Columbus County
Columbus County, nestled just inland from North Carolina’s coast, is bordered in part by the Cape Fear and Lumber rivers and the state of South Carolina. It is home to Lake Waccamaw, the largest of the Carolina Bay lakes.
In May, the Lumber River was named one of North Carolina’s top 25 natural landmarks in an online contest sponsored by Land for Tomorrow N.C. The river carries kayakers and other boaters along its shared border with Robeson County.
With nearly 9,000 acres under water, Lake Waccamaw and its adjacent state park attract thousands each year for its scenic beauty, recreational opportunities and fishing.
The Venus Flytrap thrives along the county’s eastern border with Brunswick County, and Lake Waccamaw’s ecosystem is believed to be the only place in the world that the Waccamaw killfish lives.
Southeastern Community College, located near the county seat of Whiteville, has established a Venus Flytrap micro-propagation program, growing the rare plant and exporting it.
Columbus is a county of festivals, including the spring Strawberry Festival in Chadbourn and fall festivals in Tabor City and Whiteville celebrating the yam and pecan.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Daddy Joe’s attracts campers from a wide area. The camp, 16 miles from Myrtle Beach, S.C., was named Camp-Resort of the Year in 2009 and received the Carroll Award for the highest inspection rates among all Jellystone Parks.