Town of Raiford

Raiford was incorporated as a city in 1971. The original council members were; Mayor-Elmer Wallace, Councilman Leland Brallier,Councilman Michael Dobbs, Councilman Lamar Green,Councilman J.D. Griffis, Councilwomen Joyce Norman, and Clerk Kathryn Alvarez. 

Raiford is a small town in the northern part of Union County, settled about 1895 by Hunter Warren Raiford, who was in the naval stores business. When the railroad was built about 1900 by the A.C.L., the community was named Raiford and a post office was established with Mr. Raiford becoming postmaster. Logging, turpentine, and saw milling were the main economy for the beginning days of Raiford. The town continued to grow and at one time, there were three drug stores, a barber shop, newspaper (Raiford Weekly Tribune), three doctors, a millinery shop, a bank, and many other businesses. There was a large school and several churches.