Wilmington
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About this ebook
Discover Wilmington's enduring spirit in these images of past and present.
Since 1739, Wilmington has seen centuries of change along the banks of the Cape Fear River to the beaches of the Atlantic. Through the years much has been lost to war, neglect, and progress, but in many places the past is well preserved and still visible today.
Susan Taylor Block
Susan Taylor Block was born in Wilmington, NC in 1951. She attended public schools, went to UNCW, then graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973. She began publishing poetry, mostly light verse, in 1976. Soon, she began researching and writing about her hometown's history.
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Wilmington - Susan Taylor Block
work.
INTRODUCTION
Notwithstanding exceptions, usually when fine old buildings are replaced it’s a case of stainless steel strips taking the place of sterling filigree. Sometimes there is simply no replacement, but only a vacant lot filled with weeds and litter. Occasionally a historic vista simply evolves to feature a scene inconceivable early in the life of an old American city.
There are many reasons good buildings disappear. Sometimes real estate taxes overburden the owner. At times fire, flood, or gross negligence dismantle brick-and-mortar jewels. But often the problem is simply a failure to recognize distinction.The owner lets trendiness, dreams of ultimate functionality, or an aversion to upkeep blind him or her to the rich wonders of antique constructions.
Wilmington, North Carolina, founded 1739–1740, is still home to many handsome structures from the past, as well as some good new buildings. But like many Colonial-born municipalities, one can only imagine what it would look like today if all the cottages, houses, gardens, and diminutive palaces remained.
Wilmington, from Arcadia Publishing’s Then & Now series, serves to foster both the appreciation of our past and the careful guardianship of our future. A companion book, Cape Fear Lost, offers many additional facts and stories.
S. T. B.
CHAPTER 1
STREET SCENES AND RIVER SCENES
What’s there not to like about a city set upon a river, a city that glows with a special kind of light, a city beset with natural beauty? Today miles of film shot for television shows and motion pictures include street and river scenes of Wilmington, North Carolina. But for those of us who had the good fortune to grow up here, that’s no surprise. We knew all along that we lived in a very special place. For the rest of the world to know is merely satisfaction. (Photo of an 1880 outing from Along the Cape Fear.)
Dating from 1847, this is the first known photograph of Wilmington and the earliest outdoor image of North Carolina. The photographer, perhaps John Plumbe Jr., captured the 1839 St. James Church building with all its finials intact, the Burgwin-Wright House, the globe of a handsome street lantern, and an animal-drawn conveyance used to transport guests from a nearby hotel to the train station. Today the church, Burgwin-Wright House, and 1842 St. John’s Masonic Lodge at 125 Market Street, from which this photo was taken, all survive. (Courtesy Amon Carter Museum; Fort Worth, Texas.)
The anachronistic photograph below, taken by historian Louis T. Moore at the 1928 Feast of Pirates parade, showcases Wilmington’s Third Street and sets the tone for looking back.
Ties and millinery were required dress