Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. It is one of the bigger cities in the state, with many people living there. The city is between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Wilmington has a long history, starting in the 1730s. It was named after a person who helped it grow. Today, it is famous for its pretty riverwalk and for being a place where many movies and TV shows are made. The city is also home to the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which makes it a fun and interesting place to visit.

History

See also: Timeline of Wilmington, North Carolina

Colonial beginnings

The city was founded in the 1730s. It changed names many times before becoming Wilmington. In 1739, Col. William Bartram, the uncle of the naturalist, introduced a bill to establish Wilmington, named for one of his patrons, Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington.

The area along the river had been inhabited by various indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

In the early 16th century, Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, commissioned by the king of France with a French crew, was reportedly the first European to see this area, including the city's present site. The first permanent colonial settlement in the area was established in the 1720s by European settlers. In September 1732, a community was founded on land owned by John Watson on the Cape Fear River, at the confluence of its northwest and northeast branches. The settlement, founded by the first royal governor, George Burrington, was called New Carthage, and then New Liverpool; it gradually took on the name New Town or Newton. Governor Gabriel Johnston soon after established his government there for the North Carolina colony.

Some early settlers of Wilmington came from the Albemarle and Pamlico regions, as well as from the colonies of Virginia and South Carolina, but most new settlers migrated from the northern colonies, the West Indies, and Northern Europe. Many of the early settlers were indentured servants from Northern Europe. As conditions improved back home, fewer people wanted to travel to North America, so settlers began to import more slaves for labor. By 1767, African slaves made up more than 62% of the population of the Lower Cape Fear region. Many worked in the port as laborers, and some in ship-related trades.

Naval stores and lumber fueled the region's economy, both before and after the American Revolution. During the Revolutionary War, the British maintained a garrison at Fort Johnston near Wilmington.

Revolutionary era

Wilmington was an important port and played a key role in opposing the British before the revolution. The city had strong leaders who spoke out against British rules. One of these leaders was Wilmington resident Cornelius Harnett, who was in the General Assembly and spoke against the Sugar Act in 1764. When the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act the next year, Wilmington held protests against it.

On October 19, 1765, hundreds of people gathered to protest the new law, burning an effigy of a person who supported the act. On October 31, another crowd held a symbolic funeral for "Liberty".

William Houston of Duplin County was appointed to collect the stamp taxes for Cape Fear. When he visited Wilmington, people demanded to know if he would enforce the act. After seeing the angry crowd, he resigned his position.

Governor William Tryon tried to calm things down, but on November 18, 1765, he spoke to residents who still opposed the law. When the stamps arrived on November 28 on HMS Diligence, Tryon kept them on the ship. Shipping on the Cape Fear River stopped, and the courts stopped their functions.

Tryon was brought to Wilmington by Captain Constantine Phipps on a barge from the Diligence. He was greeted with guns firing and soldiers lining the streets. But a dispute arose between Captain Phipps and ship captains in the harbor. The townspeople became angry, and after Tryon spoke to them, they spilled punch into the streets and threw the head of an ox into the pillory, giving its body to enslaved people. Because of the unrest, Tryon moved his seat of government to New Bern instead of Wilmington.

On February 18, 1766, two merchant ships arrived at Brunswick Town without stamped papers. Captain Jacob Lobb of the British cruiser Viper seized the ships. In response, residents from southern counties met in Wilmington. The group organized as the Sons of Liberty and pledged to block the Stamp Act. The next day, up to a thousand men, including the mayor and aldermen of Wilmington, went to Brunswick to confront Tryon. The governor refused to change his mind, but a mob retrieved the seized ships. They forced royal customs officers and public officials to promise never to issue stamped paper. The Westminster Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766.

Antebellum period

In the 1830s, Wilmington citizens wanted to use railroad transportation. Plans were made to build a railroad line from the capital, Raleigh, to Wilmington. When Raleigh declined to support the project, the railroad’s terminus was changed to Weldon. When the railroad line was completed in 1840, it was the longest single line of railroad track in the world. The railroad also had steamboats that traveled between Wilmington and Charleston for passengers and freight. The city was a main stopover point, which helped its commerce.

By mid-century, the churchyard of St. James Episcopal Church and other town cemeteries had become full of graves. On November 16, 1853, a group of citizens formed "the Proprietors of the Wilmington Cemetery" to develop a new cemetery. Sixty-five acres of land around Burnt Mill Creek were chosen as the site for what would be called Oakdale Cemetery. It was the first rural cemetery in North Carolina. The cemetery's first burial, on February 6, 1855, was six-year-old Annie deRosset. Many remains from St. James churchyard were moved to the new cemetery.

The Wilmington Gas Light Company was established in 1854. Soon after, streetlights powered by gas made from lightwood and rosin replaced old oil lamps. On December 27, 1855, the first cornerstone was laid for a new city hall. A grant from the Thalian Association funded the attached opera house, named Thalian Hall. In 1857, the city opened its first public school, named the Union Free School, on 6th Street between Nun and Church Streets, serving White students.

Wilmington had a Black majority population before the Civil War. While most were slaves, the city had a significant community of free people of color, who developed businesses and trades. For a time, they had been allowed to vote, carry arms, and serve in the militia. But after Nat Turner’s rebellion, laws were passed to restrict the rights of free Blacks.

Civil War

During the Civil War, the port was a major base for Confederate and privately owned blockade runners, which brought in needed supplies from England. The Union blocked the port to reduce the goods received by the South. The city was captured by Union forces in the Battle of Wilmington in February 1865, about one month after the fall of Fort Fisher had closed the port. Wilmington was the last Confederate port to be captured. As most fighting happened away from the city, many antebellum houses and other buildings survived the war years.

In mid-August 1862, Wilmington was hit hard by an outbreak of yellow fever. This outbreak was caused by a blockade runner named Kate. The ship had sick crew members before it arrived. Dr. W.T. Wragg wrote about the outbreak and treated many victims. By the end of the outbreak, at least 1,500 and perhaps as many as 2,000 people had contracted yellow fever. Of those, between 650 and 800 died.

Reconstruction era and 1898 insurrection

Main article: Wilmington Insurrection of 1898

During the Reconstruction era, former free Blacks and newly emancipated freedmen built a community in the city. About 55% of its residents were Black people. At the time, Wilmington was the most populous city and the economic capital of the state.

Three of the city's aldermen were Black. Black people also held positions such as justice of the peace, deputy clerk of court, street superintendent, coroners, policemen, mail clerks, and mail carriers.

In the 1890s, a coalition of Republicans and Populists had gained state and federal offices. The Democrats wanted to regain control. Violence increased around elections as armed White paramilitary insurgents, known as Red Shirts, worked to suppress Black and Republican voting. White Democrats regained control of the state legislature and sought to impose white supremacy, but some Blacks continued to be elected to local offices.

The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 happened because of racial tension and efforts by White Democrats to re-establish white supremacy and stop Black voting. In 1898, a group of White Democrats planned to take over the city government if their candidates were not elected. Two days after the election, in which a White Republican was elected mayor and both White and Black aldermen were elected, more than 1500 White men attacked and burned the only Black-owned daily newspaper in the state and forced the new officers to leave. They overthrew the elected municipal government. Prominent Black Americans and White Republicans were forced to leave the city. This was the only such event in United States history.

Following these events, the North Carolina legislature passed a new constitution that made it harder for Black people to vote, using requirements such as poll taxes and literacy tests. Blacks were excluded from the political system until after the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

20th century

Wilmington is home to the Bijou Theater, which began as a tent in 1904 and became a permanent building in 1906. It operated until 1956, making it the oldest movie theater in the state and one of the oldest in the country. In 1910, Charlotte passed Wilmington to become North Carolina's most populous city. In the mid-20th century, efforts began to preserve many historic buildings. Many historic buildings were listed as National Register of Historic Places. Since the 1980s, Wilmington has been an important area for film and television production; many locations in and outside the city have been used for filming. In 1990, the extension of Interstate 40 to New Hanover County was opened and connected the region to the Interstate Highway System.

During World War II, Wilmington was the home of the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company. The shipyard was created as part of the U.S. government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Workers built 243 ships in Wilmington during the five years the company operated.

Three prisoner-of-war (POW) camps operated in the city from February 1944 through April 1946. At their peak, the camps held 550 German prisoners. The first camp was located on the corner of Shipyard Boulevard and Carolina Beach Road; it was moved downtown to Ann Street, between 8th and 10th Avenues, when it became too small. A smaller group of prisoners worked in the officers' mess and did groundskeeping at Bluethenthal Army Air Base, which is now Wilmington International Airport.

21st century

Starting in the 1990s, Wilmington began to grow quickly, partly because of the film industry and the completion of I-40. The city annexed the areas of Seagate in 1998 and Masonboro in 2000. The annexation of Monkey Junction was stopped in 2012 by the North Carolina House of Representatives after local protests. In 2017, a chemical compound called GenX, discharged by a Chemours plant near Fayetteville, North Carolina, was found in the Cape Fear River; a major water source for the region. It was also revealed that the same plant had been discharging the chemical compound since 1980. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump designated Wilmington as the first World War II Heritage City in the country for the city's contributions during the war.

National Register of Historic Places

The Audubon Trolley Station, Brookwood Historic District, Carolina Heights Historic District, Carolina Place Historic District, City Hall/Thalian Hall, Delgrado School, Federal Building and Courthouse, Fort Fisher, Gabriel's Landing, James Walker Nursing School Quarters, Market Street Mansion District, Masonboro Sound Historic District, Moores Creek National Battlefield, Sunset Park Historic District, USS North Carolina (BB-55) National Historic Landmark, Westbrook-Ardmore Historic District, William Hooper School (Former), Wilmington Historic District, and Wilmington National Cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Wilmington is where Interstate 40 ends. This big road goes 2,554 miles to Barstow, California and passes through many cities.

The city covers about 53 square miles. Almost all of it is land, with just a little water. Nearby beaches like Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach are fun places for visitors.

Climate

Wilmington has warm, sticky summers and mild winters. Snow almost never falls. Spring and autumn are nice, but spring can have a lot of pollen. Summers can feel very hot because of the humidity. Sometimes hurricanes or tropical storms come between August and October.

Cityscape

Wilmington has a large historic district with many old buildings. Some old warehouses have been replaced with new buildings, like one used for city government. Other new projects include a convention center and apartment buildings.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, about 115,000 people lived in Wilmington.

In 2013, there were about 112,000 people in the city. The city had many different groups of people, including White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino American, Asian American, Native American, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander people.

Many people in Wilmington practice Christian faiths. The largest groups are Baptists, Methodists, and Roman Catholics. There are also smaller groups of Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Pentecostals, and Lutherans. Some people also follow Islam, Judaism, or Eastern religions.

Wilmington has important historic religious buildings, such as the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary and the Temple of Israel.

Economy

Wilmington has many jobs in different areas, like making tools, medicine, clothes, food, and more. It is near the Research Triangle Park in Durham.

People also visit Wilmington because it is close to the ocean and has places to shop, like the Cotton Exchange of Wilmington and Independence Mall. The city is on the Cape Fear River, which leads to the ocean. It has a big seaport with the North Carolina State Ports Authority's Port of Wilmington.

Wilmington has a group called the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, started in 1853. Some companies there are Live Oak Bank and HomeInsurance.com.

Top employers

See also: Category:Companies based in Wilmington, North Carolina

The biggest jobs in the city are:

Arts and culture

Performing arts

Wilmington has many places to see shows and performances. Thalian Hall is a theater that opened in 1858 and has about 250 shows each year. It has three spaces for performances.

The Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center has five studios where local groups can perform plays, have rehearsals, put on musicals, give recitals, and teach art classes. It has helped people of all ages come together for over 50 years.

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington has a special building for arts that opened in 2006. It includes a music hall, an art gallery, and two theaters. The school puts on four theater shows each year.

There is also the Brooklyn Arts Center, an old building used for weddings, concerts, and community events.

Wilmington is also home to the Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts, which teaches dance and other arts. It hosts a dance group that performs shows like "Pinocchio" for the community.

Film and television series

Main article: Films and television shows produced in Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington has been a popular place to make movies and TV shows, earning it the nickname “Hollywood East.” Many well-known TV shows like Matlock, Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, Eastbound & Down, Sleepy Hollow, Under the Dome, Outer Banks, and The Summer I Turned Pretty were filmed there. Movies such as Firestarter, Blue Velvet, Weekend at Bernie's, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Super Mario Bros., I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Conjuring, Iron Man 3, Safe Haven, The Black Phone, Halloween Kills, and Scream were also made in Wilmington.

The city holds an annual film festival called “Cucalorus”, which includes screenings and workshops for young filmmakers.

Literature

Wilmington was the birthplace of author Johnson Jones Hooper and Robert Ruark.

Music

Wilmington has many music groups and events. Chamber Music Wilmington gives classical concerts each season. The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra offers classical music performances and a free family concert. There is also a big DIY festival called the Wilmington Exchange Festival each year around Memorial Day. The North Carolina Jazz Festival happens every year and features famous jazz musicians. The Cape Fear Blues Society puts on blues music events, including a big festival with local and national blues artists.

Museums and historic sites

Wilmington has many museums and historic places to visit, including:

• Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts
• Cameron Art Museum
• Cape Fear Museum of History and Science
• The Children's Museum of Wilmington
• First Baptist Church, founded in 1808
• First Presbyterian Church
• Grace United Methodist Church, founded in 1797
• Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center
• Latimer House Museum and Gardens
• St. James Episcopal Church
• St. Mary Catholic Church
• Sunset Park Historic District
• Temple of Israel, the oldest synagogue in North Carolina
• USS North Carolina Memorial
• Wilmington Railroad Museum

Festivals

Wilmington hosts many festivals each year. The Azalea Festival, held in April, includes garden tours, historic home tours, musical performances, a parade, and fireworks.

Sports

Wilmington has many sports teams and events. The Wilmington Sharks are a baseball team that started in 1997. They are part of the Coastal Plain League.

The Wilmington Sea Dawgs play basketball and began in 2006. The University of North Carolina Wilmington has many college sports teams and has been part of the NCAA since 1977. The area also hosts surfing events.

Government

Wilmington has a special way of running the city called a council-manager system. They started this in 1941. In this system, there is a group of leaders called a council and a manager who helps with the city's work.

See also: List of mayors of Wilmington, North Carolina

Education

Wilmington, North Carolina, has many places for learning. It has several universities and colleges, including the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College. Other schools include smaller campuses of Shaw University, University of Mount Olive, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Miller-Motte Technical College.

Public schools in Wilmington are run by the New Hanover County School System. Some of the public high schools are Emsley A. Laney High School, Eugene Ashley High School, Isaac Bear Early College High School, John T. Hoggard High School, and New Hanover High School. There are also private schools like Cape Fear Academy, St. Mark Catholic School, and the Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Media

See also: List of newspapers in North Carolina, List of radio stations in North Carolina, and List of television stations in North Carolina

Wilmington has several newspapers, including the daily Star-News. There are also weekly papers like The Wilmington Journal and The Challenger Newspapers.

The city has many radio stations with different kinds of music and shows.

Wilmington also has several television stations. These stations show news, entertainment, and educational programs. In 2008, Wilmington became the first place in the United States to switch from old TV signals to new digital signals. This helped everyone watch TV more clearly.

Transportation

Airport

Main article: Wilmington International Airport

Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is the main airport for people to fly. It helps more than 1.8 million travelers each year. The airport also has services for private planes and a special area for international flights.

U.S. Routes

• US 17
• 
  US 17 Bus.
• 
  US 17 Byp. (future Hampstead Bypass)
• US 74
• US 76
• US 117
• US 421
• 
  US 421 Truck

North Carolina State Highways

• NC 132
• NC 133
• NC 417 (temporary highway designation for US 17 Byp.)

Alternative transportation options

Public transportation in the area is provided by the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority. They run buses, shuttles, and a free trolley in the downtown area. There is also a daily bus service to Raleigh by Greyhound Lines. Wilmington connects to train services through Amtrak Thruway buses to Wilson, North Carolina.

The city has places for boats to dock along the Cape Fear River. There are also bike paths and trails, like the Gary Shell Cross-City Trail, that let people ride bikes or walk to many places in Wilmington. Taxis are available, but their prices are controlled by the city.

Healthcare

New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Wilmington. It opened in 1967 and was the first hospital in the city to welcome patients of all races. In February 2021, a nonprofit private organization called Novant Health took over the hospital.

Notable people

Wilmington, North Carolina, has been home to many interesting people in different areas.

Art and literature

Wilmington has produced many writers, poets, and artists. Some well-known names include Jock Brandis, who helped start a food project, and Wiley Cash, a novelist. Other notable writers and artists are Minnie Evans, a folk artist, and Sharyn McCrumb, an author known for her stories.

Government and politics

The city has also been home to many important political figures. William Hooper was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Other leaders include Bill Saffo, who served as mayor for many years, and Lara Trump, who worked with the Republican National Committee.

Media and entertainment

In the world of entertainment, Wilmington has seen stars like Charlie Daniels, a famous country musician, and Caterina Jarboro, the first Black opera singer to perform on an American opera stage. Other notable figures include David Brinkley, a well-known television newscaster, and Sammy Davis Sr., a dancer and father of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.

Military

Wilmington has produced several brave military heroes. Edwin Anderson Jr. and William D. Halyburton Jr. both received the Medal of Honor for their bravery. Joseph McNeil was a member of the Greensboro Four, who helped fight for civil rights.

Sports

Many athletes come from Wilmington. Michael Jordan became one of the greatest basketball players ever. Other famous sports figures include Roman Gabriel, a former NFL quarterback, and Althea Gibson, a professional tennis player and golfer.

Other notables

Other interesting people from Wilmington include Julia Dalton and Kristen Dalton, who both were Miss North Carolina USA, and David Walker, a Black abolitionist who worked to end slavery.

Sister cities

Wilmington has special friendships with these cities around the world:

• Dandong, Liaoning, China—1986
• Doncaster, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom—1989
• Bridgetown, Barbados—2004
• San Pedro Town, Belize—2007