Wilmington, NC: A Pictorial History

I will be the first to admit that I was born and raised in Wilmington, NC. My childhood is filled with memories of walking down Front Street and watching it change as I grew up. I remember when the Ice House downtown was closed and torn down much to my dismay at losing a popular nightspot and history focal point. I have seen photographs taken by my grandfather when he worked as a photographer, both freelance and for the local paper, as a young man. Seeing the city through his eyes has always been a joy, much like seeing my mother's photographs of the city from her perspective. However nothing has compared to the joy of seeing Wilmington, NC in a way I never could before.

[caption id="attachment_182" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Wilmington, NC, click to view original image on www.wilmington-nc.com"][/caption]

Prior to my grandfather or mother taking photographs or seeing things firsthand, there were other artists perfecting their craft in our humble streets. Seeing Wilmington, NC as it looked when Orton's Hotel was in working order is a special treat for a local and history buff like myself. It is even more wonderful to see postcards of Wilmington, NC scenes created a hundred years ago but look much like the town I live in today. Over the years locals have strived to make Wilmington, NC beautiful, preserving as much history as possible. This is evident when viewing these rare pictorial gems as even without titles, I could tell you exactly where each location is.

Please visit this wonderful site and enjoy our pictorial history.