Editing Wilmington, North Carolina

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Wilmington
| nickname           = The Port City, ILM, Hollywood of the East, Wilmywood<ref>{{cite web|url= https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/movies-and-film/2021/12/11/10-years-in--wilmywood-|title=10 years in 'Wilmywood': Actor reflects on boom in the industry|publisher= Spectrum News 1|access-date= December 25, 2022}}</ref>
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| perrow                   = 1/2/2/2
| total_width              = 280
| caption_align            = center
| image1                   = Wilmington, North Carolina along the Cape Fear River - panoramio.jpg 
| caption1                 = Wilmington skyline seen from the [[Cape Fear River]]
| image2                   = City Hall-Thalian Hall (Wilmington, NC) 2.JPG
| caption2                 = [[Thalian Hall|City Hall/Thalian Hall]]
| image3                   = U.S.S. North Carolina - panoramio (1).jpg
| caption3                 = {{USS|North Carolina|BB-55|6}}
| image4                   = Basilica Shrine of St. Mary - Wilmington, North Carolina 01.jpg
| caption4                 = [[Basilica Shrine of St. Mary (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Basilica Shrine of St. Mary]]
| image5                   = University of North Carolina Wilmington Main Campus (26 July 2023) 93.jpg
| caption5                 = [[University of North Carolina Wilmington]]
| image6                   = Front Exterior of the Bellamy Mansion.JPG
| caption6                 = [[Bellamy Mansion]]
| image7                   = Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in the morning, Wilmington, NC.jpg
| caption7                 = [[Cape Fear Memorial Bridge]]
}}
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Wilmington, NC City Flag.jpg
| image_seal         = Wilmington, NC City Seal.jpg
| image_blank_emblem = Wilmington, NC د تبلیغاتو نښه.gif
| motto              = "Persevere"
| image_map          = New Hanover County North Carolina incorporated and unincorporated areas Wilmington highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location in New Hanover County, North Carolina
| pushpin_map        = North Carolina#USA
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| pushpin_label      = Wilmington
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within North Carolina##Location within the United States
<!-- Location -->| coordinates        = {{coord|34|12|36|N|77|53|12|W|region:US-NC|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in North Carolina|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|North Carolina}}
| subdivision_name2  = [[New Hanover County, North Carolina|New Hanover]]
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = February 20, 1739
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]
| leader_party       = [[North Carolina Democratic Party|D]]
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of Wilmington, North Carolina|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Bill Saffo]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elections.nhcgov.com/candidates/elected-officials|title=Elected Officials|website=New Hanover County Board of Elections|access-date=April 23, 2022|archive-date=December 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210100345/https://elections.nhcgov.com/candidates/elected-officials/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| total_type         = Total
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 137.19
| area_total_sq_mi   = 52.97
| area_land_km2      = 133.14
| area_land_sq_mi    = 51.41
| area_water_km2     = 4.05
| area_water_sq_mi   = 1.56
| area_water_percent = 2.95

<!-- Population -->| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 43
| population_total   = 115451
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| population_est     = 122698
| population_density_km2 = 867.15
| population_density_sq_mi = 2245.91
| population_urban   = 255,329 (US: [[List of United States urban areas|159th]])<ref name="urban area">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html|title=List of 2020 Census Urban Areas|website=census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref>
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 1,795.0
| population_metro_footnotes = <ref name="PopEstCBSA"/>
| population_metro   = 467337 (US: [[List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas|115th]])
| population_rank    = [[List of United States cities by population|241st]] in the United States<br />[[List of municipalities in North Carolina|8th]] in North Carolina 
<!-- General information -->| named_for          = [[Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington]]
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 28401–28412
| area_codes         = [[Area codes 910 and 472|910, 472]]
| website            = {{URL|www.wilmingtonnc.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 37-74440
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2405754<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405754}}</ref>
| blank2_name        = Primary Airport
| blank2_info        = [[Wilmington International Airport]]
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| population_footnotes = 
}}

'''Wilmington''' is a [[port city]] in [[New Hanover County, North Carolina]], United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], it is the [[List of municipalities in North Carolina|eighth-most populous city in the state]].<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> The [[county seat]] of New Hanover County, it is the principal city of the [[Cape Fear (region)|Wilmington metropolitan area]], which includes New Hanover, [[Brunswick County, North Carolina|Brunswick]], and [[Pender County, North Carolina|Pender]] counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.csv |title=Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012 |access-date=September 18, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401093220/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.csv |archive-date=April 1, 2013 }}</ref> As of 2023, the region had an estimated population of 467,337.<ref name="PopEstCBSA">{{cite web |date=March 14, 2024 |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html#v2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division}}</ref>

Wilmington's residential area lies between the [[Cape Fear River]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]], and the city developed as a commercial port in the colonial era. Toward the end of the 19th century, Wilmington was a majority-black, racially integrated, prosperous city{{snd}}and the largest in North Carolina. It suffered what became known as the [[Wilmington massacre]] in 1898 when [[white supremacist]]s launched a [[Coup d'état|coup]] that overthrew the legitimately elected local [[Fusionism in North Carolina|Fusionist]] government.<ref name="media2.newsobserver.com">{{cite news|url=https://media2.newsobserver.com/content/media/2010/5/3/ghostsof1898.pdf|title=The Ghosts of 1898 - Wilmington's Race Riot And The Rise Of White Supremacy|last=Tyson|first=Timothy B/|date=November 17, 2006|newspaper=[[The News & Observer]]}}</ref> It resulted in the expulsion of opposition black and white political leaders from the city, destruction of the property and businesses of black citizens, including the city's only black newspaper, and deaths ranging from an estimated 60 to more than 300 people.<ref name="media2.newsobserver.com"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cain |first1=Brooke |last2=Quillan |first2=Martha |title=10 NC Black history lessons you likely weren't taught in school (but should have been) |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article249151195.html |access-date=February 27, 2021 |work=Raleigh News & Observer |date=February 17, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=What a White-Supremacist Coup Looks Like|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/27/what-a-white-supremacist-coup-looks-like|last=Crain|first=Caleb|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020}}</ref> By 1910, [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] overtook Wilmington as North Carolina's largest city.

Wilmington's downtown includes a {{convert|1.75|mi|adj=on}} riverwalk,<ref>{{cite web |title=Wilmington Riverwalk |url=https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/visitors/riverwalk |access-date=December 4, 2023 |website=www.wilmingtonnc.gov}}</ref> developed as a tourist attraction in the late 20th century. In 2003, the city was designated by the U.S. Congress as a "Coast Guard City", one of 29 cities that currently bear that designation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uscg.mil/Community/cities/ |title=Coast Guard Cities |website= United States Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security  |publisher=Defense Media Activity |access-date=November 11, 2022}}</ref> It was formerly the home port for the {{USCGC|Diligence|WMEC-616|6}}, a [[United States Coast Guard]] [[Medium endurance cutter|medium-endurance cutter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Area-Cutters/CGCDILIGENCE/History/ |title=United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area > Our Organization > Area Cutters > CGDILIGENCE > History |website= United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area, U.S. Department of Homeland Security |publisher=Defense Media Activity |access-date=November 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Photos: Coast Guard Cutter Diligence through the years|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/photogallery/nc/20200524/photogallery/524009999/PH/1|access-date=November 11, 2020|website=Wilmington Star-News|language=en}}</ref> Wilmington was declared the first [[World War II Heritage City]] in the country in 2020. The World War II battleship {{USS|North Carolina|BB-55|6}}, now a war memorial, is moored across from the downtown port area, and is open to the public for tours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battleship North Carolina {{!}} Wilmington |url=https://www.battleshipnc.com/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=battleshipnc.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Other attractions include the [[Cape Fear Museum of History and Science]] and the Children's Museum of Wilmington.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Children's Museum of Wilmington NC {{!}} Play. Learn. Grow Together. |url=https://www.playwilmington.org/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=children-museum-wilm |language=en}}</ref>

The city is home to the [[University of North Carolina Wilmington]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of North Carolina Wilmington |url=https://uncw.edu/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=uncw.edu}}</ref> Wilmington is also the home of [[Cinespace Film Studios|Cinespace Wilmington]],{{efn|The studio complex was built and owned by [[De Laurentiis Entertainment Group]] (DEG) until 1989, [[Carolco Pictures]] until 1996,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=July 25, 1996 |title=Company Town Annex |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-25-fi-27775-story.html |access-date=January 11, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=WECT Staff |date=October 18, 2023 |title=Old logo removed after sale of local movie studio to Cinespace |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/10/18/old-logo-removed-after-sale-local-movie-studio-cinespace/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref> and [[EUE/Screen Gems|EUE/Screen Gems Studios]] until 2023.<ref name="Cinespace Studios"/>}} the largest domestic television and movie production facility outside California.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2020 |title=Film Brochure New copy |url=https://airliegardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Film-Brochure-NEW-copy.pdf |access-date=September 28, 2023 |website=airliegardens.org}}</ref> Dream Stage 10, the facility's newest sound stage, is the third-largest in the United States. It houses the largest special-effects water tank in North America.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Little |first=Ken |title=Dream Stage Sets Port City On Course For A Blockbuster |url=https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/film/1969/12/31/dream-stage-sets-port-city-on-course-for-a-blockbuster/343 |access-date=September 28, 2023 |website=WilmingtonBiz}}</ref> After the studio complex's opening in 1984, Wilmington became a major center of American film and television production. [[Films and television shows produced in Wilmington, North Carolina|Numerous movies and television series]]—in a range of genres—have been filmed/produced in or near the city, including [[Maximum Overdrive]] (1986), ''[[The Black Phone]]'', ''[[Blue Velvet (film)|Blue Velvet]]'', ''[[The Conjuring]]'', ''[[The Crow (1994 film)|The Crow]]'' (1994), ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'', ''[[Eastbound & Down]]'', ''[[Halloween Kills]]'', ''[[I Know What You Did Last Summer]]'', ''[[Iron Man 3]]'', ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'', ''[[Outer Banks (TV series)|Outer Banks]]'',<ref name="OBXPortCityDaily"/><ref name="OBXWECT"/> ''[[Scream (2022 film)|Scream]]'' (2022), ''[[The Summer I Turned Pretty (TV series)|The Summer I Turned Pretty]]'', ''[[Super Mario Bros. (film)|Super Mario Bros.]]'', and ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''.<ref name="ILMFilm"/><ref name="ILMTelevison"/>

==History==
{{See also|Timeline of Wilmington, North Carolina}}

===Colonial beginnings===
[[File: Mitchell-Anderson House.jpg|thumb|left|Mitchell-Anderson House (built 1738)]]
The city was founded in the 1730s. After going through a series of different names (New Carthage, New London, Newton), its name became Wilmington.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |first=Lawrence |last=Lee |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/865969052 |title=The Lower Cape Fear in colonial days |date=1990 |publisher=Library of Congress Photoduplication Service |pages=119–125 |oclc=865969052}}</ref> In 1739, Col. [[William Bartram (North Carolina politician)|William Bartram]], the uncle of [[William Bartram|the naturalist]], introduced a bill to establish Wilmington, named for one of his patrons, [[Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington|Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington]].<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Hotz|first=Amy|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2003/10/03/riverfest-celebrates-centuries-of-commerce-beauty-and-history/30526843007/|title=Riverfest celebrates centuries of commerce, beauty and history|website=Star-News|date=October 3, 2003}}</ref>

The area along the river had been inhabited by various successive cultures of [[indigenous peoples]] for thousands of years. At the time of European encounter, historic Native Americans were members of tribes belonging to the [[Eastern Siouan]] family.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Wilmington, NC History - Wilmington-NC.com |url=https://www.wilmington-nc.com/wilmington-nc-history.html |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=www.wilmington-nc.com |language=en-us}}</ref>

In the early 16th century, Italian explorer [[Giovanni da Verrazzano]], commissioned by the king of France with a French crew, was reportedly the first European to see this area, including the city's present site. The first permanent colonial settlement in the area was established in the 1720s by [[Colonial history of the United States|European settlers]].<ref name=":1"/> In September 1732, a community was founded on land owned by John Watson on the [[Cape Fear River]], at the confluence of its northwest and northeast branches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr03-0129|title=Documenting the American South: Colonial and State Records of North Carolina}}</ref> The settlement, founded by the first royal governor, [[George Burrington]], was called New Carthage, and then New Liverpool; it gradually took on the name New Town or Newton.<ref name="Watson">Alan D. Watson ''Wilmington, North Carolina, to 1861''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2003.</ref> [[Gabriel Johnston|Governor Gabriel Johnston]] soon after established his government there for the [[Province of North Carolina|North Carolina colony]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bcbrooks.blogspot.com/2014/01/historical-execution-of-gov-george.html|title=B.C. Brooks: A Writer's Hiding Place: Historical Execution of Gov. George Burrington of North Carolina|author=B.C. Brooks|date=January 7, 2014}}</ref>

Some early settlers of Wilmington came from the [[Albemarle Sound|Albemarle]] and [[Pamlico Sound|Pamlico]] regions, as well as from the colonies of [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia]] and [[Province of South Carolina|South Carolina]], but most new settlers migrated from the [[northern colonies]], the [[West Indies]], and [[Northern Europe]].<ref name="Lennon">Donald R. Lennon and Ida B. Kellam, eds. ''The Wilmington Town Book, 1743–1778''. Raleigh, NC: Division of Archives and History, 1973.</ref> Many of the early settlers were [[Indentured servitude|indentured servants]] from Northern Europe. As the indentured servants gained their freedom and fewer could be persuaded to travel to North America because of improving conditions back home, the settlers imported an increasing number of [[Slavery in the colonial history of the United States|slaves]] to satisfy the labor demand.<ref name="Watson"/> By 1767, African slaves accounted for more than 62% of the population of the Lower Cape Fear region.<ref>Marvin Michael Kay and Lorin Lee Cary. ''Slavery in North Carolina, 1748–1775,'' Chapel Hill: Univ of North Carolina Press, 1995.</ref> Many worked in the port as laborers, and some in ship-related trades.

[[Naval stores]] and lumber fueled the region's economy, both before and after the [[American Revolution]]. During the Revolutionary War, the British maintained a garrison at [[Fort Johnston (North Carolina)|Fort Johnston]] near Wilmington.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fort Johnston |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/fort-johnston |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=NCpedia}}</ref>

===Revolutionary era===
[[File:Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, NC IMG 4280.JPG|thumb|The [[Bellamy Mansion]] draws many tourists annually to downtown.]]
[[File:U.S. Courthouse, Wilmington, NC IMG 4357.JPG|thumb|[[Alton Lennon Federal Building and Courthouse]], the backdrop of [[Andy Griffith]]'s ''[[Matlock (1986 TV series)|Matlock]]'' [[television series]]]]
Due to Wilmington's commercial importance as a major port, it had a critical role in opposition to the British in the years leading up to the revolution. The city had outspoken political leaders who influenced and led the resistance movement in North Carolina. The foremost of these was Wilmington resident [[Cornelius Harnett]], who was serving in the [[General Assembly of North Carolina|General Assembly]] at the time, and where he rallied opposition to the [[Sugar Act]] in 1764. When the [[Parliament of Great Britain|British Parliament]] passed the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act]] the following year, designed to raise revenue for [[the Crown]] with a kind of tax on shipping, Wilmington was the site of an elaborate demonstration against it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Stamp Act Crisis in North Carolina |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/stamp-act-crisis-north |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=NCpedia}}</ref>

On October 19, 1765, several hundred townspeople gathered in protest of the new law, burned an effigy of one town resident who favored the act, and toasted to "Liberty, Property, and No Stamp Duty." On October 31, another crowd gathered in a symbolic funeral of "Liberty". Before the effigy was buried, though, Liberty was found to have a pulse, and celebration ensued.<ref name="Saunders">William L. Saunders, ed. ''The Colonial Records of North Carolina'', 10 vols. Raleigh, NC: P.M. Hale, 1886–1980. 7: pp. 124–25, 131, 143.</ref><ref>E. Lawrence Lee. ''The Lower Cape Fear in Colonial Days''. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ of North Carolina Press, 1965. p. 245.</ref>

William Houston of [[Duplin County, North Carolina|Duplin County]] was appointed stamp receiver for Cape Fear. When Houston visited Wilmington on business, still unaware of his appointment, he recounted,

<blockquote>"The Inhabitants immediately assembled about me & demanded a Categorical Answer whether I intended to put the Act relating [to] the Stamps in force. The Town Bell was rung[,] Drums [were] beating, Colours [were] flying and [a] great concourse of People [were] gathered together." For the sake of his own life, and "to quiet the Minds of the inraged {{sic}} and furious Mobb...," Houston resigned his position at the courthouse.<ref name="Saunders" /><ref>Donna J. Spindel. "Law and Disorder: The North Carolina Stamp Act Crisis"''North Carolina Historical Review'', 56: 1981. p. 8.</ref></blockquote>

Governor [[William Tryon]] made attempts to mitigate the opposition, to no avail. On November 18, 1765, he pleaded his case directly to prominent residents of the area. They said the law restricted their rights. When the stamps arrived on November 28 on [[HMS Diligence (1756)|HMS ''Diligence'']], Tryon ordered them to be kept on board. Shipping on the Cape Fear River was stopped, as were the functions of the courts.<ref name="Saunders" />

Tryon, after having received his official commission as governor (a position he had assumed only after the death of [[Arthur Dobbs]]), was brought to Wilmington by [[Constantine Phipps, 2nd Baron Mulgrave|Captain Constantine Phipps]] on a barge from the ''Diligence'', and "was received cordially by the gentlemen of the borough." He was greeted with the firing of seventeen pieces of [[artillery]], and the New Hanover County Regiment of the North Carolina [[militia]], who had lined the streets. This "warm welcome" was spoiled, however, after a dispute arose between Captain Phipps and captains of ships in the harbor regarding the display of their colors. The townspeople became infuriated with Phipps and threats were made against both sides. After Tryon harangued them for their actions, the townspeople gathered around the barrels of punch and [[ox]] he had brought as refreshments. The barrels were broken open, letting the punch spill into the streets; they threw the head of the ox into the [[pillory]], and gave its body to the enslaved population. Because of the unrest, Tryon moved his seat of government to [[New Bern, North Carolina|New Bern]] instead of Wilmington.<ref name="Watson" /><ref>Paul David Nelson. ''William Tryon and the Course of Empire''. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ of North Carolina Press, 1990. pp. 42–43.</ref>

On February 18, 1766, two merchant ships arrived without stamped papers at [[Brunswick Town, North Carolina|Brunswick Town]]. Each ship provided signed statements from the collectors at their respective ports of origin that no were stamps available, but Captain Jacob Lobb of the British cruiser ''Viper'' seized the vessels. In response, numerous residents from southern counties met in Wilmington. The group organized as the [[Sons of Liberty]] and pledged to block implementation of the Stamp Act. The following day, as many as a thousand men, including the mayor and aldermen of Wilmington, were led by Cornelius Harnett to Brunswick to confront Tryon. The governor was unyielding, but a mob retrieved the seized ships. They forced royal customs officers and public officials in the region to swear never to issue stamped paper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Hunter |title=Revolution came early in the Cape Fear with Stamp Act rebellion |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2020/07/01/revolution-came-early-in-cape-fear-with-stamp-act-rebellion/113363348/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=Wilmington Star-News |language=en-US}}</ref> The Westminster Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766.

===Antebellum period===
[[File:U.S. Post Office, Wilmington, NC IMG 4277.JPG|thumb|left|[[U.S. Postal Service|U. S. Post Office]] in downtown Wilmington]]

In the 1830s, citizens of Wilmington became eager to take advantage of [[rail transport|railroad transportation]]. At this time, the shipping tonnage registered at Wilmington was 9,035.<ref>''The American annual register.'' (1827-35). New York : G. & C. Carvill, 8v., p. 593.</ref>  Plans were developed to build a railroad line from the capital, [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], to Wilmington. When Raleigh citizens declined to subscribe in sufficient number to [[share capital|stock]] to raise money for the project, organizers changed the terminus to [[Weldon, North Carolina|Weldon]]. When the railroad line was completed in 1840, it was the longest single line of [[railroad track]] in the world. The railroad also controlled a fleet of steamboats that ran between Wilmington and [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]]; these were used both for passenger travel and freight. Regular boat lines served [[Fayetteville, North Carolina|Fayetteville]], and packet lines traveled to northern ports. The city was a main stopover point, contributing greatly to its commerce.<ref name="Watson" />

By mid-century, the churchyard of [[St. James Episcopal Church (Wilmington, North Carolina)|St. James Episcopal Church]] and other town cemeteries had become filled with graves. On November 16, 1853, a group of citizens, organized as "the Proprietors of the Wilmington Cemetery", was formed to develop a new [[cemetery]]. Sixty-five acres of land around Burnt Mill Creek were chosen as the site for what would be called [[Oakdale Cemetery (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Oakdale Cemetery]]. It was the first rural cemetery in North Carolina. The cemetery's first interment, on February 6, 1855, was six-year-old Annie deRosset.<ref>Janet L. Seapker [http://www.oakdalecemetery.org/history.asp "History of Oakdale Cemetery"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227081346/http://www.oakdalecemetery.org/history.asp |date=December 27, 2011 }}, Oakdale Cemetery. Retrieved February 13, 2012.</ref> Many remains from St. James churchyard were relocated to the new cemetery.

The Wilmington Gas Light Company was established in 1854. Soon after, streetlights were powered by gas made from lightwood and [[rosin]], replacing the old street oil lamps. On December 27, 1855, the first cornerstone was laid, and construction began on a new city hall. A grant from the Thalian Association funded the attached opera house, named Thalian Hall. In 1857, the city opened its first public school, named the Union Free School, on 6th Street between Nun and Church Streets, serving White students.<ref name="Howell">Andrew J. Howell, ''The Book of Wilmington''. Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Printing Company, 1930.</ref>

Wilmington had a Black majority population before the Civil War.<ref name="Commission"/> While most were slaves, the city had a significant community of [[free people of color]], who developed businesses and trades. For a period up to [[Nat Turner]]'s rebellion, they had been allowed to vote, carry arms, and serve in the militia. Fears after the rebellion resulted in the state legislature passing laws to restrict the rights of free Blacks.

===Civil War===
{{Main|Wilmington, North Carolina, in the American Civil War}}
[[File:Canon fire at the Battle of Forks Road.jpg|thumb|Cannon firing at a re-enactment of the Battle of Forks Road near the [[Cameron Art Museum]]]]
[[File:Another glimpse of Wilmington National Cemetery IMG 4396.JPG|thumb|[[Wilmington National Cemetery]] has markers dating to the [[American Revolution]] and the [[American Civil War]].]]
During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the port was the major base for [[Blockade runners of the American Civil War|Confederate and privately owned blockade runners]], which delivered badly needed supplies from England. The Union mounted a blockade to reduce the goods received by the South. The city was captured by Union forces in the [[Battle of Wilmington]] in February 1865, about one month after the fall of [[Second Battle of Fort Fisher|Fort Fisher]] had closed the port. Wilmington was the last Confederate port to be captured.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Judith H. |year=1978 |title=Wilmington, NC and the Lower Cape Fear Area During the Civil War |url=https://archivesspace.uncw.edu/resources/sc-ms-026 |access-date=September 6, 2023 |website=archivesspace.uncw.edu}}</ref> As nearly all the military action took place some distance from the city, numerous [[antebellum period|antebellum]] houses and other buildings survived the war years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle of Wilmington |url=http://www.thomaslegion.net/battleofwilmington.html |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=www.thomaslegion.net}}</ref>

In mid-August 1862, Wilmington was devastated by a deadly outbreak of [[yellow fever]]. This fever outbreak was brought about by a blockade runner named ''Kate.'' Sources suggest that the runner had crew members who were sick before the ship landed, but Dr. W.T. Wragg would later write an article in the ''New York Journal of Medicine'' that there were at least five cases in the city before the ship arrived. Dr. Wragg treated many of the yellow fever victims during the outbreak and claimed that the dirtiness of the city and the fumes of the dirty water left by heavy rains caused the disease. By the end of the outbreak at least 1,500 and perhaps as many as 2,000, contracted yellow fever. Of those, between 650 and 800 died, a mortality rate approximately 40 percent. [[Walter Reed]] would later discover in 1900 that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes, so Wilmington's outbreak had to be introduced by a third party and spread by mosquitoes in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yellow Fever in Wilmington |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/history/health/yellow-fever |access-date=March 12, 2024 |website=NCpedia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brisson |first=Jim D. |date=April 30, 2010 |title=City of the Dead: The 1862 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Wilmington, North Carolina |url=https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=mhr |access-date=March 12, 2024 |website=JMU Scholarly Commons}}</ref>

===Reconstruction era and 1898 insurrection===
{{Main|Wilmington Insurrection of 1898}}
[[File:Wilmington 1898.jpg|thumb|Wilmington {{circa|1898}}]]
During the [[Reconstruction era]], former free Blacks and newly emancipated [[freedmen]] built a community in the city. About 55% of its residents were Black people.<ref name=Star>{{cite news|author=Angela Mack|title=Over a century later, facts of 1898 race riots released|url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20051216/over-a-century-later-facts-of-1898-race-riots-released|date=December 16, 2005|newspaper=Star-News|location=Wilmington, NC}}</ref><ref name=Pop>{{cite news|title=The Commercial & Financial Chronicle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EDNOAAAAYAAJ&q=lending+rates+north+carolina+1898+per+cent&pg=RA2-PA165|year=1899|publisher=William B. Dana Company}}</ref> At the time, Wilmington was the largest city and the economic capital of the state.

Three of the city's aldermen were Black. Black people were also in positions of justice of the peace, deputy clerk of court, street superintendent, coroners, policemen, mail clerks, and mail carriers.<ref name=BlackNCpols>{{cite news|title=NORTH CAROLINA'S NEGROES: Offices Which They Hold in Several Counties of the State|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1898/11/06/archives/north-carolinas-negroes-offices-which-they-hold-in-several-counties.html|date=November 6, 1898|newspaper=New York Times}}</ref>

At the time, Black people accounted for over 30% of Wilmington's skilled craftsmen, such as mechanics, carpenters, jewelers, watchmakers, painters, plasterers, plumbers, stevedores, blacksmiths, masons, and wheelwrights. In addition, they owned 10 of the city's 11 restaurants and were 90% of the city's 22 barbers. The city had more Black bootmakers/shoemakers than White ones, and half of the city's tailors were Black. Lastly, two brothers, [[Alexander Manly|Alexander]] and Frank Manly, owned the ''[[Daily Record (Wilmington)|Wilmington Daily Record]]'', the only Black-owned newspaper in the state, and one of the few in the country at that time.<ref name=Betrayed2>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bpMAgAAQBAJ&q=Wheelwrights |editor-first1=David |editor-last1=Cecelsi |editor-first2=Timothy |editor-last2=Tyson |first=Leon H. |last=Prather Sr. |chapter=We have taken a city |title=Democracy Betrayed: The Wilmington Race Riot of 1898 and Its Legacy |year=1998 |publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]] |isbn=0807824518 |location=Chapel Hill |pages=15–41}}</ref>

In the 1890s, a coalition of Republicans and [[People's Party (United States)|Populists]] had gained state and federal offices. The Democrats were determined to reassert their control. Violence increased around elections in this period, as armed White [[paramilitary]] insurgents, known as [[Red Shirts (Southern United States)|Red Shirts]], worked to suppress Black and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] voting. White Democrats regained control of the state legislature and sought to impose [[white supremacy]], but some Blacks continued to be elected to local offices.<ref>{{Citation|title=When white supremacists overthrew a government| date=June 20, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVQomlXMeek| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/LVQomlXMeek| archive-date=October 30, 2021|language=en|access-date=September 8, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The [[Wilmington Insurrection of 1898]] (also known as the Wilmington Race Riot) occurred as a result of the racially charged political conflict that had occurred in the decades after the Civil War and efforts by White Democrats to re-establish white supremacy and overturn Black voting. In 1898, a cadre of White Democrats, professionals, and businessmen planned to overthrow the city government if their candidates were not elected. Two days after the election, in which a White Republican was elected mayor and both White and Black aldermen were elected, more than 1500 White men (led by Democrat [[Alfred M. Waddell]], an unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in 1896) attacked and burned the only Black-owned daily newspaper in the state and ran off the new officers. They overthrew the legitimately elected municipal government. Waddell and his men forced the elected Republican city officials to resign at gunpoint and replaced them with men selected by leading White Democrats. Waddell was elected mayor by the newly seated board of aldermen that day. Prominent Black Americans and White Republicans were banished from the city in the following days.<ref name="Commission"/> This is the only such ''[[coup d'état]] ''in United States history.<ref name="Commission">[http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/1898-wrrc/report/Chapter5.pdf "Chapter 5"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321002041/http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/1898-wrrc/report/Chapter5.pdf |date=March 21, 2009 }}, ''1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission Report'', North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sugar Hill Neighborhood Walking Tour|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?424635-1/sugar-hill-neighborhood-walking-tour|author=Islah Speller|publisher=[[C-SPAN]]|date=March 19, 2017}}</ref>

Whites attacked and killed an estimated 10–100 Blacks; no Whites died in the violence. As a result of the attacks, more than 2100 Blacks permanently left the city, leaving a hole among its professional and middle classes. The demographic change was so large that the city became majority White, rather than the majority Black it was before the coup.<ref name="Commission"/>

Following these events, the North Carolina legislature passed a new constitution that raised barriers to [[Voter registration in the United States|voter registration]], imposing requirements for [[poll tax (United States)|poll taxes]] and [[literacy tests]] that effectively [[Disfranchisement after the Reconstruction era|disfranchised]] most Black voters, following the example of Mississippi. Blacks were essentially excluded from the political system until after the enactment of the federal [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref name="Commission"/>

===20th century===
Wilmington is home to the Bijou Theater, which began as a tent in 1904 and progressed to a permanent structure in 1906.  It operated until 1956, making it the oldest movie theater in the state and one of the oldest, continuously running theaters in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twentieth-Century North Carolina Timeline |url=https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/learning/educators/timelines/twentieth-century-north-carolina-timeline |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=www.ncmuseumofhistory.org}}</ref>  In 1910, [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] passed Wilmington to become North Carolina's largest city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs%20Alphabetical%20Order/Surveys&rmeckcourthouse.htm |title=Survey and Research Report on the Mecklenburg County Courthouse|publisher=Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission|access-date=February 1, 2018}}</ref> In the mid-20th century, efforts to preserve many historic building began. Due to this, many historic buildings were listed as [[National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hanover County, North Carolina|National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Wilmington {{!}} From the Colonial Era to Today |url=https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/about/area-information/historical-overview/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com}}</ref> Since the 1980s, Wilmington has remained the largest film and television production area in the state;<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2022 |title=North Carolina's History in Film |url=https://islandlifenc.com/north-carolinas-history-in-film/ |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=Island Life NC |language=en-US}}</ref> many locations in and outside the city have been [[Films and television shows produced in Wilmington, North Carolina|used for filming]].<ref name="ILMFilm"/><ref name="ILMTelevison"/> In 1990, the extension of [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|Interstate 40]] to New Hanover County was opened and officially connected the region to the [[Interstate Highway System]].<ref name="WilmNCpedia"/>

[[File:Wilmington 1918.jpg|thumb|800px|center|A 1918 panorama of downtown Wilmington]]
[[File:Waterfront - Wilmington, North Carolina.jpg|thumb|800px|center|A 1918 panorama of Wilmington's waterfront]]

During [[World War II]], Wilmington was the home of the [[North Carolina Shipbuilding Company]]. The shipyard was created as part of the U.S. government's [[Emergency Shipbuilding Program]]. Workers built 243 ships in Wilmington during the five years the company operated.<ref name="WWII Heritage City">{{Cite web |title=America's First "World War II Heritage City" |url=https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/housing-and-neighborhood-services/world-war-ii-city |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=www.wilmingtonnc.gov |language=en}}</ref>

Three [[prisoner-of-war]] (POW) camps operated in the city from February 1944 through April 1946. At their peak, the camps held 550 [[Germany|German]] prisoners. The first camp was located on the corner of Shipyard Boulevard and Carolina Beach Road; it was moved downtown to Ann Street, between 8th and 10th Avenues, when it outgrew the original location. A smaller contingent of prisoners was assigned to a third site, working in the officers' mess and doing groundskeeping at Bluethenthal Army Air Base, which is now [[Wilmington International Airport]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilmington's World War II German POW Camp sign dedication |url=https://www.wect.com/story/9034747/wilmingtons-world-war-ii-german-pow-camp-sign-dedication |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=WECT |date=September 19, 2008 |language=en}}</ref>

===21st century===
Starting in the 1990s, Wilmington began to grow rapidly, partially due to the film industry and the completion of I-40.<ref name="WilmNCpedia">{{Cite web |title=Wilmington |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/wilmington |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=NCpedia}}</ref> The city successfully annexed the areas of [[Seagate, North Carolina|Seagate]] in 1998 and [[Masonboro, North Carolina|Masonboro]] in 2000. The annexation of [[Monkey Junction, North Carolina|Monkey Junction]] was stopped in 2012 by the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] after local backlash.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2012 |title=ONLY ON 3: 12 years after annexation, some Masonboro residents still waiting for city services |url=https://www.wwaytv3.com/only-3-12-years-after-annexation-some-masonboro-residents-still-waiting-for-city-services/ |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=WWAYTV3 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2012 |title=North Carolina stops annexation of Monkey Junction |url=https://www.wwaytv3.com/north-carolina-stops-annexation-of-monkey-junction/ |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=WWAYTV3 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Seagate Neighborhood Plan |url=https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/1306/635976323002300000 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=www.wilmingtonnc.gov}}</ref> In 2017, a chemical compound called [[GenX]], discharged by a [[Chemours]] plant near [[Fayetteville, North Carolina]], was first found to be present in the [[Cape Fear River]]; a major [[water source]] for the region. It was also revealed that the same plant had been discharging the chemical compound since 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GenX Investigation |url=https://www.deq.nc.gov/news/key-issues/genx-investigation |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=NC Department of Environmental Quality}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PFAS |url=https://capefearriverwatch.org/genx/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Cape Fear River Watch |date=September 20, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wagner |first1=Adam |last2=Buckland |first2=Tim |author3=GateHouse Media |date=June 15, 2017 |title=Chemours: GenX in river since 1980 |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/environment/2017/06/15/chemours-genx-polluting-cape-fear-since-1980/20557529007/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=StarNews Online |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020, then-President [[Donald Trump]] designated Wilmington as the first [[World War II Heritage City]] in the country due to the city's contributions during the war.<ref name="WWII Heritage City"/>

===National Register of Historic Places===
The [[Audubon Trolley Station]], [[Brookwood Historic District]], [[Carolina Heights Historic District]], [[Carolina Place Historic District]], [[City Hall/Thalian Hall]], [[Delgrado School]], [[Alton Lennon Federal Building and Courthouse|Federal Building and Courthouse]], [[Fort Fisher]], [[Gabriel's Landing]], [[James Walker Nursing School Quarters]], [[Market Street Mansion District]], [[Masonboro Sound Historic District]], [[Moores Creek National Battlefield]], [[Sunset Park Historic District]], [[USS North Carolina (BB-55)|USS ''North Carolina'' (BB-55) National Historic Landmark]], [[Westbrook-Ardmore Historic District]], [[William Hooper School (Former)]], [[Wilmington Historic District]], and [[Wilmington National Cemetery]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=10|id=Q659400|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Wilmington}}
[[File:Welcome To Wilmington.JPG|thumb|"Welcome to Wilmington" sign]]
Wilmington is the eastern terminus of [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|Interstate 40]], an east-west freeway that ends 2,554 miles away at [[Barstow, California]], where it joins I-15, the gateway to Southern California. This road passes through many major cities and state capitals along the way.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|52.97|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|51.41|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.56|sqmi}} (2.95%) is water.<ref name="TigerWebMapServer"/>
Wrightsville Beach is a common destination in the Wilmington area. Carolina Beach and Kure Beach also add to the city's attractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Attractions |url=https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/things-to-do/attractions-and-activities/top-attractions/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com}}</ref>

===Climate===
Wilmington has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''), with these characteristics:
[[File:Cypress Trees in Greenfield Lake.jpg|thumb|Cypress trees in Greenfield Lake]]
* Winters are generally mild with January highs in the mid-50s °F (≈12&nbsp;°C) and lows in the mid-30s °F (≈1&nbsp;°C). Snowfall does not occur in most years, and when it does, is generally light.
* Spring is reasonably lengthy, beginning in late February and lasting to early May. The presence of abundant dense vegetation in the area causes significant pollen dusting in the springtime that tends to turn rooftops and cars yellow.
* Summer brings high humidity, with daily high temperatures usually ranging from the upper 80s to lower 90s °F (31–34&nbsp;°C), and daily low temperatures usually from 70 to 75&nbsp;°F (≈22&nbsp;°C). [[Heat Index|Heat indices]] can easily break the {{convert|100|°F|0}} mark, though the actual temperature does not in most years. Due to the proximity of warm Atlantic Ocean waters and prevailing tropical-system tracks, the Wilmington area is subject to hurricane or tropical storm activity, mostly from August to early October, with an average frequency of once every seven years. Such tropical systems can bring high winds and very heavy rains, sometimes {{convert|4|in}} or more in a single tropical system. Precipitation in Wilmington occurs year-round. April is the driest month, with just over {{convert|3|in}} of rain on average, and August and September are the wettest months, with over {{convert|8|in}} of rain each, on average.  In an average year, the July to September period delivers nearly 40% of annual rainfall.
* Autumn is also generally humid at the beginning, with the threat from tropical weather systems (hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions) peaking in September.
* Normal January mean temperature: {{convert|46.0|°F|1}}. The coldest month in recorded history was January 1977, averaging {{convert|35.7|°F|1}}. January 1981 had a colder average minimum of {{convert|25.8|°F|1}}.
* Normal July mean temperature: {{convert|81.1|°F|1}}. The hottest month in recorded history was July 2012, averaging {{convert|84.7|°F|1}}. July 1993 had a hotter average maximum of {{convert|94.0|°F|1}}.
* Average nights ≤ {{convert|32|°F}}: 39
* First and last freezes of the season: November 18 and March 20, allowing a growing season of 244 days
* Average days ≥ {{convert|90|°F|0}}: 43, but historically as low as 9 in 1909 and as high as 71 in 1980.
* First and last 90&nbsp;°F highs: May 15, September 15
* Highest recorded temperature: {{convert|104|°F}} on June 27, 1952<ref name = "Wilmington NC Extremes" >{{cite web |url=http://threadex.rcc-acis.org/ |title=Threaded Climate Extremes for Wilmington Area, NC |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=June 28, 2010}}</ref>
* Lowest daily maximum temperature: {{convert|16|°F|0}} on [[Great Blizzard of 1899|February 13, 1899]] and December 30, 1917<ref name = "Wilmington NC Extremes" />
* Highest daily minimum temperature: {{convert|83|°F|0}} on August 1, 1999, and August 9, 2007<ref name = "Wilmington NC Extremes" />
* Lowest recorded temperature: {{convert|0|°F|0}} [[December 1989 United States cold wave|on December 25, 1989]]<ref name = "Wilmington NC Extremes" />
* Average annual precipitation: {{convert|60.15|in|mm|sigfig=3}}, but historically ranging from {{convert|27.68|in|mm|abbr=on}} in 1909 to {{convert|102.40|in|mm|abbr=on}} in 2018,<ref name="weather1">{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/ilm/Raceto100|title = Wilmington's Race to 100 inches!}}</ref> aided by 23.02 inches of rain, September 13–16, from [[Hurricane Florence]]'s slow movement across [[the Carolinas]].<ref name="weather1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://maps.wunderground.com/news/2018-09-17-wilmington-north-carolina-wettest-year-florence |title=Florence Vaults Wilmington, North Carolina, to Its Record Wettest Year Since 1877 |last1=Dolce |first1=Chris |publisher=[[Weather Underground]] |date=September 17, 2018 |access-date=September 20, 2018}}</ref> The 2018 annual precipitation of 102.40 inches exceeded the previous record wettest year (1877, with 83.65 inches of precipitation).<ref name="weather1"/>
* Wettest day: {{convert|13.38|in|1|abbr=on}} on September 15, 1999<ref name = "Wilmington NC Extremes" />
* Driest month: {{convert|0.16|in|1|abbr=on}} in April 1995<ref name = NOAA/>
* Wettest month: {{convert|24.13|in|1|abbr=on}} in September 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/ilm/2018ClimateSummary|title = 2018 Climate Summary for Southeastern North Carolina and Northeastern South Carolina}}</ref> followed closely by {{convert|23.41|in|1|abbr=on}} in September 1999<ref name = NOAA/>
* Winter average snowfall: {{convert|1.6|in|cm|1}} (the median amount is 0)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.gov/ilm/ILMsnowfallDatabase |title=Wilmington, NC Snowfall Database since 1870 |author=Tim Armstrong |date=April 13, 2015 |website=www.weather.gov |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date= December 5, 2015}}</ref>
* Snowiest 24-hour period: {{convert|12.1|in|cm|1|abbr=on}} on February 17–18, 1896<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/ilm/Feb1896Snow|title = "Snow Balling" Snowstorm: February 17-18, 1896}}</ref>
* Snowiest month: {{convert|15.3|in|cm|1|abbr=on}} [[December 1989 United States cold wave|in December 1989]], making the winter of 1989–90 the snowiest<ref name = NOAA/>
{{Weather box
|location = [[Wilmington International Airport|Wilmington Int'l]], North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1870–present){{efn|Official snowfall records for Wilmington were kept at the Weather Bureau in downtown from December 1870 to September 1951, and at Wilmington Int'l since October 1951. Precipitation, minimum temperature, and maximum temperature records date to January 1, 1871, March 1, 1873, and April 1, 1874, respectively.<ref name = NOAA/> For more information, see [http://threadex.rcc-acis.org ThreadEx].}}
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 83
|Feb record high F = 86
|Mar record high F = 94
|Apr record high F = 95
|May record high F = 101
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 103
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 87
|Dec record high F = 82
|year record high F = 104
|Jan avg record high F = 74.7
|Feb avg record high F = 76.6
|Mar avg record high F = 82.4
|Apr avg record high F = 86.9
|May avg record high F = 92.0
|Jun avg record high F = 96.3
|Jul avg record high F = 97.0
|Aug avg record high F = 96.0
|Sep avg record high F = 92.1
|Oct avg record high F = 87.0
|Nov avg record high F = 81.2
|Dec avg record high F = 75.4
|year avg record high F = 98.3
|Jan high F = 57.2
|Feb high F = 60.3
|Mar high F = 66.5
|Apr high F = 74.6
|May high F = 81.1
|Jun high F = 87.0
|Jul high F = 90.0
|Aug high F = 88.3
|Sep high F = 83.9
|Oct high F = 76.1
|Nov high F = 67.4
|Dec high F = 60.3
|year high F = 74.4
|Jan mean F = 46.8
|Feb mean F = 49.3
|Mar mean F = 55.3
|Apr mean F = 63.6
|May mean F = 71.1
|Jun mean F = 78.2
|Jul mean F = 81.5
|Aug mean F = 80.0
|Sep mean F = 75.3
|Oct mean F = 65.9
|Nov mean F = 56.1
|Dec mean F = 49.7
|year mean F = 64.4
|Jan low F = 36.3
|Feb low F = 38.4
|Mar low F = 44.1
|Apr low F = 52.6
|May low F = 61.1
|Jun low F = 69.3
|Jul low F = 73.0
|Aug low F = 71.7
|Sep low F = 66.7
|Oct low F = 55.6
|Nov low F = 44.8
|Dec low F = 39.1
|year low F = 54.4
|Jan avg record low F = 19.3
|Feb avg record low F = 23.1
|Mar avg record low F = 27.9
|Apr avg record low F = 36.4
|May avg record low F = 47.2
|Jun avg record low F = 57.6
|Jul avg record low F = 65.2
|Aug avg record low F = 63.5
|Sep avg record low F = 54.9
|Oct avg record low F = 39.6
|Nov avg record low F = 29.2
|Dec avg record low F = 23.6
|year avg record low F = 17.5
|Jan record low F = 5
|Feb record low F = 5
|Mar record low F = 9
|Apr record low F = 28
|May record low F = 35
|Jun record low F = 48
|Jul record low F = 54
|Aug record low F = 55
|Sep record low F = 42
|Oct record low F = 27
|Nov record low F = 16
|Dec record low F = 0
|year record low F = 0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.81
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.47
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.97
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.07
|May precipitation inch = 4.54
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.67
|Jul precipitation inch = 6.86
|Aug precipitation inch = 8.16
|Sep precipitation inch = 8.69
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.66
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.56
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.69
|year precipitation inch = 60.15
|Jan snow inch = 0.7
|Feb snow inch = 0.2
|Mar snow inch = 0.0
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.0
|year snow inch = 0.9
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 9.9
|Feb precipitation days = 9.5
|Mar precipitation days = 9.6
|Apr precipitation days = 7.7
|May precipitation days = 9.6
|Jun precipitation days = 11.2
|Jul precipitation days = 13.2
|Aug precipitation days = 13.9
|Sep precipitation days = 10.7
|Oct precipitation days = 8.0
|Nov precipitation days = 8.5
|Dec precipitation days = 9.9
|year precipitation days = 121.7
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.4
|Feb snow days = 0.2
|Mar snow days = 0.0
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.1
|year snow days = 0.7
|Jan humidity = 70.7
|Feb humidity = 68.4
|Mar humidity = 69.1
|Apr humidity = 66.8
|May humidity = 73.7
|Jun humidity = 76.3
|Jul humidity = 78.3
|Aug humidity = 80.7
|Sep humidity = 79.9
|Oct humidity = 75.9
|Nov humidity = 73.2
|Dec humidity = 71.5
|year humidity = 73.7
|Jan sun = 181.5
|Feb sun = 182.1
|Mar sun = 238.0
|Apr sun = 276.3
|May sun = 285.3
|Jun sun = 280.1
|Jul sun = 280.7
|Aug sun = 254.3
|Sep sun = 230.0
|Oct sun = 229.3
|Nov sun = 197.4
|Dec sun = 181.1
|Jan percentsun = 58
|Feb percentsun = 59
|Mar percentsun = 64
|Apr percentsun = 71
|May percentsun = 66
|Jun percentsun = 65
|Jul percentsun = 64
|Aug percentsun = 61
|Sep percentsun = 62
|Oct percentsun = 65
|Nov percentsun = 63
|Dec percentsun = 59
|year percentsun = 63
|source 1 = [[NOAA]] (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web
| url = http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ilm |title=NowData: NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = May 14, 2021}}</ref><ref name="NOAA txt">
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00013748&format=pdf
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| title = Station: Wilmington INTL AP, NC
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| access-date = May 14, 2021}}</ref><ref name="sundata">
{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP2/00319457.TXT
| title = WILMINGTON WSO AP, NC Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = May 14, 2021}}</ref>
|date = February 2012
}}

===Cityscape===
[[File:Wilmington theater and banking area.JPG|thumb|Wilmington theater and banking area]]
Wilmington boasts a large [[Wilmington Historic District|historic district]] encompassing nearly 300 blocks. Abandoned warehouses on downtown's northern end have been recently demolished making room for multimillion dollar projects, such as what was the world headquarters of [[PPD, Inc.|Pharmaceutical Product Development]] and current tallest building in Wilmington at {{convert|228|ft}}. (The building was then bought by [[Thermo Fisher Scientific]]. In 2023, it was bought by the City of Wilmington and renamed "Skyline Center". It is now the main building for city government operations.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=New Downtown Campus |url=https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/major-projects/new-downtown-campus |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=www.wilmingtonnc.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |author=WECT Staff |date=November 28, 2023 |title=Wilmington City Council approves new name for former Thermo Fisher building, nCino Sports Complex construction funding |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/11/29/wilmington-city-council-approves-new-name-thermo-fisher-building-ncino-sports-complex-construction-funding/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref>) Other completed projects include a state-of-the-art convention center, Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Pier 33 Apartments, and The Cove houseboat community in Port City Marina.

'''Downtown'''/'''Old Wilmington'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Downtown Monuments and Historic Buildings
|-
| The [[George Davis Monument]] (removed)
|-
| The [[Confederate Memorial (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Confederate Memorial]] (removed)
|-
| The [[Bellamy Mansion]]
|-
| [[Cotton Exchange of Wilmington]]
|-
| The [[Temple of Israel (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Temple of Israel]]
|-
| The [[Murchison Building]]
|}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1800= 1689
|1820= 2633
|1830= 3791
|1840= 5335
|1850= 7264
|1860= 9552
|1870= 13446
|1880= 17350
|1890= 20056
|1900= 20976
|1910= 25748
|1920= 33372
|1930= 32270
|1940= 33407
|1950= 45043
|1960= 44013
|1970= 46169
|1980= 44000
|1990= 55530
|2000= 75838
|2010= 106476
|2020= 115451
|estyear=2023
|estimate=122698
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=September 18, 2013}}</ref><br />2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wilmingtoncitynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Wilmington city, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 16, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Wilmington, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br /><small>{{nobold|''Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wilmington city, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=160XX00US3774440|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilmington city, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US3774440&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilmington city, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US3774440&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|52,639
|75,432
|style='background: #ffffe6; |79,791
|69.41%
|70.84%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |69.11%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|19,423
|20,850
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,828
|25.61%
|19.58%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |16.31%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|242
|379
|style='background: #ffffe6; |317
|0.32%
|0.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|677
|1,246
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,826
|0.89%
|1.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.58%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|60
|61
|style='background: #ffffe6; |98
|0.08%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|108
|195
|style='background: #ffffe6; |554
|0.14%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.48%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|698
|1,826
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,493
|0.92%
|1.71%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.89%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,991
|6,487
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,544
|2.63%
|6.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.27%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''75,838'''
|'''106,476'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''115,451'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 115,451 people, 54,673 households, and 27,131 families residing in the city.

[[File:Race and ethnicity 2020 Wilmington, NC.png|thumb|Map of racial distribution in Wilmington, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person: {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(115, 178, 255)|White}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(159, 212, 0)|Black}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(255, 0, 0)|Asian}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(255, 170, 0)|Hispanic}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(140, 81, 181)|Multiracial}} {{legend inline|outline=white|white|text=⬤|textcolor=rgb(153, 102, 51)|Native American/Other}}]]

===2013 census estimate===
At the 2013 [[Population Estimates Program|census estimate]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/3774440.html|title=Wilmington city North Carolina QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211205046/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/3774440.html|archive-date=February 11, 2015}}</ref> there were 112,067 people and 47,003 households in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,067.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}} and there were 53,400 housing units. The racial composition of the city was: 73.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 19.9% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American]], 6.1% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino American]], 1.2% [[Asian American]], 0.5% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.1% [[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander American|other Pacific Islander]].

There were 34,359 households, out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.5% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.5% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 17.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,099, and the median income for a family was $41,891. Males had a median income of $30,803 versus $23,423 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $21,503. About 13.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

===Crime===
{{Infobox UCR
|city_name= Wilmington
|year= 2022
|homicide= 10.0
|rape= 66.5
|robbery= 93.9
|aggravated_assault= 364.0
|violent_crime= 534.4
|burglary= 393.1
|larceny_theft= 2,243.1
|motor_vehicle_theft= 227.7
|arson= 13.3
|property_crime= 2,877.2
|source_url= https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend
|source_name= 2022 FBI UCR Data
|notes= 2022 population: 120,324
}}

Wilmington has an increasing problem with gang violence,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwaytv3.com/news-tags/gangs|title=Gangs Archives – WWAY TV3|work=WWAY TV3}}</ref> and on October 15, 2013, the WPD and NHC sheriff's department created a joint task force to combat gang violence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wral.com/new-team-to-battle-gang-violence-in-wilmington/12996724/ |title=New team to battle gang violence in Wilmington :: WRAL.com |access-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017055830/http://www.wral.com/new-team-to-battle-gang-violence-in-wilmington/12996724/ |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Just a day later the city council approved $142,000 in funding for a gang investigative unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwaytv3.com/2013/10/15/city-council-approves-funding-for-wpd-gang-investigative-unit|first=WWAY|last=TV3|title=City Council approves funding for WPD gang investigative unit|access-date=April 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017082150/http://www.wwaytv3.com/2013/10/15/city-council-approves-funding-for-wpd-gang-investigative-unit|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Religion===
Less than half of Wilmington's population is religiously affiliated (47.30%), with the majority of practitioners being [[Christianity|Christian]]. The two largest Christian denominations in Wilmington are Protestant: [[Baptist]]s (14.66%) and [[Methodist]]s (8.29%), followed by [[Roman Catholic]]s (7.42%). There are also a significant number of [[Presbyterian]]s (3.19%), [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopalians]] (2.30%), [[Pentecostal]]s (1.45%), and [[Lutheran]]s (1.32%). Other Christian denominations make up 7.02%, and the [[Latter-Day Saints]] have 0.90%.  Much smaller is the proportion of residents who follow [[Islam]] (0.46%), and [[Judaism]] (0.25%). A small percentage of people practice [[Eastern religions]] (0.04%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/north_carolina/wilmington|title=Wilmington, North Carolina Religion}}</ref>

Wilmington has significant historical religious buildings, such as the [[Basilica Shrine of St. Mary (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Basilica Shrine of St. Mary]] and the [[Temple of Israel (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Temple of Israel]].

==Economy==
[[File:Port of Wilmington Aerial 3B19.jpg|thumb|Port of Wilmington from the air]]
[[File:Cotton Exchange Exterior.jpg|thumb|[[Cotton Exchange of Wilmington]]]]
Wilmington's industrial base includes electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; nuclear fuel; and pharmaceuticals. Wilmington is part of North Carolina's Research coast, adjacent to the [[Research Triangle Park]] in [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas |url=https://statisticalatlas.com/place/North-Carolina/Wilmington/Industries |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=statisticalatlas.com}}</ref>

Also important to Wilmington's economy is tourism due to its close proximity to the ocean and vibrant nightlife. Retail areas include the [[Cotton Exchange of Wilmington]] and [[Independence Mall (North Carolina)|Independence Mall]].

Located on the [[Cape Fear River]], which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington is a sizable [[seaport]], including private marine terminals and the [[North Carolina State Ports Authority]]'s Port of Wilmington.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Port of Wilmington |url=https://ncports.com/port-facilities/port-of-wilmington/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=NC Ports |language=en-US}}</ref>

Wilmington is home to the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, the oldest Chamber in North Carolina, organized in 1853.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.wilmingtonchamber.org/about-us |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=Wilmington Chamber of Commerce}}</ref> Companies with their headquarters in Wilmington include [[Live Oak Bank]] and [[HomeInsurance.com]].

===Top employers===
{{See also|Category:Companies based in Wilmington, North Carolina}}
According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:<ref name="cafr">{{cite web |title=City of Wilmington 2023 ACFR |url=https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/government/documents/annual-financial-report/2023-financial-report.pdf |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=October 24, 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! Employees
|-
| 1
|[[Novant Health]]
|8,581
|-
| 2
|[[New Hanover County Schools]]
|3,702
|-
| 3
|[[University of North Carolina Wilmington]]
|2,236
|-
| 4
|[[New Hanover County, North Carolina|New Hanover County]]
|1,982
|-
| 5
|[[GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy]]
|1,888
|-
| 6
|[[Thermo Fisher Scientific]] ([[PPD, Inc.|PPD]])
|1,800
|-
| 7
|City of Wilmington
|1,116
|-
| 8
|[[Cape Fear Community College]]
|1,083
|-
| 9
|[[Corning Incorporated|Corning]]
|1,000
|-
| 10
|Wilmington Health
|1,000
|}

==Arts and culture==

===Performing arts===
The city supports a very active calendar with its showcase theater, [[City Hall/Thalian Hall|Thalian Hall]], hosting about 250 events annually. The complex has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1858 and houses three performance venues, the Main Stage, the Grand Ballroom, and the Studio Theater.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thalianhall.com |title=Home |publisher=Thalian Hall |date=May 16, 2013 |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>

The Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wilmingtoncommunityarts.org |title=Welcome to the Hannah S. Block Community Arts Center |publisher=Wilmingtoncommunityarts.org |date=April 5, 2013 |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> 120 South Second Street in the [[Wilmington Historic District]], is a multiuse facility owned by the City of Wilmington and managed by the Thalian Association,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thalian.org |title=Thalian Association – The Official Community Theater of North Carolina |publisher=Thalian.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> the Official Community Theater of North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/North_Carolina/community-theater.html |title=North Carolina State Community Theater – Thalian Association |publisher=Statesymbolsusa.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>  Here, five studios are available to nonprofit organizations for theatrical performances, rehearsals, musicals, recitals and art classes. For more than half a century, the Hannah Block Historic USO Building has facilitated the coming together of generations, providing children with programs that challenge them creatively, and enhance the quality of life for residents throughout the region.

The Hannah Block Second Street Stage is home to the Thalian Association Children's Theater.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thalian.org/index.php/Children-s-Theater/what-is-thalian-association-childrens-theater.html |title=What is TACT? &#124; Children's Theater |publisher=Thalian.org |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616024241/http://www.thalian.org/index.php/Children-s-Theater/what-is-thalian-association-childrens-theater.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>  It is one of the main attractions at the Hannah Block Community Arts Center. The theater seats 200 and is used as a performance venue by community theater groups and other entertainment productions.

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington College of Arts and Science departments of Theatre, Music and Art share a state-of-the-art, $34 million Cultural Arts Building, which opened in December 2006. The production area consists of a music recital hall, art gallery, and two theaters. Sponsored events include 4 theater productions a year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://appserv02.uncw.edu/caic/events-cultural.asp |title= UNCW - Office of Cultural Arts|website=appserv02.uncw.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930164058/http://appserv02.uncw.edu/caic/events-cultural.asp |archive-date=September 30, 2011}}</ref>

The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews is a 125-year-old building on the corner of North 4th Street and Campbell Street in downtown Wilmington. The Brooklyn Arts Center at Saint Andrews (BAC) is on the National Register of Historic Places. The BAC is used for weddings, concerts, fundraisers, art shows, vintage flea markets, and other community-driven events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynartsnc.com/index.php|title=Concerts, Weddings, Events in Wilmington, NC :: The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews, Wilmington, NC|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref>

Wilmington is home to the Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts, a studio for foundlings. The Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts is the only studio in the region to offer [[Progressing Ballet Technique]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Progressing Ballet Technique |url=https://pbt.dance/en/about |access-date=October 19, 2020 |website=pbt.dance}}</ref> instruction from two certified instructors. The Conservatory is also host to Turning Pointe Dance Company, a faith-based dance company, which performs artistic pieces such as "Pinocchio" for the Wilmington Community.<ref>{{cite web|date=November 18, 2019|title=Turning Pointe Dance Company's "Pinocchio"|url=https://www.life905.com/turning-pointe-dance-companys-pinocchio/|access-date=October 19, 2020|website=Life 90.5|language=en-US|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124175118/https://www.life905.com/turning-pointe-dance-companys-pinocchio/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Film and television series===
[[File:EUE-Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina 3 (cropped).jpg|thumb|EUE/Screen Gems Studios (now Cinespace Wilmington) in November 2022]]
[[File:Wilmington, NC City Hall IMG 4364.JPG|thumb|Wilmington City Hall, with movie crews filming in July 2012]]
{{Main|Films and television shows produced in Wilmington, North Carolina}}
Wilmington is home to [[Cinespace Film Studios|Cinespace Wilmington]]. The city's prominent place in cinema throughout the 1980s and 1990s earned the city the moniker "Hollywood East". Popular television series like<ref name="ILMTelevison">{{Cite web |title=Television Filmed in Wilmington, NC |url=https://www.wilmingtonfilm.com/television/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Wilmington Regional Film Commission}}</ref> ''[[Matlock (1986 TV series)|Matlock]]'' (1986–1995), ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'' (1998–2003), ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'' (2003–2012), ''[[Eastbound & Down]]'' (2009–2013), ''[[Sleepy Hollow (TV series)|Sleepy Hollow]]'' (2013–2017), ''[[Under the Dome (TV series)|Under the Dome]]'' (2013–2015), ''[[Outer Banks (TV series)|Outer Banks]]'' (2020–present),<ref name="OBXPortCityDaily">{{Cite web |last=Carver |first=Shea |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Netflix's season 4 of 'Outer Banks' to film this summer in greater Wilmington area |url=https://portcitydaily.com/arts-and-culture/2023/06/09/netflixs-season-4-of-outer-banks-to-film-this-summer-in-greater-wilmington-area/ |access-date=February 11, 2024 |website=Port City Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="OBXWECT">{{Cite web |author1=WECT Staff |last2=Crooms |first2=Reyna |date=November 16, 2023 |title=Season four of 'Outer Banks' to begin production in Wrightsville Beach |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/11/16/season-four-outer-banks-begin-production-wrightsville-beach/ |access-date=February 11, 2024 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref> and ''[[The Summer I Turned Pretty (TV series)|The Summer I Turned Pretty]]'' (2022–present) were partially or fully filmed at the studio complex and on location throughout the city. Movies partially or fully shot in or near Wilmington include<ref name="ILMFilm">{{Cite web |title=Movies Filmed in Wilmington, NC |url=https://www.wilmingtonfilm.com/feature-film/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Wilmington Regional Film Commission}}</ref> ''[[Firestarter (1984 film)|Firestarter]]'' (1984), ''[[Blue Velvet (film)|Blue Velvet]]'' (1986), ''[[Maximum Overdrive]]'' (1986), ''[[Weekend at Bernie's]]'' (1989), ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' (1990), ''[[Super Mario Bros. (film)|Super Mario Bros.]]'' (1993), ''[[Radioland Murders]]'' (1994), ''[[The Crow (1994 film)|The Crow]]'' (1994),<ref>Barth, Jack (1991)</ref> ''[[I Know What You Did Last Summer]]'' (1997), ''[[The Conjuring]]'' (2013), ''[[Iron Man 3]]'' (2013), ''[[Safe Haven (film)|Safe Haven]]'' (2013), ''[[We're the Millers]]'' (2013),<ref>''Roadside Hollywood: The Movie Lover's State-By-State Guide to Film Locations, Celebrity Hangouts, Celluloid Tourist Attractions, and More''. Contemporary Books. Pages 173–175. {{ISBN|9780809243266}}.</ref> ''[[The Black Phone]]'' (2021), ''[[Halloween Kills]]'' (2021), and ''[[Scream (2022 film)|Scream]]'' (2022). Actor [[Brandon Lee]] was killed after an accidental shooting during the filming of ''The Crow''.<ref>{{cite web | title=The brief life and unnecessary death of Brandon Lee | website=EW.com | date=April 16, 1993 | url=https://ew.com/article/1993/04/16/brief-life-and-unnecessary-death-brandon-lee/ | access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

Since 1995, Wilmington hosts an annual, nationally recognized, independent film festival called "[[Cucalorus Film Festival|Cucalorus]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cucalorus.org |title=Annual Festival of Independent Film |publisher=Cucalorus |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> It is the keystone event of The Cucalorus Film Foundation, a non-profit organization. The Foundation also sponsors weekly screenings, several short documentary projects, and the annual Kids Festival, with hands on film-making workshops.

The Cape Fear Independent Film Network also hosts a film festival annually, and the Wilmington Jewish Film Festival also takes place yearly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilmingtonjff.org/history/|title=History of the WJFF|website=Wilmington Jewish Film Festival|language=en-US|access-date=March 19, 2019|archive-date=October 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022014334/http://www.wilmingtonjff.org/history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> For several years Wilmington was also the location of fan conventions for [[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]], reuniting the cast and drawing tourists to the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20181205/eyecons-one-tree-hill-reunion-conventions-to-end|title=EyeCon's 'One Tree Hill' reunion conventions to end|author=Hunter Ingram StarNews Staff|website=Wilmington Star-News|language=en|access-date=March 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 2014, Governor [[Pat McCrory]] decided not to renew the film incentives, which ended up taking a massive toll on not just Wilmington's but North Carolina's entire film industry.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-onlocation-north-carolina-20140827-story.html |title=North Carolina cutting film tax credit program |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 27, 2014 |access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> As a result, most productions and film businesses moved to other cities, especially to [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. For the years following, were many attempts to bring the industry back to North Carolina via the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant. This grant designates $31 million per fiscal year (Jul 1 – Jun 30) in film incentives.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.filmnc.com/25-rebate.html |title=Film Incentives |publisher=North Carolina Film Office |access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref>

In the early 2020s, after the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 lockdowns]] and changes to state legislation, filming in the city began to increase again, with 2021 being the biggest year to date for both the city's film industry as well as the whole film industry at large in North Carolina.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Dean |first=Korie |date=August 22, 2022 |title=From talkies to tax credits: A timeline of the film industry in North Carolina |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article259199313.html |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=The News & Observer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Kiley |date=January 14, 2021 |title=Wilmington's film industry makes a comeback after COVID-19 lockdown |url=https://theseahawk.org/30117/culture/wilmingtons-film-industry-makes-a-comeback-after-covid-19-lockdown/ |access-date=May 28, 2023 |website=The Seahawk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TOP STORIES: Biggest year ever for film industry |url=http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/film/2021/12/17/top_stories_biggest_year_ever_for_film_industry/22681 |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=WilmingtonBiz}}</ref><ref name=":32">{{Cite web |last=Cosgrove |first=Elly |date=December 31, 2021 |title=Wilmington's film industry enjoys record-breaking year |url=https://www.wect.com/2021/12/31/wilmingtons-film-industry-enjoys-record-breaking-year/ |access-date=January 20, 2024 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref>

In 2022, [[Dark Horse Studios]]—which became Wilmington's second film studio in 2020—planned a 20-million-dollar expansion to their studio complex in Wilmington, set to be complete in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Dark Horse |url=https://darkhorsestudios.com/about/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=darkhorsestudios.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=More space to film: Dark Horse Studios plans $20M expansion |url=http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/film/2022/12/05/more_space_to_film_dark_horse_studios_plans_20m_expansion/23940 |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=WilmingtonBiz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=WECT Staff |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Dark Horse Studios holds groundbreaking ceremony for two new sound stages |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/08/03/dark-horse-studios-holds-groundbreaking-ceremony-two-new-sound-stages/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref>

On September 27, 2023, Cinespace Studios announced it had purchased the [[EUE/Screen Gems|EUE/Screen Gems Studios]] location in Wilmington.<ref name="Cinespace Studios">{{Cite web |last=WECT Staff |date=September 27, 2023 |title=Cinespace Studios buys EUE/Screen Gems studio in Wilmington |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/09/27/cinespace-studios-buys-wilmington-euescreen-gems-studio/ |access-date=September 28, 2023 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref>

===Literature===
Birthplace of Johnson Jones Hooper (1815–1862), Author of the Simon Suggs Series.

Birthplace of Robert Ruark (1915–1965)

Now rare, an early edition of the Scottish poet [[Robert Burns]]'s "[[Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect]]" was printed by Bonsal and Niles of Market Street, Baltimore in 1804.

===Music===
Chamber Music Wilmington was founded in 1995 and presents its four-concert "Simply Classical" series every season. The concerts are performed by world-class chamber musicians and are held at UNCW's Beckwith Recital Hall.

The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra was established in 1971 and offers throughout the year a series of five classical performances, and a Free Family Concert.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wilmingtonsymphony.org/ |title=Wilmington Symphony Orchestra &#124; Wilmington NC |publisher=Wilmingtonsymphony.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>

One of the largest [[DIY]] festivals, the Wilmington Exchange Festival, occurs over a period of five days around [[Memorial Day]] each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wefestival.com/ |title=Wilmington Exchange Festival for Art, Music and More |publisher=We Festival |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-date=July 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718175759/http://wefestival.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Beginning in 1980, the North Carolina Jazz Festival is an annual three-day traditional jazz festival that features world-renowned jazz musicians.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://ncjazzfestival.org/about/ |access-date=August 31, 2024 |website=North Carolina Jazz Festival |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Cape Fear Blues Society is a driving force behind blues music in Wilmington. The organization manages, staffs and sponsors weekly Cape Fear Blues Jams and the annual Cape Fear Blues Challenge talent competition (winners travel to Memphis TN for the International Blues Challenge). Its largest endeavor is the Cape Fear Blues Festival, an annual celebration that showcases local, regional and national touring blues artists performing at a variety of events and venues, including the Cape Fear Blues Cruise, Blues Workshops, an All-Day Blues Jam, and numerous live club shows. Membership in the CFBS is open to listeners and musicians alike.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.capefearblues.org |title=Cape Fear Blues Society – Wilmington, NC |publisher=Capefearblues.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>
{{Further|topic=the rock & roll band|Thunderlip}}

===Museums and historic sites===
[[File:USS North Carolina-27527.jpg|right|thumb|The [[USS North Carolina (BB-55)|USS ''North Carolina'' Battleship Memorial]], seen from downtown Wilmington, across the [[Cape Fear River]]]]
[[File:Railroad Museum in Wilmington, NC IMG 4452.JPG|right|thumb|The Railroad Museum is located behind the Hilton Hotel.]]
* [[Cameron Art Museum]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cameronartmuseum.com |title=Wilmington, NC |publisher=Cameron Art Museum |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Bellamy Mansion|Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts]]
* [[Cape Fear Museum of History and Science]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.capefearmuseum.com |title=Cape Fear Museum |publisher=Cape Fear Museum |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>
* The Children's Museum of Wilmington<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playwilmington.org |title=Welcome to the Children's Museum of Wilmington! |publisher=Playwilmington.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>
* [[First Baptist Church (Wilmington, North Carolina)|First Baptist Church]], founded in 1808
* [[First Presbyterian Church (Wilmington, North Carolina)|First Presbyterian Church]], historic Presbyterian church
* Grace [[United Methodist]] Church, founded in 1797
* Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome to the Hannah S. Block Community Arts Center |url=http://wilmingtoncommunityarts.org |access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref>
* Latimer House Museum and Gardens<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Latimer House |url=https://latimerhouse.org/ |access-date=November 22, 2023 |website=latimerhouse.org}}</ref>
* [[St. James Episcopal Church (Wilmington, North Carolina)|St. James Episcopal Church]], oldest church in Wilmington
* [[Basilica Shrine of St. Mary (Wilmington, North Carolina)|St. Mary Catholic Church]], historic Roman Catholic church in Wilmington
* [[Sunset Park Historic District]]
* [[Temple of Israel (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Temple of Israel]], [[Oldest synagogues in the United States|oldest]] [[synagogue]] in North Carolina
* [[USS North Carolina (BB-55)#Memorial and museum|USS ''North Carolina'' Memorial]]
* Wilmington Railroad Museum<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wilmingtonrailroadmuseum.org|title=Wilmington Railroad Museum|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref>

The Second and Orange Street USO Club was erected by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] at a cost of $80,000. Along with an identical structure on Nixon Street for African-American servicemen, it opened in December 1941, the same month that the Japanese attacked [[Pearl Harbor]]. From 1941 to 1945, the USO hosted 35,000 uniformed visitors a week. Recently renovated with sensitivity to its historic character, the Hannah Block Historic USO (HBHUSO) lobby serves as a museum where World War II memorabilia and other artifacts are displayed. The building itself was rededicated in Ms. Block's name in 2006 and restored to its 1943 wartime character in 2008. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The World War II Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wilburjones.com/world-war-two-wilmington-coalition |title=WWII Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition – Wilbur Jones Compositions, L.L.C |publisher=Wilburjones.com |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> an all volunteer 501(c)(3) preservation organization, is the de facto preservationist of the building's history and maintains the home front museum.

===Festivals===
Wilmington is host to many annual festivals, including, most notably, the [[North Carolina Azalea Festival|Azalea Festival]].  The Azalea Festival, sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club, features a garden tour, historic home tour, garden party, musical performances, a parade, and a fireworks show.  It takes places every year in April.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 20, 2020 |title=NC Azalea Festival {{!}} Art, Gardens, Culture {{!}} Wilmington, NC |url=https://ncazaleafestival.org/ |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=ncazaleafestival.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Sports==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Founded
! scope="col" | Titles
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Wilmington Sharks]]
| [[Coastal Plain League|CPL]], Baseball
| [[Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium]]
| 1997
| 2
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Wilmington Hammerheads FC|Wilmington Hammerheads]]{{efn|Disbanded in 2017. All operations were moved to its youth team, Wilmington Hammerheads Youth FC.}}
| [[United Soccer League|USL]], Soccer
| [[Legion Stadium (North Carolina)|Legion Stadium]]
| 1996
| 1
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Wilmington Sea Dawgs]]
| [[Tobacco Road Basketball League|TRBL]], Basketball
| Wilmington YMCA
| 2006
| 0

|}
The [[Wilmington Sharks]] are a [[Coastal Plain League]] (CPL) baseball team in Wilmington that was founded in 1997 and was among the charter organizations when the CPL was formed that same year. The roster is made up of top collegiate baseball players fine-tuning their skills using wood bats to prepare for professional baseball. Their stadium is located at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium.

The [[Wilmington Sea Dawgs]] are a [[Tobacco Road Basketball League]] (TRBL) team that began its inaugural season with the [[American Basketball Association (21st century)|American Basketball Association]] (ABA) in November 2006 and have also played in the [[Premier Basketball League]], and the [[Continental Basketball League]].

The [[Wilmington Hammerheads]] were a professional soccer team based in Wilmington. They were founded in 1996 and played in the [[United Soccer Leagues]] Second Division. Their stadium was [[Legion Stadium (North Carolina)|Legion Stadium]], however, [[UNCW Soccer Stadium]] for their 2017 season. After the 2009 season, the USL discontinued their relationship with the franchise owner [[Chuck Sullivan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2009 |title=Hammerheads removed from USL: Owner has comment |url=https://www.wect.com/story/11265308/hammerheads-removed-from-usl-owner-has-comment |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref> The Hammerheads franchise returned in 2011, but was disbanded again in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smist |first=John |date=February 16, 2018 |title=Wilmington Hammerheads PDL team won't return in 2018 |url=https://www.wect.com/story/37517160/wilmington-hammerheads-pdl-team-wont-return-in-2018 |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=WECT |language=en}}</ref> Currently, the organization only manages its youth team under the name Wilmington Hammerheads Youth FC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soccer |url=https://www.ymcasenc.org/programs/soccer/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina |language=en}}</ref>

The [[University of North Carolina Wilmington]] sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports and has held Division 1 membership in the [[NCAA]] since 1977. UNCW competes in the [[Colonial Athletic Association]] and has been a member since 1984.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is also home to the Seamen Ultimate Frisbee team.  The team won the National Championship in 1993 and most recently qualified for the USA Ultimate College Nationals tournament in 2014

The Cape Fear Rugby Football Club is an amateur rugby club playing in USA Rugby South Division II. They were founded in 1974 and hosts the annual [[Cape Fear Sevens]] Tournament held over July 4 weekend; hosting teams from all over the world. They own their own rugby pitch located at 21st and Chestnut St.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fearrugby.com|title=Cape Fear Rugby Club – Honesti Supra Et Atque Campum}}</ref>

Off and on, from 1900 to 2001, Wilmington has been home to a professional minor league baseball team. The [[Wilmington Pirates]], a [[Cincinnati Reds]] farm team, were one of the top clubs in the [[Tobacco State League]] from 1946–50.<ref>{{Cite book| author-last=Holaday| author-first=Chris| title=The Tobacco State League; A North Carolina Baseball History, 1946–1950| location=Jefferson, N.C.| publisher=McFarland| year=2016| isbn=978-1-4766-6670-9}}</ref> Most recently the Wilmington Waves, a Class A affiliate of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], played in the South Atlantic League. Former All Star catcher [[Jason Varitek]] played for Wilmington's [[Port City Roosters]] in 1995 and 1996. In 1914 the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] held [[spring training]] in Wilmington.<ref>{{cite book |title=The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia |year=2007 |publisher=Sterling Publishing |isbn=978-1-4027-4771-7 |page=1789}}</ref>

The beach near Wilmington, NC is home to the annual O’Neil/Sweetwater Pro-Am and Music Festival, the second largest surfing contest on the East Coast.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Creek |first1=Tidal |title=Three Awesome Places to Go Surfing in Wilmington NC |url=https://www.tidalcreek.coop/three-awesome-places-to-go-surfing-in-wilmington-nc/#:~:text=1.,and%20spectators%20of%20all%20ages.&text=Professional%20surfers%20that%20have%20won,Fisher%20Heverly%2C%20and%20Avon%20Cormican. |website=Tidal Creek |access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Wilmington, North Carolina}}
Wilmington adopted a [[Council–manager government|council–manager]] form of government in 1941.<ref>{{cite news| title = City Selects Council-Manager System, 1,743 To 1,259 Votes, In Unusually Light Referendum| newspaper = Wilmington Morning Star| edition = final| page = 1| volume = 74| issue = 181| date = April 1, 1941| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn78002169/1941-04-01/ed-1/seq-1/}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:University of North Carolina Wilmington Main Campus (15 August 2023) 176.jpg|thumb|Arches on the campus of the [[University of North Carolina Wilmington]]]]

===Universities and colleges===
* [[University of North Carolina at Wilmington]]
* [[Cape Fear Community College]]
* [[Shaw University]] (satellite campus)
* [[University of Mount Olive]] (satellite campus)
* [[University of North Carolina at Pembroke]] (satellite campus)
* [[Miller-Motte Technical College]]

===Schools===
Public schools in Wilmington are operated by the [[New Hanover County School System]]. Public high schools in the city include [[Emsley A. Laney High School]], [[Eugene Ashley High School]], Girls’ Leadership Academy (GLOW), [[Isaac Bear Early College High School]], [[John T. Hoggard High School]], Mosley Performance Learning Center, [[New Hanover High School]], and Wilmington Early College High School.

Wilmington also has numerous private schools, including [[Cape Fear Academy]], [[St. Mark Catholic School (Wilmington, North Carolina)|St. Mark Catholic School]], and the [[Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences]].

==Media==
{{see also|List of newspapers in North Carolina|List of radio stations in North Carolina|List of television stations in North Carolina}}

===Newspapers===
The ''[[Star-News]]'' is Wilmington's daily newspaper; read widely throughout the Lower Cape Fear region and now owned by Gannett, following its merger with the Star's previous owner, [[GateHouse Media]].<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=GateHouse, Gannett merger is official, creating largest U.S. newspaper chain|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/gatehouse-gannett-merger-is-official-creating-largest-us-newspaper-chain-2019-11-19|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=MarketWatch|language=en-US}}</ref>  A daily online newspaper, ''Port City Daily'', is owned by Local Daily Media.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2023 |title=Port City Daily |url=https://portcitydaily.com/ |access-date=July 28, 2023 |website=Port City Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Properties |url=https://localdailymedia.com/properties/ |access-date=July 28, 2023 |website=Local Daily Media |language=en-US}}</ref> Two historically black newspapers are distributed and published weekly: ''[[The Wilmington Journal]]'' and ''The Challenger Newspapers.'' ''Encore Magazine'' is a weekly arts and entertainment publication.

===Broadcast radio===
====AM====
* 630 AM [[WMFD (AM)|WMFD]] – Sports ("ESPN Radio, AM 630")
* 1340 AM [[WLSG]] – Regional Mexican ("La Raza 94.1")

====FM====
* 89.7 FM [[WDVV]] – Worship & Praise Music ("The Dove, 89.7")
* 90.5 FM [[WWIL-FM]] – Christian Music ("Life 90.5")
* 91.3 FM [[WHQR]] – Public Radio
* 93.1 FM [[WBPL-LP]] – Wilmington Catholic Radio
* 94.1 FM [[WLSG|W231CL]] Regional Mexican ("La Raza 94.1") (WLSG translator)
* 95.5 FM [[W238AV]] – Contemporary Christian ("[[K-LOVE]]")
* 95.9 FM [[W240AS]] – Soft AC  ("95.9 The Breeze") (WKXB translator)
* 97.3 FM [[WMNX]] – Hip Hop/R & B ("Coast 97.3")
* 100.5 FM [[W263BA]] – Contemporary Christian ("[[K-LOVE]]")
* 101.3 FM [[WWQQ-FM]]- Country ("Double Q, 101")
* 102.7 FM [[WGNI]] – Hot AC ("102.7 GNI")
* 104.5 FM [[WYHW]] – Christian Talk ("104.5")

===Television===
The Wilmington television market is ranked 130 in the United States, and is the smallest [[Designated Market Area|DMA]] in North Carolina. The broadcast stations are as follows:
* [[WWAY]], Channel 3, ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate, with [[CBS]] on [[WWAY-DT2|3.2]] and [[The CW|CW]] on [[WWAY-DT3|3.3]]): licensed to Wilmington, owned by [[Morris Multimedia]]
* [[WECT]], Channel 6, ([[NBC]] affiliate): licensed to Wilmington, owned by [[Gray Television]]
* [[WILM-LD]], Channel 10, ([[Independent station (North America)|Independent station]]): licensed to Wilmington, owned by the [[Capitol Broadcasting Company]]
* [[WSFX-TV]], Channel 26, ([[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate): licensed to Wilmington, owned by [[American Spirit Media]] and operated by Gray Television
* [[WUNJ-TV]], Channel 39, ([[PBS]] member station, part of the [[UNC-TV]] Network)

Cable news station [[News 14 Carolina]] also maintains its coastal bureau in Wilmington.

On September 8, 2008, at noon, WWAY, WECT, WSFX, WILM-LP and W51CW all turned off their analog signals, making Wilmington the first market in the nation to go digital-only as part of a test by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to iron out transition and reception concerns before the [[DTV transition in the United States|nationwide shutoff]]. Wilmington was chosen as the test market because the area's digital channel positions will remain unchanged after the transition.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2008-05-07-digitaltv_N.htm |work=USA Today |title=Wilmington, N.C., to test mandatory switch to digital TV |first=Paul |last=Davidson |date=May 8, 2008}}</ref> As the area's official conduit of emergency information, WUNJ did not participate in the early analog switchoff, and kept their analog signal on until the national [[Digital television transition|digital switchover]] date of June 12, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080507/NEWS/118071900/1004/Wilmington_to_switch_to_digital_TV_signals_before_rest_of_country|title=Article no longer available}}</ref> W47CK did not participate due to its low-power status; FCC rules currently exempt low-powered stations from the 2009 analog shutdown.<ref>{{cite web |last=Teinowitz |first=Ira |url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/fcc_confirms_wilmington_as_dig.php |title=FCC Confirms Wilmington as Digital Test Market |work=TVWeek |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> WILM-LP and W51CW chose to participate, even though they are exempt as LPTV stations.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=John Eggerton |date=May 10, 2008 |title=Wilmington Pulls Plug on Analog |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/wilmington-pulls-plug-analog-84680 |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=Broadcasting Cable |language=en}}</ref>

Despite [[Hurricane Hanna (2008)|Tropical Storm Hanna]] making landfall southwest of Wilmington two days before (September 6), the switchover continued as scheduled. The ceremony was marked by governmental and television representatives flipping a large switch (marked with the slogan "First in Flight, First in Digital") from analog to digital.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dunbar |first=John |url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080908/ARTICLES/809080291/1155&title=Local_TV_broadcasts_make_switch_to_digital |title=Wilmington TV broadcasters make switch to digital |work=StarNews Online |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>

{{Wilmington TV}}

==Transportation==
[[File:NC 132 from the Air in New Hanover County 9.jpg|thumb|Intersection of South College Road, South 17th Street, and Waltmoor Road from the air]]

===Airport===
{{Main|Wilmington International Airport}}
The [[Wilmington International Airport]] (ILM) serves the area with commercial air service provided by [[American Airlines]], [[Delta Air Lines]], [[United Airlines]] and [[Avelo Airlines]]. American Airlines carries a large share of the airport's traffic, and therefore flies the largest of the aircraft in and out of the airport.  The airport serves over 930,000 travelers per year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGrath |first1=Gareth |title=Flying high, Wilmington airport sets passenger record |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20190109/flying-high-wilmington-airport-sets-passenger-record |website=Wilmington Star-News |access-date=March 4, 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ILM reports annual passenger record |url=http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/more_news/2019/01/09/ilm_reports_annual_passenger_record/18430 |website=WilmingtonBiz |access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Wilmington Airport Documents • Fly ILM |url=https://flyilm.com/airport-documents/ |website=Fly ILM |access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref> The airport is also home to two fixed-base operations (FBOs) that currently house over 100 private aircraft. The airport maintains a separate International Terminal providing a full service Federal Inspection Station to clear international flights. This includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Immigration. The airport is 4 miles from downtown and is served by [[Wave Transit]] buses.

===U.S. Routes===
[[File:WilmingtonAerialViewCoastGuard.jpg|thumb|The [[Cape Fear Memorial Bridge]] (foreground) carries [[U.S. Route 17 Business (Wilmington, North Carolina)|US 17 Business]], [[U.S. Route 76|US 76]] and [[U.S. Route 421 in North Carolina|US 421]] across the [[Cape Fear River]]]]
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|17}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|17|dab1=Wilmington}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Byp|17|dab1=Hampstead}} (future Hampstead Bypass)
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|74}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|76}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|117}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|421}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Truck|421|dab1=Wilmington}}

===North Carolina State Highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|132}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|133}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|417}} (temporary highway designation for US 17 Byp.)

===Alternative transportation options===
Public transit in the area is provided by the [[Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wavetransit.com/ |title=Bus, Shuttle & Trolley Transportation – Wave Transit, Wilmington, NC |publisher=Wavetransit.com |date=April 7, 2013 |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> which operates fixed bus routes, shuttles, and a free downtown trolley under the brand name Wave Transit. A daily intercity bus service to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] is provided by [[Greyhound Lines]]. Wilmington is also served by [[Amtrak Thruway]] bus connections to [[Wilson, North Carolina]] where connections can be made with Amtrak's ''[[Carolinian (train)|Carolinian]]'' and ''[[Palmetto (train)|Palmetto]].'' The city's [[Union Station (Wilmington, North Carolina)|Union Station]] last had passenger train service in 1968 with the [[Seaboard Coast Line]]'s [[Palmetto (ACL train)|predecessor version]] of the ''Palmetto.'' The [[Seaboard Air Line]]'s station last had service in 1958, with a daily train to [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] via [[Hamlet, North Carolina|Hamlet]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Seaboard Air Line Railroad, Table 38 |journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=90 |issue=7 |date=December 1957}}</ref><ref name="aboard">{{cite news |last=Gubbins |first=Pat Borden |date=August 7, 1988 |title=ALL ABOARD! TENANT SOUGHT TO RENOVATE SEABOARD DEPOT|work=Charlotte Observer}}</ref>

The [[North Carolina Bicycle Route 5|NCDOT ''Cape Fear Run'' bicycle route]] connects [[Apex, North Carolina|Apex]] to Wilmington and closely parallels the [[Randonneurs USA|RUSA]] 600&nbsp;km [[brevet (bicycle)|brevet]] route.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unc.edu/~alanj/600_kilometers.htm |title=400 Kilometers |publisher=Unc.edu |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007142102/http://www.unc.edu/~alanj/600_kilometers.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city of Wilmington offers transient docking facilities<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.wilmington.nc.us/Default.aspx?tabid=205 |title=City of Wilmington, North Carolina > Community Services > Recreation > Docking |publisher=Ci.wilmington.nc.us |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222105022/http://www.ci.wilmington.nc.us/Default.aspx?tabid=205 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the center of downtown Wilmington along the Cape Fear River approximately {{convert|12.5|mi|0}} from the [[Intracoastal Waterway]]. The river depth in the run up from the ICW is in excess of {{convert|40|ft}}. Taxicab services are available from several vendors, however, the City's Taxi Commission keeps meter rates artificially low. In 2021, regulations were eased to help the taxi industry compete with other companies like [[Uber]] and [[Lyft]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 19, 2021 |title=Wilmington eases taxi regulations to help industry compete with Uber, Lyft |url=https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/11/18/wilmington-eases-taxi-regulations-to-help-industry-compete-with-uber-lyft/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=Port City Daily |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail is primarily a [[multi-use trail]] that provides bicycle and pedestrian access to numerous recreational, cultural and educational destinations in Wilmington. The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail provides bicycle and pedestrian connection from Wade Park, Halyburton Park and Empie Park to the Heide-Trask Drawbridge at the Intracoastal Waterway.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/community_services/gary_shell_cross_city_trail |title=City of Wilmington, North Carolina > Community Services > Gary Shell Cross City Trail |publisher=Wilmingtonnc.gov |access-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516023025/http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/community_services/gary_shell_cross_city_trail |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It also connects to the River to Sea Bikeway and the under-construction Central College Trail and Greenville Loop Trail.

==Healthcare==
New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Wilmington. It was established in 1967 as a [[public hospital]], and it was the first hospital in the city to admit patients of all races.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rau|first1=Jordan|url=https://fortune.com/2021/01/28/public-hospital-privatization-health-care-systems-new-hanover-north-carolina/|title=In the midst of the pandemic, a public hospital is gobbled up|newspaper=[[Fortune Magazine]]|date=January 28, 2021|access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref> It was operated by New Hanover County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhrmc.org/-/media/files/financial-statements/nhrmc-2019-financial-report.pdf|title=Annual Financial Report New Hanover Regional Medical Center Wilmington, North Carolina (A Component Unit of New Hanover County, North Carolina) Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 With Report of Independent Auditor|publisher=New Hanover Regional Medical Center|access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref> In February 2021 [[Novant Health]], a nonprofit private organization, acquired the hospital.<ref>{{cite web|last=Paavola|first=Alia|url=https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-transactions-and-valuation/novant-buys-north-carolina-system.html|title=Novant buys North Carolina health system|newspaper=Beckers Hospital Review|date=February 1, 2021|access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref>

==Notable people==

===Art and literature===
* [[Jock Brandis]], author, co-founder of the [[Full Belly Project]]
* [[Wiley Cash]], author
* [[Mark Cox (poet)|Mark Cox]], poet
* [[Minnie Evans]], folk artist
* [[Barbara Guest]], poet and prose stylist
* [[Tini Howard]], comic book writer<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/entertainment/arts/2019/02/21/wilmington-comic-book-writers-star-is-on-rise/5783150007/|title=Wilmington comic book writer's star is on the rise}}</ref>
* [[Will Inman (poet)|Will Inman]], poet
* [[Sharyn McCrumb]], author
* [[Thomas McKeller]], model
* [[Peggy Payne]], writer, journalist, and consultant to writers
* [[Celia Rivenbark]], humor columnist and author
* [[Robert Ruark]], author, syndicated columnist, and [[big-game hunting|big game]] hunter
* [[Emily McGary Selinger]], painter, writer, poet, and educator
* [[Betsy Thornton]], author

===Government and politics===
* [[Joseph Carter Abbott]], colonel in [[Union Army]] during [[American Civil War]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] state senator representing [[North Carolina]] from 1868–1871
* [[John Dillard Bellamy]], congressman
* [[Timothy Bloodworth]], teacher and statesmen, elected to the [[1st United States Congress]]
* [[Jeanne Milliken Bonds]], mayor of [[Knightdale, North Carolina]]
* [[Deb Butler]], representative for [[North Carolina's 18th House district]]
* [[John Cox (Virginia politician)|John Cox]], member of the [[Virginia House of Delegates]]
* [[George Davis (American politician)|George Davis]], politician and lawyer
* [[Lucien C. Gause]], lawyer and politician representing [[Arkansas]]
* [[Eustace Edward Green]] was a state legislator and educator in the North Carolina and a doctor in Georgia
* [[Susi Hamilton]], [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] representative for [[North Carolina's 18th House district]]
* [[Lethia Sherman Hankins]], African American woman city council member
* [[Cornelius Harnett]], merchant, farmer, and statesman, delegate for North Carolina in the [[Continental Congress]]
* [[William Hooper]], delegate for North Carolina in the [[Continental Congress]], signer of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]], deputy [[North Carolina Attorney General|attorney general of North Carolina]], and federal judge
* [[John Peter LaFrenz]], politician representing [[New York (state)|New York]]
* [[Charles A. McClenahan]], member of the [[Maryland House of Delegates]] for district 38
* [[Daniel F. McComas]], born in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]], served as a member of the [[North Carolina General Assembly]], representing [[New Hanover County, North Carolina|New Hanover County]] in the [[North Carolina's 13th House district|13th]] and [[North Carolina's 19th House district|19th]] House districts
* [[Harry Payne (politician)|Harry Payne]], state representative and [[North Carolina Commissioner of Labor]]
* [[Duncan K. McRae]], attorney, diplomat, and state legislator
* [[Samuel D. Purviance]], represented North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives 
* [[Bill Saffo]], longest serving mayor in Wilmington's history
* [[John Sampson (North Carolina politician)|John Sampson]], politician before and after the [[Colonial history of the United States|American Colonial era]]
* [[John Patterson Sampson]], American abolitionist, newspaper publisher, writer, lawyer, judge, and minister<ref name="encyc">{{cite web |title=Sampson, John Patterson |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/african-american-focus/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/sampson-john-patterson |website=Encyclopedia.com}}</ref>
* [[Carson Smith (politician)|Carson Smith]], Republican member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] for the [[North Carolina's 16th House district|16th district]], previously served as sheriff to [[Pender County, North Carolina]]
* [[Charles Manly Stedman]], politician and lawyer
* [[William Francis Strudwick]], early U.S. congressman between serving 1796 and 1797
* [[James Thorington]], lawyer, judge, and one term U.S. representative for [[Iowa's 2nd congressional district]]
* [[Lara Trump]], daughter-in-law of President [[Donald Trump]] and Co-Chair of the [[Republican National Committee]].
* [[Alfred Moore Waddell]], lawyer, politician, and publisher
* [[Garland H. White]], preacher and politician who served as chaplain for the [[28th United States Colored Infantry Regiment]]
* [[Woodrow Wilson]], 28th [[president of the United States]]

===Media and entertainment===
* [[Barnacle Boi]], electronic music producer, vocalist, and visual artist
* [[David Brinkley]], television newscaster for [[NBC]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
* [[Cliff Cash]], stand-up comedian
* [[Charlie Daniels]], country music legend, inducted into the [[Grand Ole Opry]] and the [[Country Music Hall of Fame]].
* [[Sammy Davis Sr.]], dancer and father of entertainer [[Sammy Davis Jr.]]
* [[Maddie Hasson]], actress, best known for her role as Willa Monday on the short lived Fox television series ''[[The Finder (U.S. TV series)|The Finder]]''
* [[Johnson J. Hooper]], 19th century humorist
* [[Caterina Jarboro]], first black opera singer ever to sing on an opera stage in America. In 1999, she was inducted into the Wilmington Walk of Fame.
* [[Charles Kuralt]], award-winning journalist
* [[Jane McNeill]], stage, film, and television actress
* [[Don Payne (writer)|Don Payne]], writer and producer
* [[Sha-Rock]] (Sharon Green), rapper and MC, considered the "first female rapper"
* [[Willis Richardson]], playwright 
* [[James Wall (actor)|James Wall]], stage manager and actor

===Military===
* [[Edwin Anderson Jr.]], [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
* [[Eugene Ashley Jr.]], Medal of Honor recipient
* [[Arthur Bluethenthal]], football player and [[World War I]] pilot
* [[William D. Halyburton Jr.]], Medal of Honor recipient<ref>Steelman, Ben. (October 10, 2003). [https://www.starnewsonline.com/article/NC/20031010/News/605092711/WM Medal of Honor winners remembered] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020053311/https://www.starnewsonline.com/article/NC/20031010/News/605092711/WM |date=October 20, 2020 }}. ''StarNews Online''. Retrieved October 19, 2020.</ref>
* [[Joseph McNeil]], member of the [[Greensboro sit-ins|Greensboro Four]] during [[Civil rights movement]], and former major general in the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]]
* [[Charles P. Murray Jr.]], Medal of Honor recipient
* [[Ilario Pantano]], [[United States Marine Corps|United States Marine]]
* [[William Gordon Rutherfurd]], commanded {{HMS|Swiftsure|1804|6}} during the [[Battle of Trafalgar]]
* [[Ted Sampley]], Vietnam veteran and POW-MIA activist
* [[John Steele (paratrooper)|John Steele]], paratrooper; subject of the film ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]''
* [[John Ancrum Winslow]], officer in the [[United States Navy]] during the [[Mexican–American War]] and [[American Civil War]]

===Sports===
*[[Kadeem Allen]], basketball player in the [[NBA]] and currently for [[Hapoel Haifa B.C.|Hapoel Haifa]] in the [[Israeli Basketball Premier League]]
* [[Marvin Allen (soccer)|Marvin Allen]], [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|UNC Chapel Hill]] [[Association football|soccer]] coach
* [[Wright Anderson]], [[Elon University]] football coach
* [[Reggie Barnes (skateboarder)|Reggie Barnes]], former pro-skateboarder and owner of Eastern Skateboard Supply
* [[Connor Barth]], [[National Football League|NFL]] kicker
* [[Nick Becton]], NFL [[offensive tackle]]
* [[Sam Bowens]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] outfielder
* [[Derek Brunson]], [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] fighter
* [[Jonathan Cooper]], NFL [[offensive guard]]
* [[Alge Crumpler]], NFL tight end
* [[Hoss Ellington]], [[NASCAR]] driver
* [[Roman Gabriel]], former NFL quarterback and [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL Most Valuable Player]] winner
* [[Kenny Gattison]], former [[NBA]] player
* [[Althea Gibson]], professional tennis player, golfer, and member of the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]]
* [[Tyrell Godwin]], MLB outfielder
* [[Alex Highsmith]], NFL linebacker for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
* [[Keever Jankovich]], former NFL player
* [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]], former NBA player and member of the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Basketball Hall of Fame]]
* [[Kitwana Jones]], former [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] defensive end
* [[Michael Jordan]], former NBA player and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29180890/michael-jordan-history-flight|title=Michael Jordan: A history of flight|last=Thompson|first=Wright|date=May 19, 2020|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=May 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2022/04/12/wilmington-nc-michael-jordan-nba-legend-impact-hometown/7157365001/|title=What we've learned about Michael Jordan's impact in his hometown of Wilmington|last=Staton|first=John|date=April 14, 2022|website=[[Star-News]]|access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Sonny Jurgensen]], former NFL quarterback and member of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
* [[Clarence Kea]], professional basketball player
* [[Meadowlark Lemon]], former [[Harlem Globetrotter]] and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
* [[Sugar Ray Leonard]], [[Professional boxing|professional boxer]], Olympic gold medalist at [[1976 Summer Olympics]], member of the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]
* [[Quinton McCracken]], MLB outfielder
* [[Teana Miller]], [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] player
* [[Rodney Moore (boxer)|Rodney Moore]], professional boxer
* [[Ron Musselman]], MLB pitcher
* [[Trot Nixon]], MLB outfielder
* [[Jim Norton (defensive lineman)|Jim Norton]], NFL defensive lineman
* [[Pat Ogrin]], NFL defensive tackle
* [[Sam Pellom]], NBA player
* [[Jackie Rogers]], NASCAR driver
* [[Jay Ross (American football)|Jay Ross]], NFL [[nose guard]]
* [[Robert Ruark]], sportsman and syndicated writer
* [[Sonny Siaki]], professional wrestler
* [[Charles Sinek]], competitive ice dancer
* [[Harvest Smith]], professional basketball player
* [[Willie Stargell]], MLB outfielder and first baseman, member of the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]]
* [[Ross Tomaselli]], professional soccer player
* [[Ty Walker (basketball)|Ty Walker]], professional basketball player
* [[Tamera Young|Tamera "Ty" Young]], WNBA player

===Other notables===
* [[Henry H. Alley]], [[Political Organizer]] born in 2004
* [[Julia Dalton]], [[Miss North Carolina USA]] 2015
* [[Kristen Dalton (Miss USA)|Kristen Dalton]], Miss North Carolina USA 2009 & [[Miss USA 2009]]
* [[Sarah Graham Kenan]], philanthropist
* [[Charles J. Mendelsohn]], [[cryptography|cryptographer]] and [[classics|classicist]]
* [[Samuel Mendelsohn]], [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuanian Jewish]] [[rabbi]] and scholar
* [[Louis T. Moore]], preservationist, author, historian, photographer, and civic promoter
* [[Eliza Hall Nutt Parsley]], founder of the North Carolina Division of the [[United Daughters of the Confederacy]]
* [[Thomas Peters (black leader)|Thomas Peters]], early founder of [[Sierra Leone]]
* [[Fred Pickler]], actor, author, and photographer
* [[Thomas Frederick Price|Fr. Thomas Price]], first native Catholic priest of North Carolina
* [[James Francis Shober]], first professionally trained Black physician in North Carolina
* [[Robert Robinson Taylor]], American architect
* [[David Walker (abolitionist)|David Walker]], Black abolitionist
* [[Amy Wright (activist)|Amy Wright]], [[CNN Hero of the Year]] 2017

==Sister cities==
Wilmington is a [[sister city]] with the following cities:
* {{flagdeco|PRC}} [[Dandong]], [[Liaoning]], China—1986<ref name="Sister cities">{{cite web|url=http://www.scawilmington.org/Barbados.html|title=Wilmington's Sister Cities|website=Sister Cities Association of Wilmington|access-date=December 3, 2021}}</ref>
* {{flagdeco|UK}}/{{flagdeco|ENG}} [[Doncaster]], [[South Yorkshire]], United Kingdom—1989<ref name="Sister cities"/>
* {{flagdeco|Barbados}} [[Bridgetown]], Barbados—2004<ref name="Sister cities"/>
* {{flagdeco|Belize}} [[San Pedro Town]], Belize—2007<ref name="Sister cities"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|North Carolina}}
* [[List of municipalities in North Carolina]]
* [[Gregory Normal School]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{See also|Timeline of Wilmington, North Carolina#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Wilmington, North Carolina}}
* Wilmington Directory. [https://archive.org/stream/kelleyswilmingto1860kell#page/n7/mode/2up 1860], [https://archive.org/stream/wilmingtondirect1865fult#page/n5/mode/2up 1865], [https://archive.org/stream/smawswilmingtond1867smaw#page/6/mode/2up 1867], [https://archive.org/stream/haddockswilmingt1871hadd#page/n7/mode/2up 1871], [https://archive.org/stream/sheriffswilmingt7980sher#page/n5/mode/2up 1879], [https://archive.org/stream/directoryofcityo1889boni#page/n7/mode/2up 1889], [https://archive.org/stream/jlhillprintingco1900jlhi#page/n1/mode/2up 1900], [https://archive.org/stream/wilmingtonncdire1911hill#page/n7/mode/2up 1911]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wilmington, North Carolina}}
{{Wikivoyage|Wilmington (North Carolina)|Wilmington}}
{{EB1911 poster|Wilmington (North Carolina)|Wilmington, North Carolina}}
{{NSRW Poster|Wilmington, N. C.|Wilmington, North Carolina}}
* {{osmrelation|179032}}
* {{Official website|https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov}}

{{Geographic Location
|title     = '''Destinations from Wilmington'''
|Northwest = [[Elizabethtown, North Carolina|Elizabethtown]]
|North     = [[Burgaw, North Carolina|Burgaw]]
|Northeast = [[Hampstead, North Carolina|Hampstead]]
|West      = [[Leland, North Carolina|Leland]]
|Centre    = Wilmington
|East      = [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]]
|Southwest = [[Southport, North Carolina|Southport]]
|South     = [[Carolina Beach, North Carolina|Carolina Beach]]
|Southeast = [[Myrtle Grove, North Carolina|Myrtle Grove]]
}}
{{UNCW}}
{{New Hanover County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina county seats}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wilmington, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:Cities in North Carolina]]
[[Category:County seats in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1739]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the United States Atlantic coast]]
[[Category:Cape Fear (region)]]
[[Category:1739 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Cities in New Hanover County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Capitals of North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Cape Fear River]]
[[Category:World War II Heritage Cities]]