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Historic sign outside the base
Base Gate
AV8 - Marine Jump JetMarine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
The United States Marine Corps came to Havelock in 1940. Havelock is so proud to be the home of the Cherry Point Marine Base that they have this plane displayed outside the City of Havelock Department of Public Safety. It is a vertical takeoff plane.
Havelock also has a Marine Aviation exhibit at their visitor's center. This picture is of the actual base entrance gate.
The sign below says:
"Cherry Point"
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"U.S. Marine Corps Air Station activated 1941 as Cunningham Field for first USMC aviator A. A. Cunningham. MCAS Cherry Point since May 1942."
This city is one of eight in the world named for Sir Henry Havelock who rescued hostages during a bloody uprising in India. When the railroad came to the area, and they needed a name for the depot, his name was picked..
Two of the other Havelocks are in Canada; three are in the United States. There is one Havelock in Swaziland of Southern Africa and two in New Zealand. There is also an island named for him in the Indian Ocean.
Early Havelock industries were production of "naval stores" such as tar and turpentine. When ships began to be made of materials other than wood, the local people switched from turpentine distillation to the distillation of something with a little more kick. From the late 1800s until the 1930s, the Havelock area was also a haven for fishing and hunting.
