Fayetteville, with an estimated population of 174,000 (2006), is located in Cumberland County, North Carolina. It is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post and Pope Air Force Base. Major suburban areas of the Fayetteville metro include Hope Mills, Spring Lake, and Raeford. Plans are in the works for Fayetteville to annex portions of Fort Bragg into the city's boundaries, possibly in 2007. This will push the city's population well over 200,000. Colleges and universities in the area also contribute to the local demographics and include Fayetteville State University, Methodist University and Fayetteville Technical Community College.
The Vietnam Era was a time of turmoil in the Fayetteville area. Jane Fonda came to Fayetteville to participate in three anti-war events. Bars weren't new to Fayetteville, by any means, but Hay Street, the city's so-called main street, became notorious for bars, strip clubs and prostitutes during the Vietnam era up until the late 1980s. Fayetteville's reputation was dealt a huge blow and nicknames such as "Fayettenam" stuck.
Fayetteville has successfully reversed the image of its downtown area from a multitude of downtown revitalization projects. New additions include the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, The Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum, Fayetteville Linear Park, and Fayetteville Festival Park. The towns and rural area surrounding Fayetteville have also experienced rapid growth over the past decade. Other points of interest in the area include Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Cape Fear River Trail, Cool Spring Tavern, Liberty Point, and the Art Council of Fayetteville.
