New Hanover County
75 places on the trail: 72 highway markers, 3 battlefields and state sites.
People of New Hanover County in Carolina Quotes
Charles KuraltBorn in WilmingtonCharlie DanielsBorn in WilmingtonDavid BrinkleyBorn in WilmingtonDavid WalkerBorn in WilmingtonEdward E. David Jr.Born in WilmingtonLara TrumpBorn in WilmingtonMichael JordanLived in WilmingtonMinnie EvansDied in WilmingtonRobert RuarkBorn in WilmingtonSugar Ray LeonardBorn in Wilmington
Colonial North Carolina, 1585-1774
- D-1CORNELIUS HARNETT 1723-1781Revolutionary statesman. Prominent in resistance to British rule and the creation of independent N.C. Home was 1/4 mi. N...
- D-22EARLY DRAWBRIDGEOne of the few drawbridges in the American colonies was built near here by Benjamin Heron about 1768. Destroyed by Briti...
- D-72JAMES HASELLActing governor, 1771; thrice Chief Justice, 1750-1766; President of the Council. Owned large library. Home 7 mi. S.E.
- D-90JAMES INNES ca. 1700-1759Commanded N.C. troops at Cartagena, 1740; led colonial forces, 1754-56, in French and Indian War. Grave 4 miles W.
- D-15JOHN BURGWIN 1731-1803Merchant, planter, and colonial official. Built this house, 1770-1771. His "Hermitage" estate was eight miles north.
- D-2OLD COURTHOUSEStood two blocks west. Here a stamp master, William Houston, was forced to resign, 1765, and safety committees met in 17...
- D-5ST. JAMES CHURCHBuilt 1839, near site of older church, begun about 1751. Graves of Cornelius Harnett and Thomas Godfrey.
- D-107ST. JOHN'S LODGEFirst Masonic lodge in North Carolina. Est. in 1754. Building erected 1804, used until 1825, is one block west.
Revolution and founding, 1775-1789
The young state, 1790-1860
- D-59ADAM EMPIE, D.D.First chaplain of U.S. Military Academy, West Point, 1813-1817; president William and Mary College; rector St. James Chu...
- D-67CATHERINE KENNEDY HOMEFor the elderly. Grew from Ladies Benevolent Society, founded, 1845. First home, 1879, stood four blocks east.
- D-105DAVID WALKER ca. 1796-1830His Appeal, influential 1829 pamphlet, denounced slavery. A free black, he grew up in Wilmington; moved to Boston by 182...
- D-17EDWARD B. DUDLEY 1789-1855Governor, 1836-41, the first in N.C. elected by popular vote; first president of Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. His hom...
- D-36GEORGE DAVIS 1820-1896Served the Confederacy as a senator, 1862-64, & as the attorney general, 1864-65. His birthplace was three miles east.
- D-61JOHN N. MAFFITTCaptain of Confederate cruiser "Florida" and ironclad "Albemarle." With U.S. Coast Survey, 1842-1858. Blockade-runner. G...
- D-64JOHNSON JONES HOOPEREditor and humorist, creator of "Simon Suggs" and other characters of the Southern frontier. Born in this city, 1815.
- D-37JOHNSTON BLAKELEY 1781-1814Capt., U.S. Navy. After victories in War of 1812, he and his sloop Wasp were lost at sea. His home was 2 blocks W.
- D-56JUDAH P. BENJAMIN 1811-1884Confederate atty. gen., secretary of war & of state; first Jewish U.S. Senator, 1853 (La.). Boyhood home was here.
- D-38MARY BAKER GLOVER EDDYFounder of Christian Science Church. Spent part of 1844 at Hanover House, 2 blocks west.
- D-68NICHOLAS N. NIXON 1800-1868Planter. Developed peanut into profitable crop by scientific methods at his Porters Neck Plantation 2 miles east.
- D-69OAKDALE CEMETERYEst. in 1852. Includes graves of Confederate leaders, officers, and soldiers, & victims of yellow fever epidemic of 1862...
- D-87THOMAS ATKINSON 1807-1881Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of N.C., 1853-1881. Voice for church unity in postwar years. Interred in the church.
- D-39THOMAS F. PRICERoman Catholic priest, pioneer Home Missionary of N.C. Co-founder of "Maryknoll Fathers," a foreign mission society. Bir...
- D-19WASHINGTON'S SOUTHERN TOURPresident Washington was a guest Apr. 24-25, 1791, at the Quince home which stood 2 blocks W.
- D-20WILMINGTON AND WELDON RAILROADLongest railroad in the world when completed in 1840. Length 161 1/2 mi. Terminus was 4 blocks W.
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
- D-114ABRAHAM GALLOWAY 1837-1870Former slave. Freedom fighter; Union recruiter and spy; legislator. Led a delegation that met President Lincoln, 1864. L...
- D-27BATTLE OF FORKS ROADFought, Feb. 20-21, 1865, between U.S. Colored Troops and Confederates. Last engagement before the fall of Wilmington. E...
- D-60BEERY'S SHIPYARDMany Confederate naval vessels, including the ironclad "North Carolina," built here. Site lies across river on Eagles Is...
- D-71CAPE FEAR CLUBFounded in 1866; oldest men's social club in N.C. Guilford F. Dudley, first president. Building here in use since 1913.
- DDD-3CASSIDEY SHIPYARDConfederate shipyard and outfitting station which completed the ironclad steam sloop Raleigh in 1863. Site is three bloc...
- D-101FALL OF WILMINGTONUnion assault on Hoke's entrenched Confederates led to the city's fall on February 22, 1865. Earthworks were nearby.
- D-12FORT FISHERBuilt by Confederacy. Its fall, Jan. 15, 1865, closed Wilmington, last important southern port for blockade running.
- D-43JOHN A. WINSLOWCapt. U.S.S. "Kearsarge," which sank Confederate raider "Alabama," 1864, rear admiral U.S. Navy, 1870-1873. Birthplace w...
- D-113MODERN GREECEBlockade runner. Ran aground and sank 400 yds. E., June 1862. Its salvage 1962 led state to open an underwater archaeolo...
- D-99PRISONER EXCHANGEThousands of Civil War soldiers, including many held in the Confederate prison at Salisbury, were exchanged here, Feb. 2...
- D-57ROSE GREENHOWConfederate spy and Washington society woman. Drowned near Fort Fisher in 1864, while running Federal blockade. Grave 1 ...
- D-78ST. MARK'SConsecrated in 1875 as first Episcopal church for colored people in North Carolina. Served by Bishop Atkinson. Is locate...
- D-77ST. STEPHEN A.M.E. CHURCHCongregation formed in 1865. Present church constructed 1880 on land donated by Geo. Peabody. Located 2 blocks east.
- D-23STATE SALT WORKSThe state of North Carolina to relieve a wartime scarcity, operated salt works from here to Myrtle Grove Sound, 1861-64.
- D-44TEMPLE OF ISRAELErected 1875-6. First house of worship built in North Carolina by the Jews. Congregation established in 1867.
- D-111UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPSBlack soldiers & white officers in Union army, 1863-1865. About 500 involved in Wilmington campaign buried here.
- D-102W. H. C. WHITING 1824-1865Confederate major general and engineer. He devised the Cape Fear defense system. Wounded nearby in fall of fort. Died in...
- D-120WILLIAM B. GOULD 1837-1923Was enslaved Bellamy plasterer. Escaped 1862 and joined Union navy. Kept detailed war diary. Lived 2 blocks north.
- D-42WILLIAM W. LORINGMajor general in the Confederate Army, lieut. colonel in Mexican War, general in Egyptian Army, 1870-79. His birthplace ...
- D-75WILMINGTON MORNING STAREstablished Sept. 23, 1867. Oldest daily newspaper in continuous publication in North Carolina. First office was 18 bloc...
- D-31WOODROW WILSONPresident of the United States, 1913-1921. His home, 1874-1882, was the Presbyterian manse, which stood one block E.
The New South, 1878-1929
- D-103ALEX MANLY 1866-1944Edited black-owned Daily Record four blocks east. Mob burned his office, Nov. 10, 1898, leading to "race riot" & restric...
- D-115ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROADMajor rail line serving Southeast, 1900-67. Led by Wilmington’s C. M. Davis, 1942-57. Offices till 1960 were 3 blks. W.
- D-94BABIES HOSPITALPioneer pediatric hospital opened here in 1920 by Dr. J. Buren Sidbury. Also provided training of nurses. Closed 1978.
- D-40EDWIN A. ALDERMANCrusader for education. President, UNC, 1896-1900; Tulane, 1900-04; Virginia, 1904-31. This was his birthplace.
- D-47EDWIN A. ANDERSON 1860-1933Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. Awarded Medal of Honor for heroism at Vera Cruz, 1914. Commanded Asiatic Fleet. Lived 4 miles e...
- D-88GREGORY NORMAL INSTITUTESchool for blacks, 1868-1921. Founded by American Missionary Assoc. Named for benefactor James H. Gregory. Was 4 blocks ...
- D-50HENRY BACON 1866-1924Architect of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington and many other public structures. Home is here, grave, Oakdale Cemetery.
- D-122J. ALLEN KIRKAfrican American pastor, Central Baptist Church, 1897-1898, nearby. Was community leader. Wrote key eyewitness account o...
- D-95JAMES BENSON DUDLEYEducator. President of what is now N.C. A. & T. University, 1896-1925. His grave is 5 blocks N.
- D-83JAMES F. SHOBER 1853-18891st known black physician with an M.D. degree in N.C. Practiced 1878-89. Home and office stood one block north.
- D-41JAMES GIBBONSCardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, 1886-1921. Installed as vicar apostolic of North Carolina (1868-72) at St. Thomas...
- D-51JAMES SPRUNTAuthor of "Chronicles of the Cape Fear River" (1914), cotton merchant, philanthropist, British vice consul. His home sta...
- D-97LUMINABuilt, 1905. Destination for Wrightsville Beach trolley. Pavilion hosted entertainment & promoted electricity. Demolishe...
- D-84N.C. BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION LEAGUEOrganized on June 25, 1903, at Seashore Hotel nearby. First president was Samuel Wittkowsky.
- D-76NORTH CAROLINA SOROSISOldest Federated Women's Club in state; chartered 1896; organized in house 6 1/2 miles southwest.
- D-116PIONEER EAST COAST SURFINGEarly surfing activity organized on beaches near here in 1909 by B.H. Bridgers & others.
- D-108ROBERT R. TAYLOR 1868-1942Pioneer black architect. Taught, designed buildings at Tuskegee, 1893-1933. Housing projects bore his name. Lived 3 bloc...
- D-81THOMAS F. WOOD 1841-1892Organizer & Sec.-Treas. of State Board of Health, 1877-1892. Founded N.C. Medical Journal in 1878. Home was 1 block west...
- D-118WILMINGTON COUPArmed white mob met at armory here, Nov. 10, 1898. Marched six blocks and burned office of Daily Record, black-owned new...
Modern North Carolina, 1930 on
- D-98BROMINE EXTRACTIONEthyl-Dow plant, which operated here, 1934-1945, pioneered extraction of bromine from sea water. Element used in Ethyl, ...
- D-96NORTH CAROLINA SHIPBUILDING CO.Constructed 243 vessels at shipyard one mile west, 1941-1946. Its first Liberty Ship, the S.S. Zebulon B. Vance, launche...
- D-80UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT WILMINGTONEst. 1947 as Wilmington College. Moved here in 1961. A campus of The University of North Carolina since 1969.
- D-86USS NORTH CAROLINAWorld War II battleship. Launched, June 13, 1940. Served in Pacific, 1942-1945. Decommissioned, 1947. Berthed here, 1961...
Battlefields, sites and undated markers
- BattleFORT FISHER IMaj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved of command of the Army of the James and assigned to lead an amphibious expedition...
- BattleFORT FISHER IIAfter the failure of his December expedition against Fort Fisher, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. Ma...
- SiteFORT FISHER STATE HISTORIC SITECivil War, military history, naval history.
- D-124SEABREEZE AND FREEMAN BEACHES
- D-9WHISTLER'S MOTHERAnna McNeill Whistler, the mother of James Whistler, artist, was born in a house which stood one block east.
- D-45WILLIAM HOOPEROne of North Carolina's three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Home was here.