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How Smithville Became Southport Have you ever heard people say that Southport, NC used to be called Smithville? Have you ever wondered why the town changed its name? Southport, North Carolina was founded in 1792 when Joshua Potts
requested that the NC General Assembly commission the town. The
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town
of Southport was originally named Smithville, named after Benjamin
Smith, who had served in the Revolutionary War under George
Washington. The town of Smithville began to grow as a fishing
village and military town. After the Civil War, an effort was made
to create a major southern port combining river and railroad
transportation in Smithville. In 1887, the town was named Southport
in anticipation of the area becoming a major port city. Southport
never became a major port city, but it did gain a coaling dock for
steamships and telegraph service.