Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the principal city of the

Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area Cape Fear is a coastal plain and Tidewater region of North Carolina centered about the city of Wilmington. The region takes its name from the adjacent Cape Fear headland, as does the Cape Fear River which flows through the region and empties ...

, a

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...

that includes New Hanover and Pender counties in southeastern North Carolina, which had a population of 301,284 at the 2020 census. Its historic downtown has a Riverwalk, developed as a tourist attraction in the late 20th century. In 2014, Wilmington's riverfront was ranked as the "Best American Riverfront" by readers of '' USA Today''. The National Trust for Historic Preservation selected Wilmington as one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. City residents live between the Cape Fear river and the Atlantic ocean, with four nearby beach communities just outside Wilmington: Fort Fisher,

Wrightsville Beach Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,477 at the 2010 census. The town co ...

Carolina Beach Carolina Beach is a beach town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States, situated about south of Wilmington International Airport in southeastern coastal North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,564. It is pa ...

and

Kure Beach Kure Beach ( ) is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States , approximately 15 miles south of Wilmington. It is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,012 at the 2010 census. It is found ...

, all within half-hour drives from downtown Wilmington. The city is home to University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), which provides a wide variety of programs for undergraduates, graduate students, and adult learners, in addition to cultural and sports events open to the community. Toward the end of the

19th century The 19th (nineteenth) century began on 1 January 1801 ( MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 ( MCM). The 19th century was the ninth century of the 2nd millennium. The 19th century was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was abolis ...

, Wilmington was a majority-black, racially integrated prosperous city, and the largest city in North Carolina. In the Wilmington massacre of 1898, white supremacists launched a coup that overthrew the legitimately elected local

Fusionist In American politics, fusionism is the philosophical and political combination or "fusion" of traditionalist and social conservatism with political and economic right-libertarianism. The philosophy is most closely associated with Frank Meyer. ...

government. They expelled opposition black and white leaders from the city, destroyed the property and businesses of black citizens built up since the Civil War, including the only black newspaper in the city, and killed an estimated 60 to more than 300 people. This coincided with broader efforts of disenfranchisement at the state level. Whereas North Carolina had 125,000 registered black voters in 1896, it had 6,000 black voters by 1902. By 1910, Charlotte overtook Wilmington as North Carolina's largest city. In 2003 the city was designated by the U.S. Congress as a "Coast Guard City," one of twenty-nine cities which currently bear that designation, and was the home port for the , a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter until 2020. On September 2, 2020, then-President Trump officially declared Wilmington as the first World War II Heritage City in the country. The World War II battleship , now a war memorial, is moored across from the downtown port area, and is open to the public for tours. Other attractions include the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science, The Children's Museum of Wilmington, and the Wilmington Hammerheads United Soccer Leagues soccer team. Wilmington is also the home of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, the largest domestic television and movie production facility outside California. "Dream Stage 10," the facility's newest sound stage, is the third-largest in the United States. It houses the largest special-effects water tank in North America. After the studio's opening in 1984, Wilmington became a major center of American film and television production. Numerous movies and television shows, in a range of genres, have been produced here, including '' Iron Man 3'', '' Super Mario Bros.'', '' The Conjuring'', ''

The Crow The Crow is a supernatural superhero comic book series created by James O'Barr revolving around the titular character of the same name. The series, which was originally created by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his fiancée at t ...

'', '' Sleepy Hollow'', ''

One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...

'', and '' Dawson's Creek''.

History

Colonial beginnings

The city was founded in the 1730s, and after going through a series of different names (New Carthage, New London, Newton), its name became Wilmington in 1740, named after Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington. The area along the river had been inhabited by various successive cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. At the time of European encounter, historic Native Americans were members of tribes belonging to the

Eastern Siouan The Catawban, or Eastern Siouan, languages form a small language family in east North America. The Catawban family is a branch of the larger Siouan a.k.a. Siouan–Catawban family. Family division The Catawban family consists of two languages: ...

family. The ethnic European and African history of Wilmington spans more than two and a half centuries. 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 George Burrington ( ca. 1682 – 22 February 1759) was a British colonial official who served as the third and fifth governor of North Carolina from 1724 to 1725 and 1731 to 1734. He is noted for opening the lower Cape Fear region to settlement ...

, was called "New Carthage," and then "New Liverpool;" it gradually took on the name "New Town" or "Newton".Alan D. Watson ''Wilmington, North Carolina, to 1861''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2003. Governor Gabriel Johnston soon after established his government there for the North Carolina colony. In 1739 or 1740, the town was incorporated with a new name, Wilmington, in honor of Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. 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 Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centur ...

, the West Indies, and

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...

.Donald R. Lennon and Ida B. Kellam, eds. ''The Wilmington Town Book, 1743–1778''. Raleigh, NC: Division of Archives and History, 1973. Many of the early settlers were indentured servants from Northern Europe. As the indentured servants gained their freedom and fewer could be persuaded to travel to North America because of improving conditions back home, the settlers imported an increasing number of

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

to satisfy the labor demand. By 1767, African slaves accounted for 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

Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, NC IMG 4280

Due to Wilmington's commercial importance as a major port, it had a critical role in opposition to the British in the years leading up to the Revolution. The city had outspoken political leaders who influenced and led the resistance movement in North Carolina. The foremost of these was Wilmington resident Cornelius Harnett, who served in the General Assembly at the time, where he rallied opposition to the

Sugar Act The Sugar Act 1764, also known as the American Revenue Act 1764 or the American Duties Act, was a revenue-raising act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain on 5 April 1764. The preamble to the act stated: "it is expedient that new provisi ...

in 1764. When the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act the following year, designed to raise revenue for the Crown with a kind of tax on shipping, Wilmington was the site of an elaborate demonstration against it. On October 19, 1765, several hundred townspeople gathered in protest of the new law, burned an effigy of one town resident who favored the act, and toasted to "Liberty, Property, and No Stamp Duty." On October 31, another crowd gathered in a symbolic funeral of "Liberty". But before the effigy was buried, Liberty was found to have a pulse, and celebration ensued.William L. Saunders, ed. ''The Colonial Records of North Carolina'', 10 vols. Raleigh, NC: P.M. Hale, 1886–1980. 7: pp. 124–25, 131, 143. William Houston of

Duplin County Duplin County ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

...

was appointed stamp receiver for Cape Fear. When Houston visited Wilmington on business, still unaware of his appointment, he recounted,

"The Inhabitants immediately assembled about me & demanded a Categorical Answer whether I intended to put the Act relating othe Stamps in force. The Town Bell was rung Drums erebeating, Colours ereflying and great concourse of People eregathered together." For the sake of his own life, and "to quiet the Minds of the inraged and furious Mobb...," Houston resigned his position at the courthouse.

Governor William Tryon made attempts to mitigate the opposition, to no avail. On November 18, 1765, he pleaded his case directly to prominent residents of the area. They said the law restricted their rights. When the stamps arrived on November 28 on the H.M. Sloop ''Diligence'', Tryon ordered them to be kept on board. Shipping on the Cape Fear River was stopped, as were the functions of the courts. Tryon, after having received his official commission as governor (a position he had assumed only after the death of Arthur Dobbs), was brought to Wilmington by Captain Constantine Phipps on a barge from the ''Diligence'', and "was received cordially by the gentlemen of the borough." He was greeted with the firing of seventeen pieces of artillery, and the New Hanover County Regiment of the North Carolina militia, who had lined the streets. This "warm welcome" was spoiled, however, after a dispute arose between Captain Phipps and captains of ships in the harbor regarding the display of their colors. The townspeople became infuriated with Phipps and threats were made against both sides. After Tryon harangued them for their actions, the townspeople gathered around the barrels of punch and ox he had brought as refreshments. The barrels were broken open, letting the punch spill into the streets; they threw the head of the ox into the

pillory The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks ...

, and gave its body to the enslaved population. Because of the unrest, Tryon moved his seat of government to New Bern instead of Wilmington. On February 18, 1766, two merchant ships arrived without stamped papers at Brunswick Town. Each ship provided signed statements from the collectors at their respective ports of origin that there were no stamps available, but Captain Jacob Lobb of the British cruiser ''Viper'' seized the vessels. In response, numerous residents from southern counties met in Wilmington. The group organized as the Sons of Liberty and pledged to block implementation of the Stamp Act. The following day, as many as a thousand men, including the mayor and aldermen of Wilmington, were led by Cornelius Harnett to Brunswick to confront Tryon. The governor was unyielding but a mob retrieved the seized ships. They forced royal customs officers and public officials in the region to swear never to issue stamped paper. The Westminster Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766

Antebellum period

In the 1830s, citizens of Wilmington became eager to take advantage of railroad transportation. At this time, the shipping tonnage registered at Wilmington was 9,035. Plans were developed to build a railroad line from the capital, Raleigh, to Wilmington. When Raleigh citizens declined to subscribe in sufficient number to

stock In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...

to raise money for the project, organizers changed the terminus 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 controlled a fleet of steamboats that ran between Wilmington and

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

; these were used both for passenger travel and transportation of freight. Regular boat lines served Fayetteville, and packet lines traveled to northern ports. The city was a main stopover point, contributing greatly to its commerce. By mid-century, the churchyard of St. James Episcopal Church and other town cemeteries had become filled with graves. On November 16, 1853, a group of citizens, organized as "The Proprietors of the Wilmington Cemetery," was formed to develop a new cemetery. Sixty-five acres of land around Burnt Mill Creek was chosen as the site for what would be called Oakdale Cemetery. It was the first rural cemetery in North Carolina. The cemetery's first interment, on February 6, 1855, was six-year-old Annie deRosset. Many remains from St. James churchyard were relocated to the new cemetery. The Wilmington Gas Light Company was established in 1854. Soon after, street lights were powered by gas made from lightwood and rosin, replacing the old street oil lamps. On December 27, 1855, the first cornerstone was laid and construction began on 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.Andrew J. Howell, ''The Book of Wilmington''. Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Printing Company, 1930. 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 In the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, free people of color (French: ''gens de couleur libres''; Spanish: ''gente de color libre'') were primarily people of mixed African, European, and Native American descent who were not ...

, who developed businesses and trades. For a period up to Nat Turner's Rebellion, they had been allowed to vote, carry arms and serve in the militia. Fears after the rebellion resulted in the state legislature passing laws to restrict the rights of free blacks.

Civil War

Another glimpse of Wilmington National Cemetery IMG 4396

During the Civil War, the port was the major base for Confederate and privately owned blockade runners, which delivered badly needed supplies from England. The Union mounted a blockade to reduce the goods received by the South. The city was captured by Union forces in the Battle of Wilmington in February 1865, approximately one month after the fall of Fort Fisher had closed the port. As nearly all the military action took place some distance from the city, numerous antebellum houses and other buildings survived the war years.

Reconstruction era and 1898 insurrection

During the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

, 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 largest city and the economic capital of the state. Three of the city's aldermen were black. Black people were also in positions of justice of the peace, deputy clerk of court, street superintendent, coroners, policemen, mail clerks, and mail carriers. At the time, black people accounted for over 30% of Wilmington's skilled craftsmen, such as mechanics, carpenters, jewelers, watchmakers, painters, plasterers, plumbers, stevedores, blacksmiths, masons, and wheelwrights. In addition, blacks owned 10 of the city's 11 restaurants and were 90% of the city's 22 barbers. There were more black bootmakers/shoemakers than white ones, and half of the city's tailors were black. Lastly, two brothers, Alexander and Frank Manly, owned the '' Wilmington Daily Record'', one of the few black newspapers in the state, which was reported to be the only black daily newspaper in the country. In the 1890s, a coalition of Republicans and Populists had gained state and federal offices. The Democrats were determined to reassert their control. There was increasing violence around elections in this period, as armed white

paramilitary A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...

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 The Wilmington insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington massacre of 1898 or the Wilmington coup of 1898, was a coup d'état and massacre carried out by white supremacists in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, on Thursday, Novem ...

(formerly and inaccurately called a

race riot This is a list of ethnic riots by country, and includes riots based on ethnic, sectarian, xenophobic, and racial conflict. Some of these riots can also be classified as pogroms. Africa Americas United States Nativist period: 1700s� ...

) occurred as a result of the racially charged political conflict that had occurred in the decades after the Civil War and efforts by white Democrats to reestablish white supremacy and overturn black voting. In 1898, a cadre of white Democrats, professionals and businessmen, planned to overthrow 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 (led by Democrat

Alfred M. Waddell Alfred Moore Waddell (September 16, 1834 – March 17, 1912) was an American politician and white supremacist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. representative from North Carolina between 1871 and 1879 and as mayor of W ...

, an unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in 1896) attacked and burned the only black daily newspaper in the state and ran off the new officers. They overthrew the legitimately elected municipal government. Waddell and his men forced the elected Republican city officials to resign at gunpoint and replaced them with men selected by leading white Democrats. Waddell was elected mayor by the newly seated board of aldermen that day. Prominent African Americans and white

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

were banished from the city in the following days. This is the only such coup d'état in United States history."Chapter 5"
, ''1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission Report'', North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources Whites attacked and killed an estimated 10–100 blacks. No whites died in the violence. As a result of the attacks, more than 2100 blacks permanently left the city, leaving a hole among its professional and middle class. The demographic change was so large that the city became majority white, rather than the majority black it was before the white Democrats' coup. Following these events, the North Carolina legislature passed a new constitution that raised barriers to voter registration, imposing requirements for poll taxes and

literacy tests A literacy test assesses a person's literacy skills: their ability to read and write have been administered by various governments, particularly to immigrants. In the United States, between the 1850s and 1960s, literacy tests were administered t ...

that effectively disfranchised most black voters, following the example of the state of Mississippi. Blacks were essentially excluded from the political system until after the enactment of the federal

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...

20th century

Wilmington is home to the Bijou theater, which began as a tent in 1904 and progressed to a permanent structure in 1906. It operated until 1956, making it the oldest movie theater in the state and one of the oldest, continuously-running theater in the country. In 1910, Charlotte passed Wilmington to become North Carolina's largest city. In the Mid 20th Century, efforts to preserve many historic building began. Due to this, many Historic buildings listed as National Register of Historic Places. Around the '80s, the city was used for filming of many horror films like Blue Velvet in 1984 and I Know What You Did Last Summer in 1997. In 1990, the final extension of

Interstate 40 in North Carolina Interstate 40 (I-40) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that travels from Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina. In North Carolina, I-40 travels across the entirety of the state from the Tennessee state line along t ...

was opened and officially connected Wilmington to the Interstate Highway System via Raleigh. Wilmington 1918

World War II

During World War II, Wilmington was the home of the

North Carolina Shipbuilding Company North Carolina Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard in Wilmington, North Carolina, created as part of the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program in the early days of World War II. From 1941 through 1946, the company built 243 ships in all ...

. 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 outgrew the original location. A smaller contingent of prisoners was assigned to a third site, working in the officers' mess and doing grounds keeping at Bluethenthal Army Air Base, which is now Wilmington International Airport.

21st century

During the '90s, Wilmington began to grow rapidly, partially due to the film industry and the completion of I-40. The city successfully 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 backlash. In 2017, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality found that the Cape Fear River had been polluted by a chemical called GenX, discharged by a Chemours plant near Fayetteville, NC. In 2020,

President Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

designated Wilmington to be the first WWII Heritage city in the country due to the city's contribution during the war.

National Register of Historic Places

The Audubon Trolley Station, Brookwood Historic District,

Carolina Heights Historic District Carolina Heights Historic District is a national historic district located at Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 421 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, and 1 contributing object in a predominantly ...

, Carolina Place Historic District, City Hall/Thalian Hall, Delgrado School, Federal Building and Courthouse, Fort Fisher, Gabriel's Landing,

William Hooper School (Former) William Hooper School is a historic school building located on Mears Street between South 4th and South 5th Streets in Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was designed by Joseph F. Leitner's firm and is described as being in a Cl ...

Market Street Mansion District Market Street Mansion District is a national Historic district (United States), historic district located at Wilmington, North Carolina, Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The district encompasses four large impressive early-20th cen ...

, Masonboro Sound Historic District, Moores Creek National Battlefield,

Sunset Park Historic District Sunset Park is a neighborhood south of the Historic Downtown of Wilmington, in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. It was designated a national historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. History "Sun ...

, ''USS NORTH CAROLINA'' (BB-55) National Historic Landmark,

James Walker Nursing School Quarters James Walker Nursing School Quarters, also known as New Hanover County Dept. of Social Services Building, is a historic dormitory located at Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The original was built in 1921 and is a four-story, brick ...

, Westbrook-Ardmore Historic District, Wilmington Historic District, and Wilmington National Cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Wilmington is located at . It is the eastern terminus of Interstate 40, an east-west freeway that ends 2,554 miles away at Barstow, California, where it joins I-15, the Gateway to Southern California. This road passes through many major cities and state capitals along the way. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (1.16%) is water. Wrightsville Beach is a common destination in the Wilmington area. Carolina and Kure beaches also add to the city's beach attractions.

Climate

Wilmington has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

( Köppen ''Cfa''), with the following characteristics: Cypress Trees in Greenfield Lake

*Winters are generally mild with January highs in the mid-50s °F (~12 °C) and lows in the mid-30s °F (~1 °C). Snowfall does not occur in most years, and when it does, is generally light. *Spring is reasonably lengthy, beginning in late February and lasting to early May. The presence of abundant dense vegetation in the area causes significant pollen dusting in the springtime that tends to turn rooftops and cars yellow. *Summer brings high humidity, with daily high temperatures usually ranging from the upper 80s to lower 90s °F (31–34 °C), and daily low temperatures usually from 70 to 75 °F (~22 °C). Heat indices can easily break the mark, though the actual temperature does not in most years. Due to the proximity of warm Atlantic Ocean waters and prevailing tropical-system tracks, the Wilmington area is subject to hurricane or tropical storm activity, mostly from August to early October, with an average frequency of once every seven years. Such tropical systems can bring high winds and very heavy rains, sometimes or more in a single tropical system. Precipitation in Wilmington occurs year round. April is the driest month, with just over of rain on average, and August and September are the wettest months, with over of rain each, on average. In an average year, the July to September period delivers nearly 40% of annual rainfall. *Autumn is also generally humid at the beginning, with the threat from tropical weather systems (hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions) peaking in September. * Normal January mean temperature: . The coldest month in recorded history was January 1977, averaging . January 1981 had a colder average minimum of . * Normal July mean temperature: . The hottest month in recorded history was July 2012, averaging . July 1993 had a hotter average maximum of . * Average nights ≤ : 39 * First and last freezes of the season: November 18 and March 20, allowing a growing season of 244 days * Average days ≥ : 43, but historically as low as 9 in 1909 and as high as 71 in 1980. * First and last 90 °F highs: May 15, September 15 * Highest recorded temperature: on June 27, 1952 * Lowest daily maximum temperature: on February 13, 1899 and December 30, 1917 * Highest daily minimum temperature: on August 1, 1999 and August 9, 2007 * Lowest recorded temperature: on December 25, 1989 * Average annual precipitation: , but historically ranging from in 1909 to in 2018, aided by 23.02 inches of rain, September 13–16, from Hurricane Florence's slow movement across the Carolinas. The 2018 annual precipitation of 102.40 inches exceeded the previous record wettest year (1877, with 83.65 inches of precipitation). * Wettest day: on September 15, 1999 * Driest month: in April 1995 * Wettest month: in September 2018, followed closely by in September 1999 * Winter average snowfall: (the median amount is 0) * Snowiest 24-hour period: on February 17–18, 1896 * Snowiest month: in December 1989, making the winter of 1989–90 the snowiest

Cityscape

Wilmington boasts a large

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

encompassing nearly 300 blocks. Abandoned warehouses on downtown's northern end have been recently demolished making room for multimillion dollar projects, such as what was the World Headquarters of

Pharmaceutical Product Development Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) is a global contract research organization (CRO) providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and lifecycle management services. In December 2021, PPD became a wholly owned subsidiar ...

(now Thermo Fisher Scientific) and tallest building in Wilmington at 228 feet, a state-of-the-art convention center, Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Pier 33 Apartments, and The Strands houseboat community in Port City Marina. Downtown/Old Wilmington

Crime

Between 2006 and 2008, crime rates, as reported through the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

's Uniform Crime Reports, decreased in 6 of the 8 reported categories. Wilmington has an increasing problem with gang violence and on October 15, 2013, the WPD and NHC sheriff's department created a joint task force to combat gang violence. Just a day later the city council approved $142,000 in funding for a gang investigative unit.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 115,451 people, 54,673 households, and 27,131 families residing in the city.

2013

According to 2013 census estimates, there were 112,067 people and 47,003 households in the city. The population density was 2,067.8 people per square mile (714.2/km)and there were 53,400 housing units. The racial composition of the city was: 73.5% White, 19.9% Black or African American, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino American, 1.2%

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. There were 34,359 households, out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.5% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.5% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.77. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 17.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,099, and the median income for a family was $41,891. Males had a median income of $30,803 versus $23,423 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,503. About 13.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

First Baptist Church, Wilmington, NC IMG 4313

Grace United Methodist Church, Wilmington, NC IMG 4372

Less than half of Wilmington's population is religiously affiliated (47.30%), with the majority of practitioners being

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

. The two largest Christian denominations in Wilmington are Protestant: Baptists (14.66%) and Methodists (8.29%), followed by Roman Catholics (7.42%). There are also a significant number of Presbyterians (3.19%), Episcopalians (2.30%), Pentecostals (1.45%), and Lutherans (1.32%). Other Christian denominations make up 7.02%, and the Latter-Day Saints have 0.90%. Much smaller is the proportion of residents who follow

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

(0.46%), and Judaism (0.25%). A small percentage of people practice Eastern religions (0.04%). Wilmington has significant historical religious buildings, such as the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary and the Temple of Israel.

Transportation

Airport

The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) serves the area with commercial air service provided by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Avelo Airlines. American Airlines carries a large share of the airport's traffic, and therefore flies the largest of the aircraft in and out of the airport. The airport serves over 930,000 travelers per year. The airport is also home to two fixed-base operations (FBOs) that currently house over 100 private aircraft. The airport maintains a separate International Terminal providing a full service Federal Inspection Station to clear international flights. This includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Immigration. The airport is 4 miles from downtown and is served by Wave Transit buses.

Interstate highways

* *

U.S. Routes

* * * (To be the Military Cutoff Extension and the Hampstead Bypass, ending in

Pender County Pender County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,203. Its county seat is Burgaw. Pender County is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The county ...

) * * * * *

North Carolina state highways

* * *

Alternative transportation options

Public transit in the area is provided by the

Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority The Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, operating as Wave Transit, is the public transportation operator for the metro area of Wilmington, North Carolina. Sixteen regular routes are provided, with all but one running seven days per week. A ...

, which operates fixed bus routes, shuttles, and a free downtown trolley under the brand name Wave Transit. A daily intercity bus service to Raleigh is provided by

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pac ...

. Wilmington is also served by Amtrak Thruway bus connections to

Wilson, North Carolina Wilson is a city in and the county seat of Wilson County, North Carolina, United States. Located approximately east of the capital city of Raleigh, it is served by the interchange of Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 264. Wilson had an estimated p ...

where connections can be made with Amtrak's '' Carolinian'' and ''

Palmetto Palmetto (meaning "little palm") may refer to: Palms Several small palms in the Arecaceae (palm tree) family: *in the genus '' Sabal'': **Bermuda palmetto, ''Sabal bermudana'' **Birmingham palmetto, ''Sabal'' 'Birmingham' **Dwarf, or bush palm ...

.'' The city's Union Station last had passenger train service in 1968 with the Seaboard Coast Line's predecessor version of the ''Palmetto.'' The Seaboard Air Line's station last had service in 1958, with a daily train to Charlotte via Hamlet. The NCDOT ''Cape Fear Run'' bicycle route connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the RUSA 600 km brevet route. The City of Wilmington offers transient docking facilities in the center of Downtown Wilmington along the Cape Fear River approximately from the Intracoastal Waterway. The river depth in the run up from the ICW is in excess of . Taxicab services are available from several vendors, however, the City's Taxi Commission keeps meter rates artificially low. In 2021, regulations were eased to help the taxi industry compete with other companies like Uber and Lyft. The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail is primarily a multi-use trail that provides bicycle and pedestrian access to numerous recreational, cultural and educational destinations in Wilmington. The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail provides bicycle and pedestrian connection from Wade Park, Halyburton Park and Empie Park to the Heide-Trask Drawbridge at the Intracoastal Waterway. It also connects to the River to Sea Bikeway and the under-construction Central College Trail and Greenville Loop Trail.

Economy

Graystone Inn of Wilmington, NC IMG 4321

Wilmington's industrial base includes electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; nuclear fuel; and pharmaceuticals. Wilmington is part of North Carolina's Research coast, adjacent to the

Research Triangle Park Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States, occupying in North Carolina and hosting more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. The facility is named for its location relative to the three surrounding cities ...

in Durham, NC. Also important to Wilmington's economy is tourism due to its close proximity to the ocean and vibrant nightlife. Located on the Cape Fear River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington is a sizable seaport, including private marine terminals and the North Carolina State Ports Authority's Port of Wilmington. Wilmington is home to the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, the oldest Chamber in North Carolina, organized in 1853. Companies with their headquarters in Wilmington include

Live Oak Bank Live Oak Bank, a subsidiary of Live Oak Bancshares, Inc., is an American bank. Headquartered in Wilmington, NC, it serves small business owners in all 50 states and was the leading SBA by dollar volume in 2022. History Founded in 2008 by James ...

and HomeInsurance.com.

Top employers

According to the City's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Government

Wilmington adopted a council–manager form of government in 1941.

Mayor

* John Sampson, 1760 (Timeline) * Frederick Gregg, circa 1760s * Moses John deRosset, circa 1766 * ? * Hinton James c.1800s, first student to attend the University of North Carolina * * William James Harriss, ?-1839, physician, died in office * Colonel John McRae c.1855 * A.H. Van Bokkelen, 1866 * John Dawson ? - 1868 * Joseph H. Neff, 1868-? * Silas N. Martin, 1871-1872 * S.H. (Solomon Harry) Fishblate 1878-1880, 1893 * Edward Dudley Hall 1883-1887 * A. G. Ricaud, 1891-1893 * Silas P. Wright 1897-1898 resigned at gunpoint and Waddell installed in his place. * Alfred Moore Waddell, 1898–1906 *

William B. Cooper William Cooper may refer to: Business *William Cooper (accountant) (1826–1871), founder of Cooper Brothers *William Cooper (businessman) (1761–1840), Canadian businessman *William Cooper (co-operator) (1822–1868), English co-operator *Willia ...

, 1902-1903 as mayor ''

pro tempore ''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a ''locum tenens'' (placeholder) in the absence of ...

'' * William E. Springer 1907-1910 * Joseph D. Smith, circa 1911 * P.Q. (Parker Quince) Moore, c. 1913-1921 * James Cowen, circa 1922 * William E. Mayo 1921-1924 died in office *

Katherine Mayo Cowan Katherine Mayo Cowan (January 10, 1883 – December 5, 1975) was the first woman mayor in North Carolina, and as of 2021, the only woman to serve as mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina. Early life Katherine Elizabeth Mayo was born on January 10 ...

1924-1925 assumed her husband's term * Walter H. Blair, 1926-1937 * Robert E. Cooper 1937-1940 * Hargrove Bellamy 1941-1942 *Edgar Yow, 1942-1943 * Bruce B. Cameron 1943-1944, died in office * W. Ronald Lane, 1945-1946 * J.E.L. "Hi, Buddy" Wade, 1948 (as mayor pro tem), 1949–1950, 1958–1960 * Royce McClelland 1951 * E.S. Capps 1952–1953, 1960–1961 * E. L. White, circa 1953–1955 * Daniel David Cameron, 1956–1958 * Ogden Allsbrook, 1961–1970 * Hannah Block, circa 1963 (as mayor

) * Luther M. Cromartie, 1970–1971 * Benjamin David Schwartz, circa 1971–1972 * John Symes, 1972 * Herbert B. Brand, 1973–1975 * Ben Halterman, 1975–1983 * William Schwartz, circa 1983-1985 * Berry Armon Williams, 1985–1987 * Don Betz, 1987–1997 * Hamilton Hicks, 1997–1999 * David L. Jones, 1999–2001 *

Harper Peterson Harper Peterson Jr. (born December 16, 1948) is a former Democratic member of the North Carolina State Senate, representing the 9th district. He was elected in the 2018 elections. Peterson formerly served as Mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina ...

2001–2003 * Spence Broadhurst, 2003–2006 *

Bill Saffo Bill Saffo is the Mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina. He was appointed mayor in 2006 and reelected in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. He is the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. Background The son of Greek imm ...

, 2007–present

Education

Universities and colleges

University of North Carolina Wilmington Arches

* University of North Carolina at Wilmington *

Cape Fear Community College Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) is a public community college in Wilmington, North Carolina. It enrolls nearly 23,000 students each year. The service area of Cape Fear Community College includes New Hanover and Pender counties with a main ...

Shaw University Shaw University is a private Baptist historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. Founded on December 1, 1865, Shaw University is the oldest HBCU to begin offering courses in ...

satellite campus * University of Mount Olive satellite campus * University of North Carolina at Pembroke satellite campus * Miller-Motte Technical College

Schools

Public schools in Wilmington are operated by the

New Hanover County School System New Hanover County Schools (NHCS) is a school district headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States. It operates public schools in New Hanover County. It is the 12th largest school district in North Carolina and is estimated to be t ...

High schools

Eugene Ashley High School Eugene Ashley High School is a high school just outside Wilmington, North Carolina, located in the New Hanover County School District. The facility was opened in the New Hanover County Veteran's Park in 2001. The school was named after Medal of H ...

* John T. Hoggard High School * Isaac Bear Early College High School * Emsley A. Laney High School * New Hanover High School * Mosley Performance Learning Center * Wilmington Early College High School * Girls’ Leadership Academy (GLOW)

Middle schools

* Holly Shelter Middle School * Murray Middle School. * Myrtle Grove Middle School * MCS Noble Middle School * Roland-Grise Middle School * Trask Middle School * Williston Middle School * Lake Forest Academy School * St. Mark Catholic School (Wilmington, North Carolina)

Elementary schools

* Masonboro Elementary School * Alderman * Anderson * Bellamy * Blair * Bradley Creek * Castle Hayne * Codington * College Park * Eaton * Forest Hills * Freeman School of Engineering * Gregory School of Science, Mathematics, and Technology * Holly Tree * Lake Forest Academy * Mary C. Williams * Murrayville * New Horizons Elementary School (private) * Ogden * Pine Valley Elementary School * Snipes Academy of Arts and Design * Sunset Park * Winter Park * Wrightsboro * Wrightsville Beach * Friends School of Wilmington * St. Mark Catholic School (Wilmington, North Carolina)

Academies and alternate schools

Cape Fear Academy Cape Fear Academy is a private, coeducational PK3–12 school in Wilmington, North Carolina that was established on September 11, 1967 as a segregation academy. It was named for Cape Fear Military Academy, an independent school for boys in Wil ...

* The Lyceum Academy * St. Mark Catholic School (Wilmington, North Carolina) * St. Mary Catholic Church (Wilmington, North Carolina) * Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences * Cape Fear Center for Inquiry

Healthcare

New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Wilmington. It was established in 1967 as a public hospital, and it was the first hospital in the city to admit patients of all races. It was operated by New Hanover County. In February 2021 Novant Health, a nonprofit private organization, acquired the hospital.

Culture

Performing arts

The city supports a very active calendar with its showcase theater, Thalian Hall, hosting about 250 events annually. The complex has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1858 and houses three performance venues, the Main Stage, the Grand Ballroom, and the Studio Theater. The Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, 120 S. Second Street in historic downtown Wilmington, is a multiuse facility owned by the City of Wilmington and managed by the Thalian Association, the Official Community Theater of North Carolina. Here, five studios are available to nonprofit organizations for theatrical performances, rehearsals, musicals, recitals and art classes. For more than half a century, the Hannah Block Historic USO Building has facilitated the coming together of generations, providing children with programs that challenge them creatively, and enhance the quality of life for residents throughout the region. The Hannah Block Second Street Stage is home to the Thalian Association Children's Theater. It is one of the main attractions at the Hannah Block Community Arts Center. The theater seats 200 and is used as a performance venue by community theater groups and other entertainment productions. The University of North Carolina at Wilmington College of Arts and Science departments of Theatre, Music and Art share a state-of-the-art, $34 million Cultural Arts Building, which opened in December 2006. The production area consists of a music recital hall, art gallery, and two theaters. Sponsored events include 4 theater productions a year. The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews is a 125-year-old building on the corner of North 4th and Campbell St in downtown Wilmington. The Brooklyn Arts Center at Saint Andrews (BAC) is on the National Register of Historic Places. The BAC is used for weddings, concerts, fundraisers, art shows, vintage flea markets, and other community-driven events. Wilmington is home to th
Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts
a studio for foundlings. The Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts is the only studio in the region to offer Progressing Ballet Technique™ instruction from two certified instructors. The Conservatory is also host t
Turning Pointe Dance Company
a faith-based dance company, which performs artistic pieces such as "Pinocchio" for the Wilmington Community.

Film

Screen_Gems_Studios_near_Wilmington,_North_Carolina_3

Wilmington is home to EUE/Screen Gems Studios. Its prominent place in the cinema throughout the '80s and the '90s earned the city the moniker "Hollywood East". Popular television series like '' Dawson's Creek'', ''

'', '' Sleepy Hollow'', '' SIX'', '' Good Behavior'', '' Eastbound and Down'' and '' Under The Dome'' were filmed at the studio and on location throughout the city. Movies shot in Wilmington include '' Maximum Overdrive'' (1986), '' Crimes of the Heart'' (1986), '' Year of the Dragon'' (1985), '' Blue Velvet'' (1986), '' King Kong Lives'' (1986), '' Hiding Out'' (1987), '' Raw Deal'' (1986), ''

Track 29 ''Track 29'' is a 1988 psychological drama film directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Theresa Russell, Gary Oldman, Colleen Camp, Sandra Bernhard, Seymour Cassel, and Christopher Lloyd. It was produced by George Harrison's HandMade Films with Ri ...

'' (1988), '' Weeds'' (1987), '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (1990), ''

'' (1994), '' Silver Bullet'' (1985), '' Firestarter'' (1984), '' Iron Man 3'', '' A Walk to Remember'', '' We're the Millers'', '' The Longest Ride'' and '' The Choice''. Actor Brandon Lee was killed in an accidental shooting during the filming of ''The Crow''. Since 1995, Wilmington hosts an annual, nationally recognized, independent film festival called "Cucalorus." It is the keystone event of The Cucalorus Film Foundation, a non-profit organization. The Foundation also sponsors weekly screenings, several short documentary projects, and the annual Kids Festival, with hands on film-making workshops. Th
Cape Fear Independent Film Network
also hosts a film festival annually, and the Wilmington Jewish Film Festival also takes place yearly. For several years Wilmington was also the location of fan conventions for

, reuniting the cast and drawing tourists to the city. In 2014, Governor Pat McCrory decided not to renew the film incentives, which ended up taking a massive toll on not just Wilmington's but North Carolina's entire film industry. As a result, most productions and film businesses moved to Atlanta, Georgia. As of 2017, there have been attempts to bring the industry back to North Carolina via the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant. This grant designates $31 million per fiscal year (Jul 1 – Jun 30) in film incentives.

Literature

Birthplace of Johnson Jones Hooper (1815–1862), Author of the Simon Suggs Series. Birthplace of Robert Ruark (1915–1965) Now rare, an early edition of the Scottish poet Robert Burns's " Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" was printed by Bonsal and Niles of Market Street, Baltimore in 1804.

Music

Chamber Music Wilmington was founded in 1995 and presents its four-concert "Simply Classical" series every season. The concerts are performed by world-class chamber musicians and are held at UNCW's Beckwith Recital Hall. The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra was established in 1971 and offers throughout the year a series of five classical performances, and a Free Family Concert. Wilmington is also home to numerous music festivals. One of the largest DIY festivals, the Wilmington Exchange Festival, occurs over a period of 5 days around Memorial Day each year. It is currently in its 13th year. Celebrating its 37th year, February 2 thru 4, 2017, the North Carolina Jazz Festival is a three-day traditional jazz festival that features world-renowned jazz musicians. The Cape Fear Blues Society is a driving force behind blues music in Wilmington. The organization manages, staffs and sponsors weekly Cape Fear Blues Jams and the annual Cape Fear Blues Challenge talent competition (winners travel to Memphis TN for the International Blues Challenge). Its largest endeavor is the Cape Fear Blues Festival, an annual celebration that showcases local, regional and national touring blues artists performing at a variety of events and venues, including the Cape Fear Blues Cruise, Blues Workshops, an All-Day Blues Jam, and numerous live club shows. Membership in the CFBS is open to listeners and musicians alike.

Museums and historic areas

Railroad Museum in Wilmington, NC IMG 4452

* Cameron Art Museum * The Bellamy Mansion * Cape Fear Museum of History and Science * The Children's Museum of Wilmington * First Baptist Church (founded 1808) * Fort Fisher Historic Area * Grace United Methodist Church (founded 1797) Clear Skies for Battleship

* St. James Episcopal Church – the oldest church in Wilmington * St. Mary Catholic Church – historic Roman Catholic church in Wilmington * First Presbyterian Church – historic Presbyterian church * Latimer House Museum *

* Temple of Israel – the oldest

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

in North Carolina * USS ''North Carolina'' Memorial * Wilmington Railroad Museum] * Hannah Block Historic USO The Second and Orange Street USO Club was erected by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Army Corps of Engineers at a cost of $80,000. Along with an identical structure on Nixon Street for African-American servicemen, it opened in December 1941, the same month that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. From 1941 to 1945, the USO hosted 35,000 uniformed visitors a week. Recently renovated with sensitivity to its historic character, the Hannah Block Historic USO (HBHUSO) lobby serves as a museum where World War II memorabilia and other artifacts are displayed. The building itself was rededicated in Ms. Block's name in 2006 and restored to its 1943 wartime character in 2008. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The World War II Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition, an all volunteer 501(c)(3) preservation organization, is the de facto preservationist of the building's history and maintains the home front museum.

Festivals

Wilmington is host to many annual festivals, including, most notably, the Azalea Festival. The Azalea Festival, sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club, features a garden tour, historic home tour, garden party, musical performances, a parade, and a fireworks show. It takes places every year in April.

Media

Newspapers

The ''

Star-News ''Star-News'' is an American, English language daily newspaper for Wilmington, North Carolina, and its surrounding area (known as the Lower Cape Fear). It is North Carolina's oldest newspaper in continuous publication. It was owned by Halifax Me ...

'' is Wilmington's daily newspaper; read widely throughout the Lower Cape Fear region and now owned by Gannett, following its merger with the Star's previous owner, GateHouse Media. A daily online newspaper, Port City Daily
portcitydaily.com
, is owned by Local Voice Media. Two historically black newspapers are distributed and published weekly: ''

The Wilmington Journal The ''Wilmington Journal'' is a newspaper in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is North Carolina's oldest existing newspaper for African Americans. R. S. Jervay established the paper in 1927. It continued under his son Thomas C. Jervay Sr.https://www.n ...

'' and ''The Challenger Newspapers.'' ''Encore Magazine'' is a weekly arts and entertainment publication.

Broadcast radio

AM

*630 AM WMFD – Sports ("ESPN Radio, AM 630") *1340 AM WLSG – Regional Mexican ("La Raza 94.1")

FM

*89.7 FM WDVV – Worship & Praise Music ("The Dove, 89.7") *90.5 FM WWIL-FM – Christian Music ("Life 90.5") *91.3 FM

WHQR WHQR is the NPR, National Public Radio (NPR) member station for Southeastern North Carolina, broadcasting on the FM broadcast band, FM band 91.3 MHz. Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, Wilmington and operated by Friends of Public Radio, Inc ...

– Public Radio *93.1 FM WBPL-LP – Wilmington Catholic Radio *94.1 FM W231CL Regional Mexican ("La Raza 94.1") (WLSG translator) *95.5 FM

W238AV W, or w, is the twenty-third and fourth-to-last letter (alphabet), letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. It represents a c ...

– Contemporary Christian (" K-LOVE") *95.9 FM W240AS – Soft AC ("95.9 The Breeze") (WKXB translator) *97.3 FM WMNX – Hip Hop/R & B ("Coast 97.3") *100.5 FM W263BA – Contemporary Christian (" K-LOVE") *101.3 FM WWQQ-FM- Country ("Double Q, 101") *102.7 FM WGNI – Hot AC ("102.7 GNI") *104.5 FM WYHW – Christian Talk ("104.5")

Television

The Wilmington television market is ranked 130 in the United States, and is the smallest

DMA DMA may refer to: Arts * ''DMA'' (magazine), a defunct dance music magazine * Dallas Museum of Art, an art museum in Texas, US * Danish Music Awards, an award show held in Denmark * BT Digital Music Awards, an annual event in the UK * Doctor of M ...

in North Carolina. The broadcast stations are as follows: * WWAY, Channel 3, ( ABC affiliate, with CBS on 3.2 and CW on 3.3): licensed to Wilmington, owned by Morris Multimedia * WECT, Channel 6, ( NBC affiliate): licensed to Wilmington, owned by

Gray Television Gray Television, Inc. is an American publicly traded television broadcasting company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1946 by James Harrison Gray as Gray Communications Systems, the company owns or operates 180 stations across the United St ...

* WILM-LD, Channel 10, (

Independent station An independent station is an independent radio or terrestrial television station which is independent in some way from broadcast networks. The definition of "independence" varies from country to country, reflecting governmental regulations, market ...

): licensed to Wilmington, owned by the

Capitol Broadcasting Company The Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. (CBC) is an American media company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Capitol owns three television stations and nine radio stations in the Raleigh–Durham and Wilmington areas of North Carolina and the Du ...

* WSFX-TV, Channel 26, (

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelv ...

affiliate): licensed to Wilmington, owned by American Spirit Media and operated by Gray Television * WUNJ-TV, Channel 39, ( PBS member station, part of the UNC-TV Network) Cable news station News 14 Carolina also maintains its coastal bureau in Wilmington. On September 8, 2008, at noon, WWAY, WECT, WSFX, WILM-LP and W51CW all turned off their analog signals, making Wilmington the first market in the nation to go digital-only as part of a test by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to iron out transition and reception concerns before the nationwide shutoff. Wilmington was chosen as the test market because the area's digital channel positions will remain unchanged after the transition. As the area's official conduit of emergency information, WUNJ did not participate in the early analog switchoff, and kept their analog signal on until the national digital switchover date of June 12, 2009. W47CK did not participate due to its low-power status; FCC rules currently exempt low-powered stations from the 2009 analog shutdown. WILM-LP and W51CW chose to participate, even though they are exempt as LPTV stations. Despite

Tropical Storm Hanna The name Hanna or Hannah has been used for eleven tropical cyclones worldwide: five in the Atlantic Ocean and six in the Western Pacific Ocean (four regionally in the Philippines by PAGASA). The latter spelling has also been used for one extratropic ...

making landfall southwest of Wilmington two days before (September 6), the switchover continued as scheduled. The ceremony was marked by governmental and television representatives flipping a large switch (marked with the slogan "First in Flight, First in Digital") from analog to digital.

Sports

The Wilmington Sharks are a Coastal Plain League (CPL) baseball team in Wilmington that was founded in 1997 and was among the charter organizations when the CPL was formed that same year. The roster is made up of top collegiate baseball players fine-tuning their skills using wood bats to prepare for professional baseball. Their stadium is located at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium. The Wilmington Sea Dawgs are a Tobacco Road Basketball League (TRBL) team that began its inaugural season with the

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...

(ABA) in November 2006 and have also played in the Premier Basketball League, and the

Continental Basketball League The Continental Basketball League (CBL) was a men's basketball minor league in the United States that began play in April 2010. The league was headquartered in Florida. History In 2009, Dennis Truax, who was previously affiliated with the C ...

. The Wilmington Hammerheads are a professional soccer team based in Wilmington. They were founded in 1996 and played in the United Soccer Leagues Second Division. Their stadium was the Legion Stadium. After the 2009 season, the USL discontinued their relationship with the franchise owner Chuck Sullivan. The Hammerheads franchise returned in 2011. The University of North Carolina Wilmington sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports and has held Division 1 membership in the NCAA since 1977. UNCW competes in the

Colonial Athletic Association The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universi ...

and has been a member since 1984. The University of North Carolina Wilmington is also home to the Seamen Ultimate Frisbee team. The team won the National Championship in 1993 and most recently qualified for the USA Ultimate College Nationals tournament in 2014 The Cape Fear Rugby Football Club is an amateur rugby club playing in USA Rugby South Division II. They were founded in 1974 and hosts the annual Cape Fear Sevens Tournament held over July 4 weekend; hosting teams from all over the world. They own their own rugby pitch located at 21st and Chestnut St. Off and on, from 1900 to 2001, Wilmington has been home to a professional minor league baseball team. The Wilmington Pirates, a

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

farm team, were one of the top clubs in the Tobacco State League from 1946–50. Most recently the Wilmington Waves, a Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, played in the South Atlantic League. Former All Star catcher Jason Varitek played for Wilmington's Port City Roosters in 1995 and 1996. In 1914 the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

held

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

in Wilmington. The beach near Wilmington, NC is home to the annual O’Neil/Sweetwater Pro-Am and Music Festival, the second largest surfing contest on the East Coast.

Shopping complexes

* Independence Mall *

Cotton Exchange of Wilmington The Cotton Exchange of Wilmington, North Carolina, is a shopping complex consisting of over eight historical buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is so named due to the inclusion of the Old James Sprunt Cotton Excha ...

*Mayfaire Town Center *Hanover Center Shopping Mall *Long Leaf Mall *Chandler's Wharf *Front Street Center *The Point at Barclay

Points of interest

* Airlie Gardens *

New Hanover County Extension Service Arboretum New Hanover County Arboretum - NC Cooperative Extension is a 7-acre arboretum at 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. It is open daily without charge. The arboretum was formally opened in 1989, and is still under development. It curr ...

* North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher * North Carolina Azalea Festival * EUE Screen Gems Studios * Battleship & Museum * University of North Carolina at Wilmington Arboretum * Cameron Art Museum * Cape Fear Museum of History and Science *

* Fort Fisher State Recreation Area

Notable people

Art and literature

* Jock Brandis, author, co-founder of the

Full Belly Project The Full Belly Project Ltd is a non-profit organization based out of Wilmington, North Carolina, which designs labor-saving devices to improve the lives of people in developing communities. Their main devices are the Universal Nut Sheller (UNS) ...

* Wiley Cash, author * Mark Cox, poet * Minnie Evans, folk artist * Barbara Guest, poet and prose stylist * Will Inman, poet * Sharyn McCrumb, author *

Peggy Payne Peggy Payne (born 1949) is a writer, journalist and consultant to writers. She has written four books and her articles, reviews and essays have appeared in ''The New York Times'', ''Cosmopolitan'', ''The Washington Post'', the ''Los Angeles Times ...

, writer, journalist, and consultant to writers * Celia Rivenbark, humor columnist and author * Robert Ruark, author, syndicated columnist, and big game hunter * Emily McGary Selinger (1848–1927), painter, writer, poet, educator * Betsy Thornton, author

Government and politics

* Joseph Carter Abbott, colonel in Union Army during American Civil War, Republican state senator representing North Carolina from 1868–1871 * John Dillard Bellamy, congressman * Timothy Bloodworth, teacher and statesmen, elected to the First United States Congress *

Deb Butler Deborah Armfield "Deb" Butler is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, where she has served since 2017. She represents the 18th House District, covering a portion of New Hanover Co ...

, serves in the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

* John Cox, member of the Virginia House of Delegates * George Davis, politician and lawyer *

Lucien C. Gause Lucien Coatsworth Gause (December 25, 1836 – November 5, 1880) was an American nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from Arkansas. Biography Born near Wilmington, North Carolina, Gause moved to Lauderdale County, Tennessee and studie ...

, lawyer and politician representing Arkansas *

Eustace Edward Green Eustace Edward Green Sr. (1845-1931) was a state legislator and educator in North Carolina and a doctor in Georgia. Biography He was born enslaved February 3, 1845 and was freed on the arrival of the Union Army in Wilmington on February 25, ...

was a state legislator and educator in the North Carolina and a doctor in Georgia * Susi Hamilton,

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

member of the North Carolina House of Representatives *

Lethia Sherman Hankins Lethia Sherman Hankins (January 2, 1934 – December 29, 2014) was an educator, civic leader, and politician who was active in Wilmington, North Carolina. In 2005 she received national award from the YWCA, the Dorothy I. Height Racial Justice Awa ...

, African American woman city council member * Cornelius Harnett, merchant, farmer, and statesman, delegate for North Carolina in the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

* William Hooper (1742–1790), member

; Signer United States Declaration of Independence; Deputy Attorney General, NC; federal judge * John Peter LaFrenz, politician representing

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

* Charles A. McClenahan, member of the Maryland House of Delegates for district 38 *

Daniel F. McComas Daniel Francis McComas (born May 26, 1953, in San Juan, Puerto Rico) has served as a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly's North Carolina House of Representatives representing the state's nineteenth House district in New H ...

, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, served as member of the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

representing New Hanover County * Harry Payne, state representative and North Carolina Commissioner of Labor *

Duncan K. McRae Duncan Kirkland McRae (August 16, 1820 – February 12, 1888) was an American politician from North Carolina. After studying law, he served as attorney, diplomat and state legislator. He was an officer in the Confederate States Army during the A ...

, attorney, diplomat, and state legislator *

Samuel D. Purviance Samuel Dinsmore Purviance (January 7, 1774 – 1806) was a Congressional Representative from North Carolina; born on Masonboro Sound at Castle Fin House, near Wilmington, North Carolina; attended a private school; studied law; was admitted to ...

, represented North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives *

, longest serving mayor in Wilmington's history * John Sampson, politician before and after the American Colonial era * Carson Smith, Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, previously served as sheriff to Pender County, North Carolina *

Charles Manly Stedman Charles Manly Stedman (January 29, 1841 – September 23, 1930) was a politician and lawyer from North Carolina. Biography Born in Pittsboro, North Carolina, Stedman moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina with his parents in 1853 where he ...

, politician and lawyer *

William Francis Strudwick William Francis Strudwick (May 12, 1770July 31, 1810) was a U.S. Representative from the state of North Carolina between 1796 and 1797. Strudwick, born at "Stag Park," near Wilmington, North Carolina in 1770, was a farmer with a limited educat ...

, early U.S. congressman between serving 1796 and 1797 *

James Thorington James Thorington (May 7, 1816 – June 13, 1887) was a frontiersman, lawyer, judge, and one-term United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Biography Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, T ...

, lawyer, judge, and one term U.S. representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district * Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of former US President Donald Trump * Alfred Moore Waddell, lawyer, politician, and publisher *

Garland H. White Garland H. White (1829 – July 5, 1894) was a preacher and politician who served as Chaplain for the 28th United States Colored Infantry (28th USCT). He was one of the few black officers in the US Civil War. Before the war, he was owned by Congr ...

, preacher and politician who served as chaplain for the 28th United States Colored Infantry Regiment * Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United States

Media and entertainment

* Barnacle Boi, electronic music producer, vocalist, and visual artist * David Brinkley, television newscaster for NBC and ABC *

Cliff Cash Clifton Freeman Cash is an American stand-up comedian from North Carolina. His album ''Half Way There'', released on January 8, 2021 on Stand Up! Records, reached No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart. Personal life Cash was born in Gastonia, North ...

, stand-up comedian * Charlie Daniels, country music legend, inducted into the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

and the Country Music Hall of Fame. * Sammy Davis Sr., dancer and father of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. * Maddie Hasson, actress, best known for her role as Willa Monday on the short lived Fox television series ''

The Finder The Finder or The Finders may refer to: * ''The Finder'' (American TV series), an American procedural drama television series * ''The Finder'' (film), a 2001 Australian film * ''The Finders'', a 1993 novel by British author Nigel Hinton * ''Fi ...

'' *

Johnson J. Hooper Johnson Jones Hooper (June 9, 1815 – June 7, 1862) was an American lawyer and writer from Alabama known for his humorist works set in what was then known as the Southwest of America, particularly the collection of stories published as ''Adv ...

, 19th century humorist * Caterina Jarboro, first black opera singer ever to sing on an opera stage in America. In 1999, she was inducted into the Wilmington Walk of Fame. * Charles Kuralt, award-winning journalist * Jane McNeill, stage, film, and television actress * Don Payne, writer and producer * Willis Richardson, playwright * James Wall, stage manager and actor

Military

Edwin Anderson Jr. Edwin Alexander Anderson Jr. (16 July 1860 – 23 September 1933) was a United States Navy officer who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the 1914 American intervention at Veracruz. He retired from the Navy in 1924, as an admiral. ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Eugene Ashley Jr. Eugene Ashley Jr. (October 12, 1930 – February 7, 1968) was a United States Army Special Forces soldier and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Ashley joined the Army ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Arthur Bluethenthal Arthur Bluethenthal, nicknamed "Bluey" (November 1, 1891 – June 5, 1918), was an All-American football player for Princeton University, who died in combat fighting for France in World War I. Early life The son of Leopold and Johanna Bluethentha ...

, football player and World War I pilot *

William D. Halyburton Jr. William David Halyburton Jr. (October 2, 1924 – May 10, 1945) was a United States Navy hospital corpsman who was killed in action during World War II while assigned to a Marine Corps rifle company. He was posthumously awarded the nation's highest ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Joseph McNeil Joseph Alfred McNeil (born March 25, 1942) is a retired Major general (United States), major general in the United States Air Force who is best known for being a member of the Greensboro Four; a group of African American college students who, on ...

, member of the

Greensboro Four The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in February to July 1960, primarily in the Woolworth store—now the International Civil Rights Center and Museum—in Greensboro, North Carolina, which led to the F. W. Woolworth Comp ...

during Civil rights movement, and former major general in the U.S. Air Force *

Charles P. Murray Jr. Charles Patrick Murray Jr. (September 26, 1921 – August 12, 2011) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. Early life Born on Sept ...

, Medal of Honor recipient * Ilario Pantano, United States Marine * William Gordon Rutherfurd, commanded during the Battle of Trafalgar *

Ted Sampley Theodore Lane Sampley (July 17, 1946 – May 12, 2009) was an American Vietnam War veteran and activist. He primarily advocated for those servicemembers still considered missing in action or prisoners of war (POW-MIA) as of the end of hostilitie ...

, Vietnam veteran and POW-MIA activist *

John Steele John Steele may refer to: Politics * John Steele (Nova Scotia politician) (died c. 1762), surgeon and political figure in Nova Scotia * John Steele (North Carolina politician) (1764–1815), U.S. Representative from North Carolina * John Hardy S ...

, paratrooper; subject of the film '' The Longest Day'' * John Ancrum Winslow, officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War and American Civil War

Sportspeople

* Kadeem Allen (born 1993), basketball player in the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

and currently for Hapoel Haifa in the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

* Marvin Allen, UNC Chapel Hill soccer coach *

Wright Anderson Wright Lafate Anderson (born April 14, 1947) is an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Elon University from 1982 to 1983, compiling a record of 14–6. In 1984, Anderson left Elon to accept a post as assistant coach ...

, Elon University football coach * Reggie Barnes, former pro-skateboarder and owner of Eastern Skateboard Supply * Connor Barth,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

kicker *

Nick Becton Nicholas Julian Becton (born February 11, 1990) is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Professional career San Diego Chargers On April 27, 2013, Becton signed with the San Diego Chargers as ...

, NFL

offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Offensive (military), an attack * Offensive language ** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...

* Sam Bowens, MLB player * Derek Brunson, mixed-martial-arts fighter * Jonathan Cooper, NFL offensive guard * Alge Crumpler, NFL tight end * Hoss Ellington, NASCAR driver * Roman Gabriel, former NFL Most Valuable Player * Kenny Gattison, former

player * Althea Gibson, tennis player * Tyrell Godwin, MLB player *

Keever Jankovich Keever David Jankovich (January 6, 1928 – February 23, 1979) was an American football player who played two seasons in the National Football League with the Dallas Texans and Chicago Cardinals. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth ...

, NFL player * Sam Jones, Basketball Hall of Famer and former

player * Kitwana Jones, CFL defensive end *

Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...

, Basketball Hall of Famer, businessman, and former

player * Sonny Jurgensen, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former

player * Clarence Kea, basketball player * Meadowlark Lemon, Basketball Hall of Famer and former Harlem Globetrotter * Sugar Ray Leonard, Olympic gold-medal boxer * Quinton McCracken, Major League Baseball outfielder * Teana Miller, WNBA player * Rodney Moore, boxer * Ron Musselman, MLB pitcher * Trot Nixon, MLB outfielder * Jim Norton, NFL defensive lineman * Pat Ogrin,

defensive tackle *

Sam Pellom Samuel Troy Pellom (born October 2, 1951) is a retired American basketball player born in Wilmington, North Carolina. The 6'9" forward-center played professionally for the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA and played college basket ...

player * Jackie Rogers, NASCAR driver * Jay Ross, NFL nose guard * Robert Ruark, sportsman and syndicated writer * Sonny Siaki, professional wrestler * Charles Sinek, competitive ice dancer *

Harvest Smith Harvest Leroy Smith Jr. (February 27, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player, businessperson and former high school teammate of National Basketball Association (NBA) star Michael Jordan. Early years Smith was born and raised ...

, professional basketball player * Willie Stargell, MLB outfielder and first baseman *

Ross Tomaselli Ross Tomaselli (born January 9, 1992 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is a former American soccer player. Career College and amateur Tomaselli played four years of college soccer at Wake Forest University between 2010 and 2013. Professional Tom ...

, professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player * Ty Walker, professional basketball player * Tamera "Ty" Young, WNBA player

Other notables

* Julia Dalton, Miss North Carolina USA 2015 * Kristen Dalton, Miss North Carolina USA 2009 & Miss USA 2009 * Sarah Graham Kenan, philanthropist * Samuel Mendelsohn, Lithuanian Jewish

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

and scholar * Charles J. Mendelsohn, cryptographer and classicist *

Louis T. Moore Louis Toomer Moore (1885–1961), was a prominent preservationist, author, historian, photographer, and civic promoter in coastal North Carolina. Biography Born in Wilmington, NC, on May 17, 1885, Moore was a son of Roger Moore, an officer in the ...

, preservationist, author, historian, photographer, and civic promoter * Eliza Hall Nutt Parsley, founder of the NC Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy * Thomas Peters, early founder of Sierra Leone *

Fred Pickler Fred Pickler is an American actor, author, former deputy sheriff and photographer, instructor in police chemical munitions in US, Australia and New Zealand, counter-terrorist munitions instructor, whose photographs have appeared in ''Life Magaz ...

, actor, author, and photographer * Robert Robinson Taylor, American architect * David Walker (1796–1830), Black abolitionist * Amy Wright, CNN Hero of the Year 2017 * Fr. Thomas Price, first native Catholic priest of North Carolina

Sister cities

Wilmington is a sister city with the following cities: *

Dandong Dandong (), formerly known as Andong, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southeastern Liaoning province, in the northeastern region of People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese border city, facing Sinuiju, North Korea across the ...

Liaoning Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...

, China—1986 */ Doncaster, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom—1989 * Bridgetown, Barbados—2004 * San Pedro Town, Belize—2007

Notes

References

External links

Official website of Wilmington, NC
* * {{Authority control Cities in North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1739 Port cities and towns of the United States Atlantic coast Cape Fear (region) 1739 establishments in North Carolina Cities in New Hanover County, North Carolina Capitals of North Carolina Populated coastal places in North Carolina Populated places on the Cape Fear River

History

Colonial beginnings

Revolutionary era

Antebellum period

Civil War

Reconstruction era and 1898 insurrection

20th century

World War II

21st century

National Register of Historic Places

Geography

Climate

Cityscape

Crime

Demographics

2020 census

2013

Religion

Transportation

Airport

Interstate highways

U.S. Routes

North Carolina state highways

Alternative transportation options

Economy

Top employers

Government

Mayor

Education

Universities and colleges

Schools

High schools

Middle schools

Elementary schools

Academies and alternate schools

Healthcare

Culture

Performing arts

Film

Literature

Music

Museums and historic areas

Festivals

Media

Newspapers

Broadcast radio

AM

FM

Television

Sports

Shopping complexes

Points of interest

Notable people

Art and literature

Government and politics

Media and entertainment

Military

Sportspeople

Other notables

Sister cities

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links