USA > North Carolina > New Hanover County > Wilmington > Hill's Wilmington (New Hanover County, N.C.) City Directory [1956] > Part 1
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
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THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY New Hanover County Public Library
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WILMINGTON CITY DIRECTORY
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HILL'S WILMINGTON (NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N. C.) CITY DIRECTORY 1956
Including Audubon, Devon Park, Edgewood, Foxtown, Garden City, Hanover Heights, Highwood Park, Idlewild, Long Leaf Hill, Oak Court, Oak Crest, Piney Woods and Winter Park.
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 and a Numerical Telephone Directory; also a
BUYERS' GUIDE
and a Complete
Classified Business Directory
FOR CONTENTS SEE INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX ON PAGE III
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Hill Directory Co., Inc., Publishers 2910 W. Clay St., P.O. Box 767, Richmond 6, Va.
DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT WILMINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WOODROW WILSON HUT 321 PRINCESS
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Copyright, 1956, by the Hill Directory Co., Inc.
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That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall know- ingly or wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceed- ing one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court.
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PUBLISHERS' NOTE
The information in this Directory is gathered by an actual canvass and is compiled in a way to insure maxi- mum accuracy.
The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the eor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the con- plete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsi-' bility 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.
Hill Directory Co., Inc., Publishers
2
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€971.65 W74h 17.56
INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX
HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., publishers of Southeastern Directories (pub- lishers of the Wilmington City Directory since 1897), present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1956 edition of the Wilmington City Directory, which also includes Audubon, Devon Park, Edgewood, Foxtown, Garden City, Hanover Heights, Highwood Park, Idlewild, Long Leaf Hill, Oak Court, Oak Crest, Piney Woods and Winter Park.
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 re- flecting 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 co- operation of the business and professional men and residents, the publishers feel that the result of their labor 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 community.
Five Major Departments (Each department beginning with Page 1)
The five major departments are arranged in the following order: --
1. THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is the first major department, printed on white paper. This is the only record in existence that shows the name, marital status, oc- cupation and address of each adult resident of Wilmington and vicinity, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation.
11. THE BUYERS' GUIDE, is the second major department, printed on goldenrod paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, busi- ness and professional interests of Wilmington and vicinity. 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.
Ill. THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is the third major depart- ment, printed on canary paper. This department lists the names of all busi- ness and professional concerns in alphabetical order under appropriate head- ings. 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.
IV. THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, is the fourth major department. In this sec- tion the numbered streets are arranged in numerical order, followed by the named streets in alphabetical order; the numbers of the residences and busi- ness concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the num - bers. The names of the intersecting streets appear at their respective cross- ing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the listing of telephone numbers.
GIFT, NEW HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
1 A
IV
INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX
V. THE NUMERICAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY, on blue paper, is the fifth major department.
Community Publicity
The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the community, 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 educational cen- ter. 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 and vicinity.
The Wilmington Directory Library
Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Wilmington City Directory, 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 more than 700 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.
The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recognition by those pro- gressive business and professional men who have demonstrated their confidence in the City Directory asanadvertising medium, with assurance that it will bring a commensurate return.
HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers.
2
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
PAGE NUMBERS BELOW REFER TO THE BUYERS' GUIDE SECTION, THE YELLOW PAGES
Page
Acme Electric Co
. Y and 41
Andrews Mortuary
front cover and 48
Atlantic Motors Inc
Auto Parts & Accessories Co
12
Baldwin James L
Ballard Machine and Fabricating
Bank of Wilmington The .
backbone and
Barnes Motor Co
right side lines and
Baugh Motor Co
right bottom lines and
Biltmore Dairy Farms
. left bottom lines and
Bob & Wayne Auto Sales
Bridger Insurance & Realty
left side lines and
Brown M B General Contractor left side lines and
Bryant Annie C Real Estate
Burney Russell T General Contractor .left side lines and
Caison Bros Laundry and Cleaners
Cannon Oil Co . left top lines and
Cape Fear Blue Printers
Cape Fear Electric Co
left side lines and
Cape Fear Motor Sales Ltd
left top lines and
Cape Fear Welding Co Inc
Carolina Business Services
right side lines and
Carolina Camera
right top lines and
Carolina Power & Light Co
. front cover and
Carolina Printing & Stamp Co
front cover, 19 and
Carroll J G & Son .
. front stencil and
Citizens Building & Loan Assn
. left side lines and
City Builders Supply Co Inc
City Upholstering Co
Coastal Cab Co .
Coastal Office Equipment right top lines, 73 and
Cross Seed Co Inc
right side lines and
D & E Car Exchange
Dempsey Transfer & Storage Co left si de lines and
Donnelly John N
East Coast Construction Co Inc
right bottom lines and
Electric Repair & Service Co Inc
Everett Howard H
right top lines and
Faircloth Oyster Roast
left side lines and
Farrar Transfer & Storage Warehouse
Fountain Bros Inc
right top lines, 46 and
left side lines and Furr JE .
Futrelle's Pharmacy
G I Surplus Store The
Godwin Oil Co . .left top lines and
Godwin's E W Sons
back cover, 21 and
Graves Electric Co . left side lines and
Grissom C C & Son .
Hamme Marine Railways Inc
and Hanover Iron Works .
Hargett Walter L Jr CLU right side lines and
Hayes R E
Hines Construction Co Inc
Hinson Oil Co .
Honnet 1867
Hotel Wilmington
Howes Davis H
Huggins Jewelers
Hughes Bros Inc
Hvman Supply Co
front cover, 54 and
63
55 69 14 10 5 37 3 59 34 84 36 65 46 20 42 68 6 95 26 23 79 76 88 28 20 20 94 93 74 89 10 71 26 34 38 70 35 85 71 94 47 40 52 47 67 42 7 91 86 59 36 29 44 64 53 60 64 12
Cape Fear Lumber Co
Carolina Savings & Loan Association
Efird's Department Store
right top lines and
4
VI
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Page
Ideal Plumbing Co
left top lines and 75
Jackson & Bell Co
left top lines, A and 77
Jacobi David Supply Co
right side lines and 93
Jewell & Strickland Auto Parts Co
Johnson Hooper
Key Motor Co
.right side lines and
Kingoff's
Lake Forest Garage
Larkin's Inc .
Livingston F E & Co
Mac's Auto Parts Co
Mathews Harry back cover and
Mayflower Grill
McGirt W A
McGrath & Co left top lines and
McIntire Motor Service
Merritt-Holland Gas Co
Merritt-Holland Welding Supplies Inc
right side lines and
Miller Building Corp
. top stencil and
Mobile Homes Inc .
left side lines and
Moore-Fonvielle Corporation
right top lines and
Moore-Fonvielle Realty Co .
front cover and
Moore's Insurance Agency Inc
front cover and
Moore's Plumbing & Heating Co
back cover, left side lines and
Motte Business College
Murray Transfer & Storage Co
Neon Sign Incorporated right side lines and
North Carolina State Ports Authority
Oleander Co The
left side lines and
Owen Dorothy Florist
Pennington Sporting Goods
Perry Albert F
right bottom lines and
Personal Letter Service
right side lines and
Pickard's
left top lines and
Piver E S & Son
right side lines and
Point Peter Concrete Inc
left bottom lines and
Quality Gas & Appliance Co
right side lines and
Raney Chevrolet Co Inc
right side lines and
Rehder Will Florist
Rhodes Henry ight side lines and
Rich Plan of Wilmington The
Riverside Estates
Robinson Alignment Service
Rockwool Insulating & Heating
C
Rogers Luther T Inc
S & G Concrete Co . left top lines and
Sears, Roebuck and Co
left top lines and
Selected Investments back cover, right side lines and
Shaw Paint & Wall Paper Co Inc
left top lines and
Simon James A Co
Smith Builders Supply Inc
Smith R S & Sons Floor Sanding & Finishing Co front cover and
Springer Coal & Oil Co back cover, right top lines, 25 and
Stanley J V Builder & Contractor . right bottom lines and
Starnes W E Lumber Co
Strange Robert Insurance Agency
Sunshine Laundry
right side lines and
Sunshine's Economy Laundry
right side lines and
Sutton Pontiac Co .
Taylor Walker Insurance bottom stencil and
Thompson's Barber Shop
Tinga Nursery left side lines and
Todd Furniture Co
right side lines and
Walker M C .
Ward & Associates
Ward Funeral Home
Weedon A H left bottom lines and
50 36
Weeks J M Office Outfitters left side lines and
Wells Harold W & Son right top lines and
White Ice Cream & Milk Co Inc
12 43 16 43 3 13 55 35 27 39 62 75 31 22 32 45 37 68 60 65 66 13 57 16 73 51 33 60
74 61 38
. left side lines and 13 84 8 64 11 24 85 left top lines and 11 81 85 60 72 9
51 95 30 70 2 82 56 96 23 72 92 C 85 43 92 59 66 93 87 26 51
2
VII
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Page
Willetts Realty Co Inc
left top lines and 84
Williams Cleaners & Shirt Laundry
right side lines and 40
Wilmington Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc
. left side lines and 18
Wilmington College
B
Wilmington Furniture Co The
left side lines and 50
Wilmington Gas Co front and back lip margins, 17 and 80
53
Wilmington Hotel
Wilmington Iron Works Inc right top lines and 69
Wilmington Nursery
73
Wilmington Printing Co
left bottom lines and
78
Wilmington Realty & Mortgage Co .right side lines and
83
Wilmington Savings & Trust Co The back cover, left top lines and 15
Wilmington Well and Pump Co right bottom lines
Wood T W & Sons .
90
Woodbury Louie E jr
backbone and
58
Yarborough Oil Co The
47
Yopp Funeral Home Inc
49
* *
E
VIII
DIRECTORY SYMBOLS AND DESIGNATIONS
HOUSEHOLOERS SECTION
O HOME OWNER
cast of OAKWOOD PL (North Brunswick Twp)- Fram Cleremont av south.
ALPHABETICAL SECTION
" Lincoln (Telegrapn-Cherry Hill Serv-
1
12 Daly John V 2
ice) 26244 Pennie (Dearborn Twp) Dykas John A (John's Barber Shop) (r' 9186 Steele (Det)
"r"- RESIDENT
AFriday Nicholas
Dyke Chas driver Dearborn Coach 1200 Inkster rd
"h" - HOUSEHOLDER
21 Chish John 2 22 Gronsky Steph 2 234Mandel Saml 3 26 Guimenary Michi 3
Glenridge av Intersecte
Sami jr (Maxine M) dent sunt Ford- h6453 Hartwell
WIFE'S NAME
Wm : (Helen) formn Ford h6244 Wil- liamson
OCCUPATION
TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBER
" John emp Ford h6811 Bingham
Dymmel Nebo H
(Vivian) drftsmn
Continental Motors h3434 Harding Dymock das fitaby
Meer
Ford h6143
TN ADDITION to names and addresses, your City Direc- M tory contains much detailed information concerning the people of your community. In order to list this information certain symbols and designations have been developed which enable important statistics to be compressed into the smallest possible space. You will receive far greater benefits from your City Directory if you familiarize yourself with the symbols and what they stand for.
In checking credit applications, in conducting direct mail advertising programs, in planning sales campaigns, in build- ing prospect lines, and in scores of other ways your City Directory will prove of invaluable assistance.
KNOW YOUR DIRECTORY SYMBOLS
OLD MILL LANE (North Brunswick Twp)
ski Danl prtn mkr Ford +6811 Bing- ham
-Costiouation of Mill la Winkler Allen J 2 Władyka Wm n'
Dyment Percy (Alice E) real est 15400 Warren av h7431 Maner
EMPLOYER
Jerome al
50'Vigilante Carmeio C 4
Perd Wm H 2 Condito Jos 3 Porfido Frank 1 4
14 DeMaria Pasquale 3
164 Sandstedt John W"
174Thomas Bernard G H &
Harry (Peggy) tool mkr Ford (h 413 Bingham
194Brown Harris W 2
WILMINGTON
THE LEADING PORT CITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
(Courtesy Wilmington Chamber of Commerce)
Statistical Review
Form of Government-Council-manager.
Population -- 1950 U. S. Census, 45, 043; estimate in 1954, 55, 000. Area-10. 4 square miles.
Altitude-30 feet above sea level.
Climate-Mean annual temperature, 63. 1 degrees F. ; average annual rain- fall, 53 inches. Nearness of Gulf Stream affords mild Southern climate, with 61 % sunshine during winter months of December, January and February.
Parks-13, with total of 220 acres.
Assessed Valuation-$68, 405, 577, with $2.00 per $100 tax rate, at 60 % valuation.
Bonded Debt-$6,038, 500.
Financial Data-4 banks, with total deposits of $146, 371, 810 (including 1 bank with branches in other cities). Clearings of banks in Wilmington only, $624, 253, 000 (1954).
Postal Receipts-$615, 731, 000 (calendar year 1954).
Telephones in Service -- 19, 100 (Oct. 31, 1954).
Churches-77, representing all leading denominations (Catholic, Protestant and Jewish).
Building Construction -1, 448 permits, with total value of $3, 000, 000, issued in fiscal year ended June 30, 1954.
Industry-107 manufacturers, employing about 10, 500 workers, with an ag- gregate annual payroll of $22, 000, 000 in 1954. Principal products manufactured in the Wilmington area are: Fertilizer, petroleum products, lumber and fin- ished wood products, cement products, neckties, foundry products, steel tanks and boilers, men's shirts, ladies' underwear, paper, paper boxes, asphalt pro- ducts, chemicals, ice cream and milk products, electric power and gas, bever - ages, cotton cloth and other textile products from the loom, printing and book- binding, and other miscellaneous products.
Tourist Trade-Aggregate spending of $30, 000, 000 because of famous flower gardens, annual Azalea Festival in March, 5 ocean beaches, annual Fishing Rodeo (April 1 through Nov. 30), and World's Largest Living Christmas Tree, through December, decorated with 5, 000 multi-colored lights and several tons of Spanish moss (free to public).
Trade Area -Wilmington and New Hanover County, 1954 retail sales $70, - 000, 000; (30 mile radius of Wilmington, retail sales $91, 000, 000 and wholesale sales, $80, 000, 000).
Newspapers-2 dailies, 1 Sunday and 1 weekly.
Hotels-3, with total of 450 rooms, within city. Also, several modern tourist courts and tourist homes with total of about 300 rooms. Scores of other year - around hotels and cottages at nearby ocean beaches.
Railroads-Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line.
Highways-U.S. 17, 74, 76, 117 and 421.
X
INTRODUCTION
.....
Photograph by Hugh Morton Aerial view of Wilmington, N. C., showing modern drawbridge spanning beautiful Cape Fear River, adjacent to the historic port resort city.
Airport-Bluethenthal (Wilmington-New Hanover) Municipal Airport, with two 7, 000-foot runways, one 10, 000-foot runway, and the very latest ILS equip- ment, is one of the most modern on the East Coast.
Air Lines-National Air Lines and Piedmont Air Lines; passengers and freight on regular daily scheduled flights toand from all parts of the U. S., with overseas connections.
Amusements-9 moving-picture theatres including 5 drive-in theatres, with total seating and automobile capacity of 16, 000 patrons. 2 golf courses (18 holes each). 5 ocean beaches and nearby lakes, with excellent fishing, swimming, boating, etc.
Hospitals-4, with total of 525 beds.
Physicians and Surgeons-60; dentists, 25; chiropractors, 5; chiropodists, 2.
Education-21 public schools, including 2 senior high, 5 junior high, 1 voca- tional school and Wilmington College. Number of pupils in public schools of New Hanover County, 16, 500, Also, 2 parochial schools.
Radio Stations-2. WMFD (ABC Network) operates on 1, 000 watts AM and transmits on 630 kc., serving radius of about 75 miles, WGNI (Mutual Network) operates on 250 watts AM and transmits on 1, 340 kc. over radius of 50 miles.
Television Station-1, WMFD-TV, Channel 6 (ABC, NBC and DuMont Net- works) operates on 30, 000 watts video, 16, 000 watts audio, over radius of 80 miles.
City Statistics -- Total street mileage, 114; with 92 miles paved. Miles of gas mains, 88; sewer mileage, 90, Number of electric meters, 24, 138. Capa- city of municipal water works. 10 000, 000 gallons; miles of mains, 102; number
XI
INTRODUCTION
of meters 10, 856; value of plant and distribution system, $4, 967, 500. Fire de- partment has 90 men with six stations and 15 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department buildings and equipment, $400, 000. Police department has 81 officers, with 1 station and 17 pieces of motor equipment. Police cars are equipped with latest FM radio, having car-to-car and car-to-station facilities.
Location
Wilmington, county seat of New Hanover County, is situated in the south- eastern 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 di - rection. 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 30 miles.
Swimming and Beaches
Excellent swimming facilities are available at ten popular ocean beach re - sorts in the immediate vicinity of Wilmington and at nearby sounds. Beach re- sorts include Carolina, Wrightsville, Fort Fisher, Kure's, Wilmington, 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. The annual Fishing Rodeo, April 1 through Nov. 30, sponsored by the Southeastern North Carolina Beach Association, of - fers cash and equipment prizes. 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.
Camp Le Jeune and Fort Bragg
Camp Le Jeune, a permanent U. S. Marine Corps training base, 50 miles northeast of Wilmington, is considered a local enterprise, for Wilmington serves thousands of enlisted and officer personnel from a week-end recreational and trading center. Thousands of soldiers from Fort Bragg, near Fayetteville, also spend week-ends in Wilmington and at nearby beaches.
Gardens
Nature-lovers thrill to the springtime beauty of the azalea and camellia gar - dens at Orton and Airlie plantations, and the colorful plants and moss-covered cypress at Greenfield Lake Gardens in the heart of Wilmington. All three are open the year round. Annual tours of outstanding gardens are conducted by the Garden Club. Private estates are visited by special arrangement. The annual Azalea Festival is held annually late in March of early in April.
Landmarks and Historic Ruins
Settled in 1730, Wilmington has many famous historical buildings and land- marks, including British General Cornwallis' Revolutionary War Headquarters; 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, within its city limits, increased rapidly between 1940, when it was 33, 407, and 1950, when it was 45, 043. Present population of New Hanover County is estimated at 70, 000, and that of Wilmington is es- timated at 55, 000.
Industry, Transportation, Trade, Agriculture
The economic life of the Wilmington area within the last few years has been undergoing a material change. This change has been due chiefly to the enlarging
-
XII
INTRODUCTION
of existing manufacturing plants and the erection of new ones in the immediate territory. Wilmington has become justly famous for the handling and conversion of timber, petroleum, asphalt and fertilizer products; the fabrication of marine boilers, and the manufacture of hosiery, shirts, plush, velour, and paper products.
A recent factor that will add to the industrial life of this area is the new steam generating plant of the Carolina Power & Light Co. now undergoing con- struction near the city. This new plant not only will assure more electric power than at present is needed for Wilmington, but likewise will make for expansion in other areas of southeastern North Carolina. Plans of the company call for four units eventually, with present construction making possible two additional units. The first two generating units will develop 300, 000 horsepower. These two units alone will make available large quantities of power for industrial use for concerns interested in the Wilmington area thatmight wish to employ elec- tric furnaced and electrical-chemical processes.
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