Question: What was the original name of Southport?
Answer: The original name of Southport, North Carolina, was Smithville. Founded in 1792 around Fort Johnston, it honored Benjamin Smith, a Revolutionary War veteran and later North Carolina governor. It was renamed Southport in 1887 to promote it as a port. This name change was part of post-Civil War efforts by businessmen to attract investment and establish it as a major southern shipping hub by combining river access with emerging railroad connections, aiming to rival the nearby dominant port of Wilmington.
