Hill's Wilmington (New Hanover County, N.C.) City Directory [1961], Part 1

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1961
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 896


USA > North Carolina > New Hanover County > Wilmington > Hill's Wilmington (New Hanover County, N.C.) City Directory [1961] > Part 1


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ALBERT F. PERRY 230 PRINCESS ST.


HO TEL. 763-7318


MOORE-FONVIELLE REALTY CO.


SALES -- RENTALS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUILDERS


108 N 2d St.


(SEE YELLOW PAGE 120) Phone 762-4438


OVER 18 MILLION DOLLARS Carolina Savings and Loan Association


INVEST SAFELY - BORROW ECONOMICALLY FIRST MORTGAGE SECURITY


MAIN OFFICE


202 N. 3d STREET


PHONE 762-8536


HANOVER SHOPPING CENTER BRANCH


3505 OLEANDER DRIVE PHONE 763-7075


(SEE YELLOW PAGES 25 and 133)


HELPING TO BUILD


PHONE 762-24411


a Finer Carolina


CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY


MOORE'S INSURANCE AGENCY ING.


YOUR JusBroke


Chpcndret AGENT


.414


CHARLES J. BLAKE, Manager COMPLETE INSURANCE PROTECTION


Standard protection


Fire Marine


New Home Owners Peliay Bonds


Automobile Casualty Dial 762-8588


205 Princess St.


(SEE YELLOW PAGE 80)


WILMINGTON COLLEGE A FULLY ACCREDITED COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON HWY. 132 BET. HWY, 17 (Market St.) and OLEANDER DRIVE


TEL. 782-8440 880 102-61185


MRS. ADA H. KASSENS LAWRENCE S. EVERETT, JR.


OWNERS


INSURANCE BUILDING 126 PRINCESS WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA


Selected Investments


P.O. BOX 1411


TELEPHONE 162-6221


(SEE YELLOW PAGE 89)


HYMAN SUPPLY CO. ٠٠ جهد ٣٧


MACHINERY and MILL SUPPLIES -+ --- --


THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA


1


THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY Greensboro Chamber of Commerce


C971.65 W74h 1961


C. L REAVER


PHONE 102-1625


REAVIS CONSTRUCTION CO. GENERAL CONTRACTORS -+- QUALITY BUILDERS


N. C. LICENSE 3228 (SEE YELLOW PAGE 46)


5220 OLEANDER DRIVE


This book must not be taken from the Library building.


C


HINES Construction Co., Inc.


General Contractors


Since 1912


COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL


PUBLIC BUILDING


Registration No. 1584


WILMINGTON OFFICE 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE ON MASONBORO LOOP ROAD TEL. 762-8187 P.O. BOX 3547 WILMINGTON, N. C.


HILL'S WILMINGTON (NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N. C.)


CITY DIRECTORY 1961


Including Audubon, Devon Park, Edgewood, Foxtown, Garden City, Hanover Heights, Highwood Park, Idlewild, Long Leaf Hills, Oak Court, Oak Crest, Piney Woods and Winter Park.


Containing an Alphobeticol Directary of Business Concerns ond Privote Citizens, o Directary of Hausehalders, Occupants af Office Buildings ond Other Business Ploces, Including a Camplete Street and Avenue Guide, a Numeri- cal Telephone Directory and Much Informa- tion af a Miscellaneous Charocter; alsa the


YELLOW PAGES


With a Special ADVERTISING SECTION and a Complete CLASSIFIED LIST


FOR CONTENTS SEE INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


ASSOCIATION


RULICO


NORTH AMERICAN


PRICE


1898


$40.00


IZED


DIRECTORY


PUBLISHERS


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


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1961, by Hill Directary Ca., Inc.


Excerpt from Section 104, Title 17 United States Code Annotated


WILLFUL INFRINGEMENT FOR PROFIT .-- Any persan wha will- fully and for profit shall infringe any capyright secured by this title, ar wha shall knawingly and willfully aid ar abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanar, and upan canviction thereaf shall be punished by imprisonment for nat exceeding ane year ar by a fine af nat less than $ 100 nar more than $1,000, ar bath, in the dis- cretian af the caurt.


ASSOCIATION OF


Borro


PUBLICO


NORTHIAMERI


OPER


1898


NIZEO


DIRECTORY


PUBLISHERS


-2


PUBLISHERS NOTE


The information in this Directary is gathered by an actual canvass and is campiled in a way ta insure maximum accuracy.


The publishers cannat and da nat guarantee the carrectness af all information furnished them nor the complete absence af errars ar amissians, hence no responsibility for same can be ar is assumed.


The publishers earnestly request the bringing ta their attentian af any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next editian af the directary.


R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers


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 1961 edition of the Wilmington City Directory, which also includes Audubon, Devon Park, Edgewood, Foxtown, Garden City, Hanover Heights, Highwood Park, Idlewild, Long Leaf Hills, Long Leaf Homes, Oak Court, Oak Crest, Piney Woods and Winter Park. The inclusion of Long Leaf Homes is new.


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 co- operation 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 au- thentic information pertaining to the community.


Four Major Departments


The four major departments are arranged in the following order :-


I. THE YELLOW PAGES constitute the first major department of the Di- rectory. This embraces a complete list of the names and addresses of the business and professional concerns of the city and vicinity, arranged in alpha - betical order under appropriate headings-a catalog of all the activities of the city and vicinity. Preceding this catalog, likewise grouped under appropriate headings, are the advertisements and business cards of firms and individuals desiring to present a more complete list of their products or services than is possible in the catalog itself. The Yellow Pages represent reference advertis- ing at its best, and merit the attention of all buyers and sellers seeking sources of supply or markets for goods. In a progressive community like Wilmington, the necessity of having this kind of information up-to-date and always im- mediately available, is obvious. The Directory is the common intermediary between buyer and seller, and plays an important role in the daily activities of the commercial, industrial and professional world.


II. THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is the second major department, printed 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, Audubon, Devon Park, Edgewood, Foxtown, Garden City, Hanover Heights, Highwood Park, Idle- wild, Long Leaf Hills, Long Leaf Homes, Oak Court, Oak Crest, Piney Woods and Winter Park.and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation in the community. The inclusion of Long Leaf Homes is new with this edition.


III. THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, is the third major department, printed on green paper. In this section the numbered streets are arranged in numerical order, followed by the named streets in alphabetical 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 desig- nation of tenant-owned homes and the listing of telephone numbers.


IV. THE NUMERICAL TELEPHONE D'RECTORY, on blue paper, is the fourth major department.


Community Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the community,


1509bh


ly


INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


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 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 ad- vertisements of Wilmington and vicinity.


The Wilmington Out-of-Town City 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 as an advertising medium, with assurance that it will bring a commensurate return.


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc. Publishers


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


PAGE NUMBERS LISTED BELOW REFER TO THE YELLOW PAGES


Page


Acme Electric Co


right side lines and


63


Adkins C H .


. left side lines, X and 37


Allender's Cushman Service


left side lines and 97


Atlantic Glass Co .


Atlantic Motors Inc


right top lines and


Auto Parts & Accessories Co


Baldwin-Des Champs Agency Inc right side lines and


16 86


Ballard Machine & Fabricating Co Inc right side lines and 93


Bank of Wilmington The


Barnes Motor Co .


Biddle R J Plumbing Co .


Blake A B Electrical Contractors Inc


Bostic Radio & Television Service


right side lines and


Bryant Real Estate


Burney R T Inc


Cannon Oil Co


right top lines and


Cannon Refrigeration Service


. left side lines and


5 23


Cape Fear Hotel


left bottom lines and


Cape Fear Monument Co


. right side lines and


Cape Fear Motor Sales Inc


left bottom lines and


Capps A F Jr Landscaping


right bottom lines and


Carolina Business Services


right top lines and


Carolina Cut Stone Co The


right side lines and


Carolina Millwork Co .


Carolina Power & Light Co


front cover and


Carolina Printing & Stamp Co


right bottom lines and 110


Carroll & Sullivan Oil Distributors front cover, 25 and


Citizens Building & Loan Assn . right side lines and


left bottom lines and


City Optical Co .


. left side lines and


City Upholstering Co


right side lines and


144


Clayton-Beall Co .


right side lines, 86 and


124 10


Coastal Office Equipment


right top lines and


Communication Specialists Co


left side lines and


Cooperative Savings & Loan Association


Corbett J N . back cover, left top lines and 134


Cross Seed Co Inc


right side lines and


135


Culligan Water Conditioning


left side lines and


145 105 35


Dixie T V Service


Z and


Donnelly John N


left side lines and


141 36


Efird's Department Store


Electric Repair & Service Co Inc


58 96 39


Faircloth Oyster Roast


. left side lines and 130


Farrar Transfer & Storage Warehouse


right bottom lines and 98


Fergus' Ark Restaurant . First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co


129


. . . right bottom lines, tabbed Insert at Name in Alphabetical Section and First National Bank.


20


Fleishman Ed & Bros Inc


. right top lines and 21


Foster-Hill Insurance Agency


right side lines and 31 79


Foster-Hill Realty Co Inc right top lines and


119


Fowler R C . right top lines and


66


Furr James E


left side lines and


40


71


Godwin Oil Co


. left top lines and


67


1


1/


backbone and 19 8 108 62


117 124 38 70


Cape Fear Blue Printers


left bottom lines and


76 95 9


55 32 96 94 114


Carolina Savings & Loan Association


133 70 26 103


Coastal Motors Inc


. right side lines and


Coastal Yellow Cabs


102 139 118


left side lines and 52


Dillard Paper Co of Wilmington Inc


Dixie Concrete Products Inc


left bottom lines and


Evans J C & Sons


right bottom lines and


Fountain Bros Inc right top lines and


74 7


left bottom lines and


VI


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Godwin's E W Sons


108


Goodyear Plumbing & Gas Co


left bottom lines and 64


Graves Electric Co . .


. front stencil and


Grissom C C & Sons Inc


left side lines, 2 and


Hanover Iron Works


left side lines and


41


Harrell A H


. left top lines and


104


Henry Ornamental Iron Works


left side lines and


Herring H G Plumbing Co


Hill Directory Co Inc .


left bottom lines, C and


Hines Construction Co Inc


left bottom lines and


Hotel Cape Fear


right bottom lines and


Hotel Wilmington


Howes Davis H


left side lines and


90


Huggins Jewelers


right top lines and


Hughes Bros Inc


right side lines and


Hurricane Fence Co


front cover, left bottom lines and


Hyman Supply Co .


left top lines and


Ideal Plumbing Co Inc


Ideal Printers


Jackson & Bell Co left top lines, A and


Jacobi David Supply Co


James Tom C . . .


left top lines and


Jewell-Strickland Auto Parts Co


left side lines and


Johnson Hooper Real Estate


back cover and


Jordan-Blanton-Myers Co


Jordan J S .


back cover, right side lines and


13


Key Motor Co


left top lines and


125


Livingston F E & Co


left side lines and


Long Clayton L General Contractor


Lucas R C & Son


Mac's Auto Parts Co


Mademoiselle Shoppe


right side lines and


Market Tire & Appliance Co .


Mathews E L Insurance & Real Estate


right top lines, 88 and


Mathews Harry Realty


left top lines and


McGrath & Co . .


right side lines and


McIntire Motor Service


left bottom lines, Y and


Meadows Robert A


right side lines and


Meeks J B Roofing Co


right bottom lines and


Merritt-Holland Gas Co


146


Merritt-Holland Welding Supplies Inc


top stencil, left bottom lines and


45 29


Miller-Motte Business College


front cover and


120


Moore's Insurance Agency Inc


left top lines and


Moore's Well-Pump & Equipment Co


Murray Transfer & Storage Co Inc


Neblett Distinctive Dry Cleaning


. right top lines and


Newber's Refrigeration Co Inc


left bottom lines and


North Carolina National Bank


North-Smith Inc


right bottom lines and


Oleander Co The


. right side lines and


Orrell Realty Co


right side lines and


Paradise Trailer Court


front cover and


Perry Albert F & Co


left top lines and


Pickard's Sporting Goods


right side lines and


132 60


Professional Pharmacy


right top lines and


Raney Chevrolet Co Inc.


right side lines and


Reaves' Volkswagen Service


46


Rehder Will Florist


left side lines and


Rental Tool Company


47


Rogers Luther T Inc


left top lines and


34


S & G Concrete Co


left top lines and


33


S & G Prestress Co


$5


Safeway Finance Corporation of Wilmington right top lines and


57


S/ rs, Roebuck And Co


front cover, right side lines and


89


ted Investments


back cover, 27 and


91


.


Palmer Insurance Agency Inc


88 143 81 137


Piver E S & Son Inc .


14 18


Reavis Construction Co front lip margin, right top lines and


. left side lines and


65 142


Miller Building Corp .


Moore-Fonvielle Realty Co . . . front cover and


80 148 99 62 128 22 68


121 126


43 109 17 90 6 127 125 100 17


right side lines and


12 64 78 107 113 111


11 131


106 59 42 76 77 87


1.38 87 16 127 3 56


147 44 73


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Shepard John R & Son right bottom lines and 48


Shepard's Wheel Aligning Shop


18


Simon Construction Co Inc right bottom lines and 49


Smith Builders Supply Inc right top lines and 28


Smith R S & Sons Floor Sanding Co . . back cover and 50


Sneeden Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co . left bottom lines and


5


Sport Center . right bottom lines and


138


Springer Coal & Oil Co


Starnes W E Lumber Co left side lines and


69 92


Symmes John C Insurance right side lines and 82


Talman G W Construction Co right side lines and


Taylor Walker-Insurance bottom stencil and


Temperature Control Co . back cover and


Tidewater Natural Gas Co


back lip margin and


Tomberlin J V Construction Co


Typewriter Inspection Co back cover and


54 30


Utility Floor Service


right side lines and 53 140 116


right side lines and W MF D Radio Station


Ward Realty Co .


Weaver Realty & Construction Co left side lines and


Weeks J M Office Outfitters


left bottom lines and 101 84


West Auto Sales .


Williams Cleaners & Shirt Laundry right side lines and


Wilmington Board of Realtors Inc


123


Wilmington Body Works Inc .


Wilmington Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc


front cover, left bottom lines and


Wilmington Hotel


. right bottom lines and


Wilmington Printing Co


left bottom lines and


Wilson Boat Works


right side lines and 15 left side lines and 24 B 77 112 23 31


Wolff Cabinet Shop


Wood T W & Sons right top lines and 136


Woodbury Insurance Agency


backbone, right top lines and 85


Yarborough Oil Co The left top lines and


71


Yopp A B Co . . left top lines and 51


Yopp Funeral Home Inc


right side lines and 72


75 83 4 115


W E C T-T V Broadcasting Station


122 126


Wells Harold W & Son left bottom lines and


145 61


Wilmington College


WILMINGTON


THE LEADING PORT CITY OF NORTH CAROLINA


(Courtesy Wilmington Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government -- Council-manager.


Population-1960 U. S. Census, 45,043. Metropolitan Area (estimated), 55,000 (1960).


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-$74,594,884, with $1.90 per $100 tax rate, at 50 % valuation.


Bonded Debt-$5,720,000 (1959-60).


Financial Data-4 banks, with 4 branches, cleared through the Wilmington Clearing House $661,860,745 in debits for 1959. 4 building, loan and savings institutions, with assets of over $52,000,000 serve the community life of the immediate area.


Postal Receipts-$764,742 (1959).


Telephones in Service-26,516 (1959).


Churches-85, representing all leading denominations (Catholic, Protestant and Jewish).


Building Construction-1,329 permits, with total value of $3,297,713 issued in Calendar year of 1959.


Industry and Processing Companies of Immediate Trade Area-154, em- ploying about 7,000 workers, with an aggregate annual payroll of $17,500,000 in 1959. Principal products manufactured in the Wilmington area are: Fertilizer, petroleum products, lumber and finished wood products, cement products, neck-ties, foundry products, steel tanks and boilers, men's shirts, ladies' un- derwear, ladies' hosiery, paper, paper boxes, asphalt products, chemicals, ice cream and milk products, electric power and gas, beverages, cotton cloth and other textile products from the loom, printing and bookbinding, and other mis- cellaneous products.


Tourist Trade-Aggregate spending of $17,100,000 because of famous flower gardens, annual Azalea Festival in March, 5 ocean beaches, annual Fishing Rodeo (April 1 through November 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, 1959 retail sales $85,- 000,000.


Newspapers-2 dailies, 1 Sunday and 1 weekly.


Hotels-2, with total of 350 rooms, within city. Also several modern tourist courts and tourist homes with total of about 420 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.


Airport-Bluethenthal Field, serving Wilmington and New Hanover County, two 7,000-foot runways, one 8,000-foot runway and the very latest VORTAC equipment, 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 to and from all parts of the U. S., with overseas connections.


Amusements-7 moving-picture theatres, including 4 drive-in theatres, with total seating and automobile capacity of 12,000 patrons. 3 golf courses (18 holes each). 5 ocean beaches and nearby lakes, with excellent fishing, swimming, boating, etc.


Hospitals-4, with total of 500 beds.


Physicians and Surgeons-67; dentists, 30; chiropractors, 4; chiropodists, 3; osteopaths, 2.


Education-21 public schools, including 2 senior high, 5 junior high, 1 vo- cational school and Wilmington College. Number of pupils in public schools of New Hanover County, 16,000,000. Also, 2 parochial schools.


Radio Stations-3. WMFD (ABC Network) operates on 1,000 watts AM and transmits on 630 kc., serving radius of about 75 miles. WGNI (Mutual Network)


IX


INTRODUCTION


operates on 250 watts AM and transmits on 1,340 kc. over radius of 35 miles. WKLM (Ind.) operates daytime on 5,000 watts and transmits on 980 kc. over radius of 75 miles.


Television Station-1. WECT, Channel 6 (ABC, NBC and CBS Networks) operates on 100,000 watts video e.r.p., over radius of 100 miles.


City Statistics-Total street mileage, 119; with 100 miles paved. Miles of gas mains, 131; sewer mileage, 90. Number of electric meters, 26,640 (1958). Capacity of municipal water works, 12,000,000 gallons; miles of mains, 113; number of meters, 11,090; value of plant and distribution system, $5,067,500. Fire department has 86 men with 5 stations and 15 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department buildings and equipment, $400,000, Police department has 84 officers, with 1 station and 18 pieces of motor equipment. Police cars are equipped with latest FM radio, having car-to-car and car-to-station facili- ties.


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,


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 direction. The distance from Wilmington to the ocean, via highway, is only twelve miles, Wilmington is approximately 200 miles from Charlotte, 125 miles from Raleigh, 170 miles from Charleston, S. C., and 255 miles from Norfolk. It is the principal deep-water port in North Carolina, with a 34-foot channel from ocean bar to Wilmington, distance of 30 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, 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


x


INTRODUCTION


through Nov. 30, sponsored by the Southeastern North Carolina Beach Associa- tion, offers 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 LeJeune and Fort Bragg


Camp LeJeune, 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 recre- tional 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 gardens at Orton and Airlie plantations, and the colorful plants and moss- covered cypress at Greenfield 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 an- nual Azalea Festival is held annually late in March or 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 1960, when it was 45,043. Present population of New Hanover County is estimated at 74,500 and that of Wilmington is estimated 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 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 fabri- cation of marine boilers, and the manufacture of hosiery, shirts, plush, velour, and paper products.


A recent factor that added to the industrial life of this area was the new steam generating plant of the Carolina Power and Light Company. This new plant assures more than an adequacy of electric power for the Wilmington area, for some time to come. The magnitude of this plant affords expansion also for other areas of southeastern North Carolina. Plans of the company contemplated expansion of the Coastal Plain area in that local installations were designed for four units. Two generating units have been installed, which normally develop 300,000 horsepower. Also, the Tidewater Natural Gas Company has brought natural gas to Wilmington and conversion of local equipment was completed in 1960.




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