USA > North Carolina > New Hanover County > Wilmington > Hill's Wilmington (New Hanover County, N.C.) City Directory [1947] > Part 1
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SECURITY NATIONAL BANK
Member Federal Reserve System - Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FRONT AND CHESTNUT
PHONE 4491
MOORE-FONVIELLE REALTY CO.
SALES -- RENTALS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUILDERS
201 Princess St.
Phone 4438
The FOUR Million "Dollar
Carolina Building and Loan Association
201 Princess Street-Phone 4438
Invest Safely - Borrow Economically FIRST MORTGAGE SECURITY
ALBERT F. PERRY
Insurance Bonds
230 Princess St.
Phone 4403
FOSTER-HILL REALTY CO. INSURANCE - REAL ESTATE
HANOVER IRON WORKS
109 N WATER ST.
WINTER AIR CONDITIONING ROOFING -- SHEET METAL
PHONE 2-3257
HYMAN SUPPLY CO. Machine
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WILMINGTON CITY DIRECTORY
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Wilmington, N. C.
HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S
HILL'S WILMINGTON (NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N. C.)
CITY DIRECTORY
Vol. 1947 XXVIII
Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Pri- vate Citizens, a Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide; also a
BUYERS' GUIDE
and a Complete
Classified Business Directory
FOR DETAILED CONTENTS SEE GENERAL INDEX
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Copyright. 1947, by Hill Directory Co., Inc.
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PUBLISHERS NOTE
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The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the cor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the complete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsibility for same can be or is assumed.
The publishers earnestly request the bringing to their attention of any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next edition of the directory.
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GENERAL INDEX
Page
Abbreviations 32 and 33
Alphabetical Directory
33
Apartment Buildings 466
Banks and Trust Companies 468
Buildings-Office and Public 471
Bus and Coach Lines-Motor 472
Buyers' Guide opposite
352
Cemeteries
472
Chamber of Commerce
337
Churches
473
City Government 337
Classified Business Directory 465
Clergymen 474
Clubs
475
Consuls-Foreign
476
Convents
477
County Government
233
Fire Department
338
Fraternity Houses
481
Golf Clubs and Courses
483
Halls
485
Homes and Asylums 486
Hospitals and Dispensaries 486
Hotels
486
490
Newspapers
493
Organizations
494
Parks and Playgrounds
496
Police Department
338
Railroads 499
Schools-Parochial
502
Schools-Public
502
State Government
238
Street and Avenue Guide and Directory of Householders . following Classified
United States Officials
315
United States Post Office
315
401704
Libraries
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Page Numbers Below Refer to The Buyers' Guide Section
Page
Albert's Credit Jewelers. 64
Anderson's 107
Andrews Mortuary .... right top lines and 44
Art Sign Co.
106
Atlantic Finance Co ... left side lines and 73
Atlantic Motor Co. .
9
Atlantic Paint & Varnish Works. 87 Auto Parts and Accessory Co. 9 Baldwin James L. 54
Bank of Wilmington.
. backbone, right top lines and Barker's Truck Sales & Service ..
.left side lines and
Barnes Motor Co.
Barnhardt's Dry Cleaners. 35
Batson Motor Co.
9
Baugh Motor Co .... left side lines, B and
4
Baxley Co.
.right side lines and
A
Becker Builders Supply Co. X
Belk-Williams Co Inc.
.left top lines, 34 and 69
Berger's Department Store.
34
99
Blake Bros ........ right top lines, 92 and Boone Diaper Service. 72
Broadfoot Iron Works. 76
Broome Wood Products Inc.
Brothers M L & Son .right bottom lines and 79 41
Brunswick Hotel. 52
Business Engineering Service.
Caiscn Bros Laundry & Dry Cleaners
Cape Fear Blue Printers. .right bottom lines and
Cape Fear Electrical Contractors
53
Cape Fear Lumber Co ...
Cape Fear Motor Sales Inc. 9
Cape Fear Welding & Fabricating Shop .right side lines and 110
Carney H Gaston. 57 Carolina Building & Loan Assn.
Carolina Insurance Co of Wilmington
N C.
front cover and
23
Jackson J W Beverage Co ..
left bottom lines and
18
57
Jacobi David Supply Co.
right side lines and 108
Carolina Millwork Co .. left side lines and '79
Carolina Printing & Stamp Co.
90
Jacobi Hardware Co Inc.
right top lines and
49
Causey's Automobile Service
.right bottom lines and
15
Chestnut Mctor Service. 12
Citizens' Building & Loan Assn. 25 City Builders Supply Co. .left top lines, Y and City-Dixie Laundry & Dry Cleaners. . . . right side lines and City Optical Co .. backbone and 70 86
City Upholstering Co .. 110
5
Coastal & Victory Cab Co. .left top lines and 108
Colonial Appliance Co.
52
Cooper Lenox G.
58
Lyons Geo W.
Co-operative Building & Loan Assn.
Cross Seed Cc.
left top lines and
24
right side lines and 103 Cumber-Moore Co .. 89 Dickson James G & Son. 62 Mathews EL .. right bottom lines and 60
Dixie Cafe & Grill .. 100
Dixon's David Service Co 92 Donnelly John N. 31 Eaton Jewelers Inc.
Edwards W M & Son. .left bettom lines and 65 Efird's Department Store .
48
left top lines and 34 Electric Maintenance Co .. back cover and 39 Electric Repair & Service Co Inc ... 40 Farrar Transfer & Storage Warehouse ..
Finance Incorporated.
right side lines and
Z
.left side lines, 12 and 62
Firestone Stores
3
Foster-Hill Realty
.front cover, 58 and
95
Fountain Oil Co.
left bottom lines, 42 and
84
Fox's Royal Bakery .... left side lines and
13
Freeman Shoe Co.
105
Friendly Cafeteria
100
Ganstier Howard P.
64
Gardner Transfer & Storage Co. 109
14
Godwin Oil Co ..
left top lines and
Gillette-Miller Inc. 29 84 74 Graham Appliance Co. Godwin's E W Sons. back cover and 52 Gregg Bros. .left side lines and 48
Gregory Radio Co.
right bottom lines and
91
Hanover Auto Finance Corp.
.left bottom lines and
12
Hanover Iron Works ...
.front cover and 102
Hanover Hardware Co.
49
Harrell-Coble Funeral Service.
front stencil and
45
46
Harrill Furniture Store
80
Harrill Music Store ... right side lines and Hewlett Insurance Agency . 62 30
Hinnant John B Co.
Hinton Insurance & Realty Co.
Hotel Cape Fear
left top lines and
25
Hotel Wilmington
Howes Davis H.
Huggins Jewelers . back cover and 66 6
Hughes Bros
Hummell Leslie R.
.right bottom lines and 59 78 Ideal Laundry & Dry Cleaners. 70 Ideal Plumbing Co ..... left side lines and 88 Independent Ice Co The ... left top lines and 53
Jackson & Bell Co ..
left top lines and
C
Joe's Market.
47
Johnson's Trimming Shop. 10 110 68
L SO Auto Store.
10
Lake Forest Food Center
48
Lane's Drug Stores ..
35
Latimer H G & Son Inc.
.right top lines and 59
Lewis' Hardware Co.
50
Livingston F E & Co. . right top lines and
97
Lucas R C & Son.
right bottom lines and
88
63
13
6
M & J Finance Corp.
MacMillan Buick Co ... left side lines and MacRae Hugh & Co Inc .. .left bottom lines and 97
Mayflower Grill. 101 McEachern Bros Nash Motors.
left bottom lines and
7
McGirt Win A.
right side lines and
60
McGrath & Co ..
.left side lines and
81
McIver Builders Supply Inc.
right side lines and
20
McKee Ice & Coal Co
right side lines, 29 and
53
Miller & Shepard Garage
10
Modern Laundry & Dry Cleaners.
71
Moore-Fonvielle Realty Co
front cover and
96
Moore's Body Works.
11
Moore's Insurance Agency Inc
63
Jewel Box Inc The 67
Jenes Transfer & Storage Co ...
Kingoff's ..
right top lines and
22
Coastal Motors Inc .... left side lines and Ccastal Service Station. 10
69
18
left side lines and
75
Hyman Supply Co .. .
.front cover and
left side lines and
94
51
50
62
2
4
Page
9
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Page
Motor Truck Sales & Service
7
Neuwirth Bros
11
Newton's Cleaners ..... left top lines and 36 Stein Lewis J. 26 106 Noble Ken Ltd ..... left bottom lines and 2 Su-Ann Shoe Store .. 71
Norris' News Stand .... left side lines and North-Smith Coal Co .... back cover and 27 36 Talman Geo W .. Sutton Pontiac Co .right side lines and 22
Odorless Dry Cleaners.
Office Supplies Inc. .right bottom lines and 82 40
Orkin Exterminating Co.
Orrell Bros 99
Orrell Realty Co. 99
Owen Dorothy 41
P & M Distributing Co Inc. 72
Parmele C B & Co.
63
Pender Furniture Co.
Penney J C Co Inc. right top lines and 46 35
Pecple's Building & Loan Association 24
Peoples Savings Bank & Trust Co.
Perry Albert F
... front cover, right bottom lines and 55
Pickard's.
left side lines and 106
Piver E S & Son. 104
Point Peter Concrete Co. 22
Polk's Bankers Encyclopedia 348
Radio Station WGNI.
right side lines and 94
Raney Chevrolet Co Inc. 8
Reed's Jewelers Inc. 69
Rehder Will Florist 42
Rex Grill & Restaurant 101
Rogers Luther T Inc. 29
Roosevelt Gardens Tourist Cabins 109
Rose Ice & Ccal Co .. back cover, 28 and
54
Royal Crown Bottling Co. 19
SRS Distributors. 92
25
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
.right side lines and 33 16 43
Security National Bank .. front cover and Service Fuel Oil Co .... left side lines and Sewell's Cleaners.
36
Shaw Paint & Wall Paper Co Inc ...
Shell Safti Service Co. .right bottom lines and 87 11
Shoemakers .. left bottom lines and Simon W A Co.
83 31
Smith Builders Supply Inc.
21 and
75
Smith's Shce Repair.
right side lines and 105
Sneeden's Z A Sons .. 31 Snow White Laundry & Cleaners. . 37 and 72 Southern Butane Gas Corp. 47 Southland Manufacturing Co Inc. 105 Spivey Corp. . . ... .left bottom lines and 100 Sport Center ...... right bottom lines and 107 Springer Ccal & Oil Co. 28 Stanley W E (Bill) 63
Page Stanley's Jewelers .... . left side lines and 64 State Distributing Co Inc .. 72
81 Sunshine Laundry. . left bottom lines and Sutton-Council Furniture Co Inc.
B 11
Tankard Coley O 18
Taylor Julien K.
26
Taylor Walker .. . bottom stencil and 56
Terminal City Oil Co.
. right side lines and 85
Tide Water Power Co .. right side lines and 38
Todd Furniture Co.
46
Toler Millwork 80
Truck Tractor Sales Co Inc.
left bottom lines and 8
WMFD Radio Broadcasting Station ... top stencil and 93
Wade Realty Co.
Wahl's
Ward Funeral Home ..
Watters Snipes Realty Co Inc ..
Wells Harold W & Son. 61
Westbrook Lena F Mrs.
White Ice Cream & Milk Co Inc
right and left top lines and 32
Willetts Realty Co .... . left top lines and 98
Williams Dry Cleaners. 37 Wilmington Beverage Co Inc.
right top lines and 19 26
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
Wilmington Cold Storage Co
Wilmington Finance Co.
Wilmington Furniture & Storage Corp .. . Wilmington Iron Works.
Wilmington Mill Works. 80
Wilmington Paint & Hardware Co. 50 Wilmington Plumbing & Heating Cc. .right bottom lines and 89
Wilmington Printing Co right bottom lines and 91 Wilmington Savings & Trust Cc The .... .. back cover, left top lines and 17 Wilmington Star-News. . right top lines and 82 Wilmington Well & Pump Co ... .right bottom lines and 111
Wocd T W & Sons. 103 Woodbury Louie E Jr. .left bottom lines and 61 Yarborough Exterminating Co. . Yarborough Oil Co. 44 .left bottom lines and 41 Yellow Cab Co .. left side lines and 109 Yopp Funeral Home. Street Divider
42
Wilmington Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc .. left side lines and 20 29 73 47 77
Safeway Transit Co.
15
99 35 44 98
INTRODUCTION
HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., publishers of Southeastern Directories, present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1947 edition of the Wilmington City Directory.
Confidence in the growth of Wilmington's industry, population and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be maintained as sections of this Directory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly reflecting Wilmington to the world.
The enviable position occupied by HILL'S Directories in the estimation of the public, has been established by rendering the best in Directory service. With an unrivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty cooperation of the business and professional men and residents, the publishers feel that the result of their labors will meet with the approval of every user, and that the Wilmington Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the city.
Four Major Departments
The four major departments are arranged in the following order :-
THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is included in pages 33 to 347, on white paper. This is the only record in existence that aims to show the name, marital status, occupation and address of each adult resident of Wilmington, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation in the city.
THE BUYERS' GUIDE, preceding the Classified and separately paged from 1 to 112, on goldenrod paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, business and professional interests of Wilmington. The advertisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the business represented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of supply. In a progressive community like Wilmington, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General appreciation' of this fact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.
THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is included in pages 465 to 506, on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns in alphabetical order under appropriate headings. This feature constitutes an invaluable and indispensable catalog of the numerous interests of the community. The Directory is the common inter- mediary between buyer and seller. As such it plays an important part in the daily activities of the commercial and professional world. More buyers and sellers meet through the Classified Business Directory than through any other medium.
THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, follows the Classified and is separately paged from 1 to 74. In this section the named streets are arranged in alphabetical order, followed by the numbered streets in numerical order: the numbers of the residences and business concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the numbers. The names of the intersecting streets appear at their respective crossing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the designation of homes and places of business having telephones.
Community Publicity
The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the city, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a business location, as a port, as a manufacturing site and as an educa- tional center. To broadcast this information, the publishers have placed copies of this issue of the Directory in Directory Libraries, where they are readily available for free public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Wilmington.
-
11
INTRODUCTION
The Wilmington Directory Library
Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Wilmington City Direc- tory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of 600 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Pub- lishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.
The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recognition by those progressive business and professional men who have demonstrated their confidence in the City Directory as an advertising medium, with assurance that it will bring a commensurate return.
HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers.
CITY DIRECTORY ADVERTISING IS National ADVERTISING
Each edition of your City Directory is widely distributed to free-reference City Directory Libraries located at the Chambers of Commerce of hundreds of other cities.
Therefore your ad in the City Directory is seen by buyers from coast-to-coast
15
WILMINGTON
THE LEADING PORT CITY OF NORTH CAROLINA (Courtesy Wilmington Chamber of Commerce)
Statistical Review
Population-47,483 (U. S. Census Bureau report, 1946).
Area-10.4 square miles.
Altitude-30 feet above sea level.
Climate-Mean annual temperature, 63 degrees F .; average annual rainfall, 53 inches. Nearness to Gulf Stream affords mild Southern climate, with 61% sunshine during winter months.
Parks-6, with total of 298 acres, valued at $100,000.
Assessed Valuation-$53,069,195, with $1.35 per $100 tax rate (1947).
Bonded Debt-$3,665,500 (Dec. 31, 1946).
Financial Data-1 bank and 3 trust companies, with total deposits of $96,706,248.37 (including 1 bank with branches in other cities). Clearings of banks in Wilmington only, $396,998,610.72 (1946).
Postal Receipts-$397,231.41 (calendar year 1946).
Telephones in Service-12,000.
Churches-70, representing all leading denominations.
Building and Construction-1,125 permits, with total value of $1,910,- 728.50, issued in fiscal year ended June 30, 1946.
Industry-126 manufacturers employing about 8,000 workers, with an aggregate annual payroll of $10,000,000 plus, exclusive of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Principal manufactured products: Fertilizer, petroleum and petroleum products, creosoted lumber and other lumber products, chemicals, cotton goods, machinery, hosiery, neckties, and miscellaneous products.
Trade Area-Retail area extends 75 miles inland, with population of 275,000; wholesale area extends 150 miles inland, with population of 385,000.
Newspapers-4 dailies, 1 Sunday and 1 weekly.
Hotels-4, with total of 450 rooms. Several other year-around hotels at nearby ocean beaches.
Railroads-2: Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line.
Highways-U. S. 17, 74, 76, 117 and 421. !
Airports-3: Bluethenthal (Wilmington-New Hanover) Municipal Air- port, with three 7,000-foot runways; 2 private fields.
Air Lines-National Air Lines and Southeast Air Lines. Others ex- pected to make Wilmington on scheduled flights.
'Amusements-7 moving-picture theatres, with total seating capacity of 7,100. Professional baseball team in the Tobacco League. 2 golf courses. Excellent fishing, boating, swimming, etc., in nearby lakes and at the several ocean beaches.
Hospitals-4, with total of 500 beds.
Education-10 public schools, including 2 senior high. 2 parochial schools. Number of pupils in public schools of New Hanover County, 13,824.
Radio Stations-WMFD, Wilmington, serves an area of 50 to 75 miles. It operates on 250 watts, and transmits on 1,400 kilocycles. WGNI, Wilming- ton, serves an area of 50 to 75 miles, operates on 250 watts, unlimited, and transmits on 1,340 kilocycles.
City Statistics-Total street mileage, 85, with 55 miles paved. Miles of gas mains, 83.91; sewers, 70. Capacity of water works, 8,000,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 5,000,000 gallons; miles of mains, 71; number of meters, 9,600; value of plant, $2,264,000. Fire department has 76 men, with 6 stations and 15 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department property, $192,000. Police department has 70 men, with 1 station and 13 pieces of motor equipment. Police cars are equipped with latest F.M. radio, having car-to-car and car-to-station facilities.
13
INTRODUCTION
Location
Wilmington, county seat of New Hanover County, is situated in the southeastern part of North Carolina, on the east bank of the Cape Fear River, about thirty miles from the Atlantic Ocean. This distance from the ocean is due to the fact that the Cape Fear River flows from Wilmington in a southeasterly direction. The distance from Wilmington to the ocean, via highway, is only twelve miles. Wilmington is approximately 200 miles from Charlotte, 135 miles from Raleigh, 190 miles from Charleston, S. C., and 265 miles from Norfolk. It is the principal deep-water port in North Carolina, with a 32-foot channel from ocean bar to Wilmington, distance of 32 miles.
Swimming and Beaches
Excellent swimming facilities are available at ten popular ocean beach resorts in the immediate vicinity of Wilmington and at nearby sounds. Beach resorts include Carolina, Wrightsville, Fort Fisher, Kure's, Wilming- ton, Long, Caswell and Holden's beaches,
Fishing
Fishing is enhanced by the activities of the New Hanover Fishing Club, largest organization of its kind in America, with the annual Fall Fishing
Aerial view of Wilmington, showing shipyard and other industrial plants in foreground; city and airport in background
14
INTRODUCTION
Rodeo, which offers large cash purses. The proximity of the Gulf Stream and availability of fishing-party boats make deep-sea fishing a popular sport. Waltonites have a choice of casting from pier, boat, strand or sound.
Post-War Years
During the war Wilmington was transformed from a staid city into one of the busiest and most important war-work centers in the entire Southern States. The end of the war left Wilmington at the crossroads. Through efforts of the many progressive business leaders, Wilmington is fast be- coming one of the leading industrial and distribution centers in the post- war era. Many new peace-time manufacturing plants have located in this port city area.
Camp Davis
Camp Davis, at Holly Ridge, 29 miles northeast of Wilmington, was established by the U. S. Government in the spring of 1941, with formal opening in May. Here the Government assembled thousands of trainees and officers. Wilmington is the nearest city of any size to Camp Davis, Which fact practically makes the Government reservation a local enter- prise. In March, 1946, the Navy took over Camp Davis, to be used as a permanent proving ground of Naval Ordnance. Camp LeJeune, a per- manent U. S. Marine Corps training base, 50 miles northeast of Wilmington, also is considered a local enterprise, for Wilmington serves thousands of enlisted and officer personnel from a week-end recreational and trading center.
Gardens
Nature-lovers thrill to the springtime beauty of the azalea and camellia gardens at Orton and Airlie plantations, and the colorful plants and moss- covered cypress at Greenfield Lake Gardens in the heart of Wilmington. Annual tours of outstanding gardens are conducted by the Garden Club. Private estates are visited by special arrangement.
Landmarks and Historic Ruins
Settled in 1730, Wilmington has many famous historical buildings and landmarks, including British General Cornwallis' Revolutionary War Head- quarters; several of the oldest churches in America; the church where Woodrow Wilson worshipped as a youth; the birthplace of Whistler's mother; historic Fort Fisher; Orton Mansion, built in 1725; and Colonial church ruins.
Population Increase
Wilmington's population increased rapidly between 1940 and 1945. The U. S. Census of 1940 showed 33,407 within the city limits, while the 1945 estimate (ration books) showed 55,620. In 1940, the New Hanover County population was 47,935; in 1945, it was estimated at 80,000, based on ration board figures. The county population reached over 100,000 during 1942-43. The 1946 official U. S. Census population of Wilmington was 47,483. Present population of New Hanover County is estimated at 78,000.
Building and Development
To house all these new residents, 1942 saw the addition of 7,800 or more new dwelling units. Of these, approximately 6,500 were provided by the U. S. Government. The additional houses were provided by private agencies, and there was a continuing volume of building. This new housing now offers a fine incentive for post-war industrial expansion.
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