Lumberton is a city in
Robeson County,
North Carolina,
United States. The population has grown to 21,542 in the 2010 census from 20,795 in the 2000 census. It is the
county seat of
Robeson County. Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's
Inner Banks region, is located on the
Lumber River. Founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the
American Revolution, Lumberton was originally a shipping point for
lumber used by the Navy, which was sent downriver to
Georgetown,
South Carolina. Most of the town's growth, however, began shortly after
World War II.