Tilden, in honor of 1876 U.S. President candidate Samuel J. Tilden. The name reverted to Shoe Heel in 1881 before finally settling on Maxton in 1887. The Maxton Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Educational Institutions
Maxton is the location of several former, but historically important schools. Flora MacDonald College was founded in 1841. It was the first college in North Carolina to grant degrees to women. Charles N. Hunter a famous African-American educator who would go on to found the North Carolina Industrial Association opened his first school in Maxton. Carolina College was a Methodist college for women which operated in Maxton, North Carolina, from 1912 to 1926. Carolina Military Academy was a military school for boys (7th - 12th grade + post graduate which operated in Maxton, North Carolina, from 1963 to 1972. The school opened it doors to female day students during the 1970 - 1971 school year.
In January 1958, the Ku Klux Klan burned crosses on the lawns of two Lumbee families near Maxton. A few nights later, on January 18, 1958, the Lumbee surrounded and disrupted a public Klan rally, dispersing the Klansmen, some of whom left under police protection while others escaped into the woods. The confrontation made national headlines, and the Klan never again held a public rally in Robeson County, even as they gained influence over the next decade in North Carolina. The Lumbee refer to the event as the Battle of Hayes Pond, and celebrate it as a holiday.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,551 people, 985 households, and 676 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,145.3 people per square mile. There were 1,073 housing units at an average density of 481.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 25.52% White, 64.09% African American, 7.02% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population. There were 985 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 28.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.16. In the town, the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,143, and the median income for a family was $30,039. Males had a median income of $27,259 versus $20,218 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,783. About 23.7% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.4% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.
