Cumnock, formerly known as Egypt,[3] is an unincorporated community in northwestern Lee County, North Carolina, United States.

[6] By 1852, the land was owned by Brooks Harris, who dug a 460 foot-deep shaft to exploit the coal deposit.

[8] Confederate ships' grew increasingly reliant on the coal as the war progressed, though were annoyed by the amount of smoke it produced.

[9] During the Carolinas campaign, gun-making machinery from the Fayetteville Arsenal was stowed in Egypt's mine for safekeeping.

[11] In 1888, the mine and surrounding timberland were acquired by Philadelphia businessman Samuel A. Henszey through his Egypt Coal Company.

In a bout of boosterism, the company platted out a city and constructed a hotel, though efforts at promoting such development ceased within a few years.