Wilmington is a port city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

New Hanover County New Hanover County is one of 100 counties located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 225,702. Though the second-smallest NC county in land area, it is one of the most populous, as its county seat, Wilm ...

in coastal southeastern

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, 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 ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

''. The National Trust for Historic Preservation selected Wilmington as one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. City residents live between the

Cape Fear river The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River (North Carol ...

and the

Atlantic ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, 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 The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW or UNC Wilmington) is a public research university in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina System and enrolls 17,499 undergraduate and graduate students eac ...

(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 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 ...

white supremacist White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other Race (human classification), races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and polit ...

s 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 A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, 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 Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

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 The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

medium endurance cutter The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter mainly consisting of the Famous- and ''Reliance''-class cutters. These larger cutters are under control of Area Commands (Atlantic Area or Pacific Area). These cutt ...

until 2020. On September 2, 2020, then-President Trump officially declared Wilmington as the first

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

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 United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

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 Conjuring'' is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in ''The Conjuring'' Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed an ...

'', ''

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 Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, (2 July 1743) was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1698 and 1728, and was then raised ...

. The area along the river had been inhabited by various successive cultures of

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

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 Giovanni da Verrazzano ( , , often misspelled Verrazano in English; 1485–1528) was an Italian ( Florentine) explorer of North America, in the service of King Francis I of France. He is renowned as the first European to explore the Atlantic ...

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 European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

. In September 1732, a community was founded on land owned by John Watson on the

Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River (North Carol ...

, 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 Province of North Carolina was a province of Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712(p. 80) to 1776. It was one of the five Southern colonies and one of the thirteen American colonies. The monarch of Great Britain was rep ...

. 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 Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, 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 The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...

, 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 The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

. 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 A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

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 The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

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 Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

, and the New Hanover County Regiment of the North Carolina

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

, 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 New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

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 Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

line from the capital,

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, 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 A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleepers, ...

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 A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

. 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

, 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 Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ar ...

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 A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...

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 White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...

, 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

and efforts by white Democrats to reestablish

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 Wilmi ...

, 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 A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

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 In electoral systems, voter registration (or enrollment) is the requirement that a person otherwise eligible to vote must register (or enroll) on an electoral roll, which is usually a prerequisite for being entitled or permitted to vote. The ru ...

, 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,

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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. 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 ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie, written by Kevin Williamson, and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. It is loosely based on ...

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 The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...

via

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 A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

(POW) camps operated in the city from February 1944 through April 1946. At their peak, the camps held 550

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

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 The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is an agency of the government of North Carolina that focuses on the preservation and protection of natural resources and public health. The Department is headed by the Secretary of En ...

found that the

had been polluted by a chemical called

GenX The General Electric GEnx ("General Electric Next-generation") is an advanced dual rotor, axial flow, high-bypass turbofan jet engine in production by GE Aviation for the Boeing 787 and 747-8. The GEnx is intended to succeed the CF6 in GE's pro ...

, 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 Audubon Trolley Station is a historic trolley station located at Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was built in 1911, and is a small reinforced concrete shelter in the Mission Revival style. It consists of four reinforced concre ...

, Brookwood Historic District, Carolina Heights Historic District,

Carolina Place Historic District Carolina Place Historic District is a national historic district located at Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 337 contributing buildings in a predominantly residential section of Wilmington. The 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 Masonboro Sound Historic District is a national historic district located near Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 22 contributing buildings, 2 contributing sites, 8 contributing structures, and 1 contributi ...

, 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 The Wilmington Historic District is a national historic district located at Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 875 contributing buildings 38 contributing sites, and 3 contributing structures in the histori ...

, and Wilmington National Cemetery are listed on the

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 United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, 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 Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...

. 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, ...

Uniform Crime Reports The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program compiles official data on crime in the United States, published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). UCR is "a nationwide, cooperative statistical effort of nearly 18,000 city, university and co ...

, 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 A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

estimates, there were 112,067 people and 47,003 households in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

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 White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 19.9%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 6.1%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino American Hispanic and Latino Americans ( es, Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos; pt, Estadunidenses hispânicos e latinos) are Americans of Spanish and/or Latin American ancestry. More broadly, these demographics include all Americans who identify as ...

, 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 Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $21,503. About 13.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, 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:

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

s (14.66%) and

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

s (8.29%), followed by

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

s (7.42%). There are also a significant number of

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

s (3.19%),

Episcopalians Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

(2.30%),

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

s (1.45%), and

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

s (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 Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

(0.25%). A small percentage of people practice

Eastern religions The Eastern religions are the religions which originated in East, South and Southeast Asia and thus have dissimilarities with Western, African and Iranian religions. This includes the East Asian religions such as Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese fol ...

(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 American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...

United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.

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 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 ...

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

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 The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...

's station last had service in 1958, with a daily train to

via

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

. The NCDOT ''Cape Fear Run'' bicycle route connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the RUSA 600 km

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

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 Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...

and Lyft. The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail is primarily a

multi-use trail A shared-use path, mixed-use path or multi-use pathway is a path which is 'designed to accommodate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists'. Examples of shared-use paths include sidewalks designated as shared-use, bridleways and rail trails. A ...

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

, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington is a sizable

seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

, including private marine terminals and the

North Carolina State Ports Authority The North Carolina State Ports Authority is an authority set up by the state of North Carolina to develop and operate seaports in Wilmington and Morehead City as well as an inland port located in Charlotte. History In 1923 North Carolina Govern ...

'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 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 ca ...

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 Miller-Motte College, formerly Miller-Motte Technical College, is a University system, system of Private college, private For-profit higher education in the United States, for-profit technical colleges throughout the southeastern United States.Mil ...

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 Isaac Bear Early College High School, also called Isaac Bear, is a selective-enrollment school at 630 MacMillan Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina. The premises are situated on UNCW campus and were founded in the auditorium of Annie H. Snipes Eleme ...

Emsley A. Laney High School Emsley A. Laney High School is a public high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States. The school was named after Emsley Armfield Laney, a business and community leader for several decades in Wilmington. It is a part of New Hanover ...

New Hanover High School New Hanover High School is a high school located in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. New Hanover High is the oldest existing high school in Wilmington.Steelman, Ben"What is the History of New Hanover High School?"StarNews. MyReporter. 3 Mar. 2 ...

* 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) St. Mark Catholic School is a Catholic school catering to students from grades Pre-K to 8. It is located in Wilmington, North Carolina. St. Mark Catholic School operates from inside St. Mark Catholic Church. It adjoins St. Mark Catholic Church, ...

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 *

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. Mary Catholic Church (Wilmington, North Carolina) The Basilica Shrine of St. Mary is a Minor Basilica in the Catholic Church located in Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Diocese of Raleigh. It was included as a contributing property in the Wilmington Historic District on the National Registe ...

Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS) is a private school in Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population ...

* 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 6 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 6 or six may also refer to: * AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era * 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era * The month of June Science * Carbon, the element with atomic number 6 * 6 Hebe, an asteroid People ...

'', '' 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 ''Maximum Overdrive'' is a 1986 American comedy horror film written and directed by Stephen King. The film stars Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, and Yeardley Smith. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short ...

'' (1986), ''

Crimes of the Heart ''Crimes of the Heart'' is a play by American playwright Beth Henley. It is set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in the mid-20th century. The play won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. In 1986, the p ...

'' (1986), '' Year of the Dragon'' (1985), '' Blue Velvet'' (1986), ''

King Kong Lives ''King Kong Lives'' (released as ''King Kong 2'' in some countries) is a 1986 American monster adventure film directed by John Guillermin. Produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group and featuring special effects by Carlo Rambaldi, the film s ...

'' (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 Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor and martial artist. Establishing himself as a rising action star in the early 1990s, he landed his breakthrough role as Eric Draven in the dark fantasy film ''The ...

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 Patrick Lloyd McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American businessman, politician and radio host who served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 53rd Mayor o ...

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 Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. 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 ''Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect'', commonly known as the Kilmarnock Edition, is a collection of poetry by Robert Burns, first printed and issued by John Wilson of Kilmarnock on 31 July 1786. It was the first published edition of Burns' w ...

" 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 The Bellamy Mansion, built between 1859 and 1861, is a mixture of Neoclassical architectural styles, including Greek Revival and Italianate, and is located at 503 Market Street in the heart of downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. It is one of No ...

* Cape Fear Museum of History and Science * The Children's Museum of Wilmington * First

Church (founded 1808) * Fort Fisher Historic Area * Grace

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

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 Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...

. 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 WLSG (1340 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Norsan Media. FM Translator WLSG is simulcast on FM ...

– Regional Mexican ("La Raza 94.1")

FM

*89.7 FM

WDVV WDVV (89.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Wilmington area. The station is owned by Carolina Christian Radio, Inc. History ...

– Worship & Praise Music ("The Dove, 89.7") *90.5 FM

WWIL-FM WWIL-FM (Life 90.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary Christian music format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Wilmington, Jacksonville and North Myrtle Beach areas. The station is ...

– 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 WBPL-LP (93.1 FM) is a radio station licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, and serving the Wilmington area. The station is owned and operated by Ave Maria Radio Association. It airs a Catholic talk radio Talk radio is a radio ...

– 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 WKXB (99.9 FM broadcasting, FM "Jammin' 99.9") is a rhythmic oldies formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina and serving the Wilmington, North Carolina area. History WKXB launched as WPGF-FM, sister stati ...

– Soft AC ("95.9 The Breeze") (WKXB translator) *97.3 FM

WMNX WMNX (97.3 FM) is an mainstream urban formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina and serving the Wilmington Metro area. History 97.3 started in 1970 as WHSL-FM, sister station to AM 1490 WHSL. In the early 1980s, ...

– Hip Hop/R & B ("Coast 97.3") *100.5 FM W263BA – Contemporary Christian (" K-LOVE") *101.3 FM

WWQQ-FM WWQQ-FM (101.3 MHz) is a country music formatted radio station located in Wilmington, North Carolina. It advertises itself as "Cape Fear's Country Leader". History From its sign-on in 1969 until 1978, the call letters of this station were WMFD-F ...

- Country ("Double Q, 101") *102.7 FM

WGNI WGNI (102.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is owned by Cumulus Licensing Llc. History The call letters WGNI we ...

– 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 WWAY (channel 3) is a television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with ABC, CBS, and The CW Plus. Owned by Morris Multimedia, the station has studios on Magnolia Village Way in Leland, and its transmitter is loca ...

, Channel 3, (

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

affiliate, with CBS on 3.2 and CW on 3.3): licensed to Wilmington, owned by

Morris Multimedia Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manitob ...

* 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 WILM-LD (channel 10) is a low-power independent television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company. The station's studios are located on Wrightsville Avenue (US 76) in Wilmington, and its ...

, 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 WSFX-TV (channel 26) is a television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by American Spirit Media, which maintains a shared services agreement (SSA) with Gray Television, owner of NB ...

, 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''). Twelve sp ...

affiliate): licensed to Wilmington, owned by

American Spirit Media American Spirit Media, LLC is a broadcasting company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded by Thomas B. Henson in 2003 as Ottumwa Media Holdings, it owns television stations in several cities in the Southeastern United States. History In 2 ...

and operated by Gray Television * WUNJ-TV, Channel 39, (

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

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 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

(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 The digital television transition, also called the digital switchover (DSO), the analogue switch/sign-off (ASO), the digital migration, or the analogue shutdown, is the process in which older analogue television broadcasting technology is conv ...

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 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 The Wilmington Sharks are an American baseball team in the East Division of the Coastal Plain League (CPL), a collegiate summer baseball league. The Sharks play their home games at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, North Car ...

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 The Wilmington Sea Dawgs are a professional basketball team and founding member of the Tobacco Road Basketball League. The team is based in Wilmington, North Carolina, and began play in 2006 as a member of the American Basketball Association. T ...

are a

Tobacco Road Basketball League The Tobacco Road Basketball League (TRBL) was a professional men's basketball minor league in the United States that began play in April 2012. The league is centered in the Carolinas. In November 2014 the TRBL entered into an affiliation agreem ...

(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 Co ...

. The Wilmington Hammerheads are a professional soccer team based in Wilmington. They were founded in 1996 and played in the

Second Division. Their stadium was the

Legion Stadium Legion Stadium is a 6,000 seat stadium located in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is part of the Legion Sports Complex and was home of the Wilmington Hammerheads of the Premier Development League USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier ...

. After the 2009 season, the USL discontinued their relationship with the franchise owner Chuck Sullivan. The Hammerheads franchise returned in 2011. The

sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports and has held Division 1 membership in the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

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 The Cape Fear Sevens is a North American rugby sevens (the seven a side version of rugby union) tournament held the first weekend in July every year in North Carolina. Cape Fear 7's is one of the nation's largest Summer 7's tournaments and featu ...

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 The Wilmington Pirates were a minor league baseball team located in Wilmington, North Carolina. From 1928 to 1929, they played in the Class D Eastern Carolina League. From 1932 to 1935, they played in the Class B Piedmont League. From 1946 to 1950 ...

, 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 The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

, played in the South Atlantic League. Former All Star catcher

Jason Varitek Jason Andrew Varitek (; born April 11, 1972), nicknamed Tek, is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher. He is currently the game planning coordinator, a uniformed coaching position, for the Boston Red Sox. After being traded a ...

played for Wilmington's

Port City Roosters The Port City Roosters were a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners from 1995 to 1996. They were located in Wilmington, North Carolina, and played their home games at Brooks Field o ...

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 Aquariums is a system of three public aquariums located in Kure Beach, Roanoke Island and Pine Knoll Shores. All are operated by the Aquariums Division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources since 1976 ...

North Carolina Azalea Festival The North Carolina Azalea Festival is an annual community festival in Wilmington, North Carolina. The largest festival of its kind in the state, it was founded in 1948, and takes place in April. History The Azalea Festival began in 1948 as an idea ...

EUE Screen Gems Studios EUE/Screen Gems Ltd. is an American film and television studio production company that owns and operates facilities in Wilmington, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Miami, Florida. The company collaborates with other studios and producers f ...

* Battleship & Museum *

University of North Carolina at Wilmington Arboretum The University of North Carolina at Wilmington Arboretum, also known as the UNCW Arboretum, is an arboretum being developed on the University of North Carolina at Wilmington campus in Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and t ...

* Cameron Art Museum * Cape Fear Museum of History and Science *

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in New Hanover County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Kure Beach, North Carolina, it includes Fort Fisher, site of a major naval engagement during the American ...

Notable people

Art and literature

Jock Brandis Jock Brandis is an author, film actor, film technician, inventor, and humanitarian. Brandis has received the 2006 ''Popular Mechanics'' Breakthrough Award for Innovation and the 2008 Purpose Prize, which he received in recognition for his work and ...

, author, co-founder of the Full Belly Project *

Wiley Cash Wiley Cash (born September 7, 1977) is a ''New York Times'' best-selling novelist from North Carolina. He is the author of three novels, ''A Land More Kind Than Home'', ''This Dark Road to Mercy'', and ''The Last Ballad''. His work has won nu ...

, author * Mark Cox, poet *

Minnie Evans Minnie Eva Evans (December 12, 1892 – December 16, 1987) was an African American artist who worked in the United States from the 1940s to the 1980s. Evans used different types of media in her work such as oils and graphite, but started with us ...

, folk artist *

Barbara Guest Barbara Guest, ''née'' Barbara Ann Pinson (September 6, 1920 – February 15, 2006), was an American poet and prose stylist. Guest first gained recognition as a member of the first generation New York School of poetry. Guest wrote more than ...

, poet and prose stylist *

Will Inman William Bentley Inman (born February 6, 1987 in Danville, Virginia) is an American professional baseball pitcher. Career Inman is from Danville, Virginia. Prior to playing professionally, he attended Tunstall High School in Dry Fork, Virginia ...

, 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 Celia Rivenbark is an American humor columnist and award-winning, bestselling author. Background Rivenbark was born and raised in Duplin County, North Carolina, She is married to Scott Whisnant, the Director of Government Relations for New Hanov ...

, humor columnist and author *

Robert Ruark Robert Ruark (December 29, 1915 in Wilmington, North Carolina – July 1, 1965 in London, England) was an American author, syndicated columnist, and big game hunter. Early life Born Robert Chester Ruark, Jr., to Charlotte A. Ruark and Rober ...

, author, syndicated columnist, and big game hunter * Emily McGary Selinger (1848–1927), painter, writer, poet, educator *

Betsy Thornton Betsy Thornton is a contemporary American writer of mystery fiction novels set in the Southwestern United States. Biography Thornton was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, the oldest of four children born to Dr. Mary Elizabet ...

, author

Government and politics

* Joseph Carter Abbott, colonel in

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, Republican state senator representing

from 1868–1871 *

John Dillard Bellamy John Dillard Bellamy Jr. (March 24, 1854 – September 25, 1942) was a United States Democratic Party, Democratic United States House of Representatives, U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1899 and 1903. Born in Wilmington, North Car ...

, congressman *

Timothy Bloodworth Timothy James Bloodworth (1736August 24, 1814) was a slave owner, ardent patriot in the American Revolution, member of the Confederation Congress, vigorous anti-Federalist, U.S. congressman and senator, and collector of customs for the Port of Wi ...

, 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 The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...

* 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 Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

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 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

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 William Hooper (June 28, 1742 October 14, 1790) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, and politician. As a member of the Continental Congress representing North Carolina, Hooper signed the Continental Association and the Declaration of I ...

(1742–1790), member

; Signer

United States Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...

; Deputy Attorney General, NC; federal judge *

John Peter LaFrenz John Peter La Frenz (born February 1, 1876) was an American politician from New York (state), New York. Life He was born on February 1, 1876, in Wilmington, North Carolina, Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. After the death of his fat ...

, 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 Charles A. McClenahan (February 7, 1941 – May 11, 2017) was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 38, which covers Somerset County, Maryland, Somerset, Wicomico County, Maryland, Wicomico, & Worcester County, Maryland, Worce ...

, member of the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...

for district 38 * Daniel F. McComas, born in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...

, 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

* Harry Payne, state representative and

North Carolina Commissioner of Labor The Commissioner of Labor is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The commissioner is a constitutional officer who leads the state's Department of Labor. North Carolina's general statues provide the commissioner with br ...

* Duncan K. McRae, 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 The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the Revolutionary War. In the ...

* 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 Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of its southeastern part. It includes Davenport, Iowa City, Muscatine, Clinton, Burlington, Ottumwa, Fort Madison, Oskaloosa, Bettendo ...

Lara Trump Lara Lea Trump ( Yunaska; born October 12, 1982) is an American former television producer who is married to Eric Trump, third child of Donald Trump. She was the producer and host of Trump Productions' '' Real News Update'' and a producer of ' ...

, 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 The 28th United States Colored Infantry, also called the 28th Indiana Infantry (Colored), 1 was an African American infantry regiment from the state of Indiana that fought in the American Civil War. History On November 30, 1863, the United States ...

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

, 28th

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

Media and entertainment

Barnacle Boi Ian Oliver (born December 23, 1992) known professionally as Barnacle Boi (stylized as barnacle boi), is an American producer, DJ, vocalist, and visual artist based in the southeast coast of the United States. barnacle boi developed his production s ...

, electronic music producer, vocalist, and visual artist *

David Brinkley David McClure Brinkley (July 10, 1920 – June 11, 2003) was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997. From 1956 through 1970, he co-anchored NBC's top-rated nightly news program, ''The Huntley–Brinkley Re ...

, television newscaster for NBC and

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 The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

. * Sammy Davis Sr., dancer and father of entertainer

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

* 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 Caterina Jarboro (July 24, 1898 – August 13, 1986) was an American opera singer. She was the first female black opera singer to sing with a major company, twenty-two years before Marian Anderson's début at the Metropolitan Opera. Biograp ...

, 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 Jane McNeill-Balter, professionally credited as Jane McNeill, is an American stage, film and television actress, best known to television audiences for her recurring role as Patricia on the second season of '' The Walking Dead''. Life and ca ...

, stage, film, and television actress * Don Payne, writer and producer * Willis Richardson, playwright * James Wall, stage manager and actor

Military

* Edwin Anderson Jr.,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient * Eugene Ashley Jr., 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 The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

, 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 Ilario Gregory Pantano (born August 28, 1971) is a former United States Marine Corps second lieutenant. He has also been an author, a television commentator, and served as a Deputy Sheriff in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was a Republican Pa ...

United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

William Gordon Rutherfurd Captain William Gordon Rutherfurd CB, RN (1765 – 14 January 1818) was an officer in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars whose career was almost entirely conducted in the West Indies except for a brie ...

, commanded during the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

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, paratrooper; subject of the film '' The Longest Day'' *

John Ancrum Winslow John Ancrum Winslow (19 November 1811 – 29 September 1873) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. He was in command of the steam sloop of war during her historic 1864 action off Che ...

, officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and

Sportspeople

Kadeem Allen Kadeem Frank Allen (born January 15, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He was selected with the 53rd pick of the 2017 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, and has played i ...

(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 Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986) is a former American football placekicker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undraft ...

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 Samuel Edward Bowens (March 23, 1938 – March 28, 2003) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles (1963–1967) and Washington Senators (1968–1969). Bowens batted and threw right-handed. He was b ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player * Derek Brunson, mixed-martial-arts fighter *

Jonathan Cooper Jonathan Javell Cooper (born January 19, 1990) is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina, where he earned All-American honor ...

, NFL

offensive guard 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 ...

* Alge Crumpler, NFL tight end * Hoss Ellington,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

driver *

Roman Gabriel Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. (born August 5, 1940) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for eleven seaso ...

, former NFL Most Valuable Player *

Kenny Gattison Kenneth Clay Gattison (born May 23, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player and National Basketball Association (NBA) assistant coach. College career Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Gattison was a four-year lettermen at Old ...

, former

player * Althea Gibson, tennis player *

Tyrell Godwin Carlton Tyrell Godwin (born July 10, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals. College career Godwin played both football and baseball at East Bladen High ...

, 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 Kitwana Shaloyd Jones (born July 7, 1981) is a former Canadian football defensive end. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2005. Jones has also played professionally for the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alo ...

CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

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 Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III (born August 23, 1934) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins. He was inducted int ...

, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former

player * Clarence Kea, basketball player *

Meadowlark Lemon Meadow Lemon III (April 25, 1932 – December 27, 2015),"Meadowlark Lemo ...

, Basketball Hall of Famer and former

Harlem Globetrotter The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Created in 1926 by Tommy Brookins in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name ''Harlem'' because of ...

* Sugar Ray Leonard, Olympic gold-medal boxer *

Quinton McCracken Quinton Antoine McCracken (born August 16, 1970) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played all or parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), and was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays franchise's first center fielder and bat ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

outfielder * Teana Miller, WNBA player * Rodney Moore, boxer *

Ron Musselman Ralph Ronald Musselman (born November 11, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners () and Toronto Blue Jays (-). Prior to turning professional, he played for the Clemson Tigers. Musselman was mostly a relief pitche ...

pitcher *

Trot Nixon The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is somet ...

outfielder * Jim Norton, NFL defensive lineman *

Pat Ogrin Patrick John Ogrin (born February 10, 1958) is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins. He also played for the now defunct United States Football League (USFL) Denver Gold in ...

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 Jackie Rogers (born May 6, 1943 in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA) is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who has led only six out of the 4943 laps that he raced in his entire career. Rogers earned $64,582 ($ when adjusted for inflation) ...

driver *

Jay Ross Jeremiah "Jay" Ross (born August 2, 1975) is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is best known under his ring name Fabulous Blitzkrieg (later shortened to Blitzkrieg) and for his appearances with World Championsh ...

, NFL

nose guard A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

, sportsman and syndicated writer * Sonny Siaki, professional wrestler *

Charles Sinek Charles Sinek (born December 28, 1968) is an American former competitive Ice dancing, ice dancer. With partner and wife Beata Handra, he is the 1999–2002 United States Figure Skating Championships, U.S. national pewter medalist and placed as hi ...

, 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, 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 The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group since 1992. In 2005, Miss North Carolina USA Chelse ...

Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group since 1992. In 2005, Miss North Carolina USA Chelse ...

2015 * Kristen Dalton, Miss North Carolina USA 2009 & Miss USA 2009 *

Sarah Graham Kenan Sarah Graham Kenan (February 17, 1876 – March 16, 1968) was an American heiress and philanthropist. She inherited a third of her sister's share of the Standard Oil fortune in 1917 and established the Sarah Graham Kenan Foundation. Through her fo ...

, philanthropist *

Samuel Mendelsohn Samuel Mendelsohn (1850–1922) was a Lithuanian Jewish rabbi and scholar born near Kaunas, Lithuania. Biography He was educated at the rabbinical college in Vilnius, at the rabbinic school in Berlin, and at Maimonides College, Philadelphia, P ...

Lithuanian Jewish Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks () are Jews with roots in the territory of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania (covering present-day Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, the northeastern Suwałki and Białystok regions of Poland, as well as adjacent areas o ...

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 of ...

and scholar * Charles J. Mendelsohn, cryptography, cryptographer and classics, classicist * Louis T. Moore, 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 (black leader), Thomas Peters, early founder of Sierra Leone * Fred Pickler, actor, author, and photographer * Robert Robinson Taylor, American architect * David Walker (abolitionist), David Walker (1796–1830), Black abolitionist * Amy Wright (activist), Amy Wright, CNN Hero of the Year 2017 * Thomas Frederick Price, Fr. Thomas Price, first native Catholic priest of North Carolina

Sister cities

Wilmington is a sister city with the following cities: * Dandong, Liaoning, 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 Wilmington, North Carolina, 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