Shortly after the passage of legislation establishing Sandhills Community College, H. Clifton Blue of
Aberdeen, NC, led a group of prominent
Moore County, NC, citizens in petitioning the State Board of Education to establish a community college in Moore County. Upon approval of the petition, the citizens of Moore County voted in favor of a $1 million bond issue for capital construction and a tax levy for the maintenance of college facilities. The first board of trustees meeting occurred on December 4, 1963. On December 27, Raymond Stone was named the first president of the college. Sandhills was chartered in 1963. The buildings were designed by local architects Hayes-Howell and Associates, and built on 180 acres donated by Mrs. Mary Luman Meyer. The groundbreaking was in November 1964. Legend has it that Stone and a few others were having lunch at The Gray Fox in downtown Pinehurst and Stone admired the courtyard of the restaurant (now Theo's Taverna). He requested courtyards be implemented into the design of the college buildings. The palladium windows were said to be inspired by the Boyd House in downtown Southern Pines. Sandhills Community College officially opened October 1, 1965, with classes being held in nine different temporary locations in the downtown area of Southern Pines. The administrative offices were above Patches Department Store, which is now The Ice Cream Parlor. The college moved to the current location in September 1966. John Dempsey assumed the presidency in 1989 and served until December 2022. On July 1, 2023, Alexander “Sandy” Stewart became the college’s third president. == Administration ==