Near Laurinburg in Scotland County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

James Lytch

Photographed By J. J. Prats, February 18, 2017

1. James Lytch Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Invented the Lytch cotton planter (patented 1878), a favorite of the South, and other implements. Shops were ¼ mile southwest. This was his home.

Erected 1957 by Archives and Highway Department. (Marker Number I-46.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the North Carolina Division of Archives and History series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1878.

Location. 34° 44.877′ N, 79° 31.406′ W. Marker is near Laurinburg, North Carolina, in Scotland County. Marker is at the intersection of X-Way Road (Road 1108) and Blue Woods Road (Road 1116), on the right on X-Way Road. A signpost at the marker lists Gibson as five miles southwest and Laurinburg at three miles northeast. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Laurinburg NC 28352, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. St. Andrews Presbyterian College (approx. 1.9 miles away); Original Springfield Cotton Mill (approx. 2.4 miles away); Ida Yarn Mill (approx.

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3.6 miles away); Terry Sanford 1917-1998 (approx. 3.8 miles away); Edwin Gill (approx. 3.8 miles away); Laurinburg (approx. 3.9 miles away); Scotland County Veterans Memorial (approx. 4.1 miles away); Sherman's March (approx. 4.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Laurinburg.

Also see . . . NCpedia entry for James Lytch. “Lytch was raised and educated in the tradition of his Scottish Presbyterian family, but his mechanical ingenuity appears to have been a natural gift. His first patent was issued in 1870 for a cotton planter, which he called the Eclipse Lytch Cotton Planter. It was his most successful invention and was widely used throughout the South; some planters were sold as far away as California. The Cape Fear Agricultural Association awarded Lytch a medal for his planter at its 1872 fair in Wilmington. Other inventions for which Lytch received patents were a cotton scraper (1870), a cider mill (1870), and an improved fertilizer distributor (1873).

“The Lytch planter was manufactured in shops Lytch built near his home at X-Way in Richmond (now Scotland) County. He also built and operated a gristmill at the site. As

Photographed By J. J. Prats, February 18, 2017

2. James Lytch Marker

of 1980 this mill was still in operation, producing cornmeal and whole wheat flour under the X-Way brand. The Lytch home and grounds are included on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1957 the state of North Carolina erected a historical marker near the Lytch home on State Road 1108 to honor James Lytch and his accomplishments.” (Submitted on March 17, 2017.)

James Lytch Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, February 18, 2017

3. James Lytch Home

This house is private property. Do not trespass.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 17, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2017, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 483 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 17, 2017, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.