The area where Falcon, a rural town in northeastern Cumberland County, now stands was originally home to Native American tribes, including the Tuscarora and Cheraw, who relied on the region’s abundant natural resources for hunting, fishing, and agriculture. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Scottish Highland immigrants began settling in the region. Prominent early landowners such as Farquard, John, and William Campbell, along with John and James McKethan and John and James McNeill, obtained land through state patents (colonial land grant). The first recorded property sale took place in 1806, when James McNeill sold 50 acres to Ann McDonald.

The town’s origins can be traced to the area around Starling’s Bridge in Black River Township. In 1878, William Culbreth and his brother-in-law, James Lindsey Autry, both natives of Sampson County, purchased 259 acres of land from Daniel McDonald. Culbreth continued expanding his landholdings with additional acquisitions in 1880 and 1882, eventually relocating his family to the area and constructing the first known house of the area. He established a naval store and mercantile business, which also served as the community’s post office. By 1893, a new mail route required a name for the location, but “Starling’s Bridge” was unavailable, as it was already in use elsewhere in North Carolina. Julius Culbreth, William’s son, suggested the name “Falcon” after spotting it on a box of Falcon-brand pens in his father’s shop. The town was officially chartered in 1913 by the North Carolina General Assembly.

Julius Culbreth’s strong religious convictions were profoundly influenced by a miraculous event in 1899, when his wife, Venie Irene Culbreth, was critically ill was healed after the elders of their church prayed over her in a religious ceremony. This transformative experience deeply strengthened their commitment to faith and service. In 1900, as a thank-offering for his wife’s recovery, Julius Culbreth partnered with Reverend S.C. Todd to establish the Falcon Camp Meetings, aimed at promoting holiness and sanctification. Later, in 1902, he co-founded the Falcon Holiness School, Cumberland County’s first rural private high school. Culbreth’s dedication to service continued through collaboration with Bishop Joseph H. King and Reverend Francis M. Britton to establish the Falcon Orphanage in 1909. The town of Falcon also became the birthplace of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1911, solidifying its role as a center for spiritual and community development.