The long anticipated, new and expanded Scottish Heritage Center has now been reopened to the public following an 11 a.m. ribbon cutting and open house ceremony Friday on the Center grounds at St. Andrews College. Housed in its own building at the junction of St. Andrews College Drive and Elm Avenue, the expansion has been a long standing ambition of Director Bill Caudill.

"This is the result of 25 years of dreaming," Caudill told the scores gathered for the event, "and today marks a new chapter in the growth of the Scottish Heritage Center. I thank all of you who had faith in me: to those at St. Andrews, to my family and friends, and to the volunteers who made the task of moving to this new location possible. This is your center."

Eleanor Harris of the Argyll and Bute Regional Council of Argyll, Scotland, had high praise for the Center's archives.

"I think the quality of the presentations is just fantastic," Harris said. "Here you have both items of interest to the tourist, as well as a place for persons of Scottish descent to visit where they can learn more about their ancestry. People are so proud of their history here in Scotland County; I think I'm a little jealous."

Lonnie McCaskill, commissioner for Clan MacLeod, North Carolina, came from Rockingham to attend the ceremony.

"It's good to have a place in the area where there were more Highland Scots than anywhere in the world except for Scotland, and where we can come to see items from our heritage," McCaskill said. "It feels like coming home."

In addition to Caudill and Harris, speakers at the event included St. Andrews President Paul Baldasare, Laurinburg Mayor Matthew Block, County Commissioner Betty Blue Gholston, and Harry Yeatman of the Chamber of Commerce. The invocation was presented by the Rev. Dr. Neal Carter of Laurinburg Presbyterian Church; Gary Gallman was master of ceremonies.

"I feel like the character played by Kevin Costner in the movie 'Field of Dreams'," Caudill said. "You know the phrase, 'If you build it, they will come.' Together we've built this, you have all come, and I hope more will come to support this facility in its growth, and more importantly, to support the college in its development as well.

"I am a Presbyterian like my Scottish ancestors were," Caudill said as he completed his remarks. "I cannot debate predestination like others, but I can't help but think that this was meant to be."

For information on opening hours at the Center contact Caudill at 277-5236.