Timeline of Wilmington, North Carolina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Wilmington, North Carolina, United States.
18th-19th centuries
- 1733 - James Wimble and three other men begin to sell plots for a settlement under names such as "New Carthage", "New Liverpool", "Newton" or "New Town".[1][2][3]
- 1739
- Town incorporated and renamed "Wilmington" after the Earl of Wilmington, the patron of the governor of North Carolina Gabriel Johnston.[1][3]
- New Hanover County seat moves to Newton from Brunswick.[4]
- 1751 - St. James Episcopal Church founded.[4]
- 1756 - Fire.[1]
- 1760 - John Sampson becomes mayor.[1]
- 1764 - Fort Johnston built near Wilmington.[4]
- 1776 - February 27: Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge fought near Wilmington during the American Revolutionary War.[4]
- 1781 - Wilmington occupied by British forces under command of Cornwallis.[4][2]
- 1820 - Population: 2,633.[5]
- 1830 - Population: 3,791.[5]
- 1840 - Population: 5,335.[5]
- 1844 - Wilmington Journal newspaper begins publication.[6]
- 1849 - April 16: Snowfall.[7]
- 1850 - Population: 7,264.[5]
- 1855 - Oakdale Cemetery and Wilmington Library Association (social library) organized.[8]
- 1860 - Population: 9,552.[5]
- 1862 - Yellow fever epidemic empties out city, befalling over 1600 and killing 654.[9]
- 1864 - December: Wilmington Campaigns by Union forces begin in area during the American Civil War.
- 1865 - February 11–22: Battle of Wilmington fought; Union forces win.
- 1866 - City of Wilmington incorporated.[10][2]
- 1867
- Morning Star newspaper begins publication.[6]
- Wilmington National Cemetery established.
- 1879 - Africo-American Presbyterian newspaper begins publication.[6]
- 1892 - New Hanover County Courthouse built.[4]
- 1898 - November: Wilmington massacre.[4]
20th century
- 1906 - Public library built.[11]
- 1915 - Royal Theatre in business.[12]
- 1919 - Customs House built.
- 1935 - WMFD radio begins broadcasting.[13]
- 1947 - University of North Carolina at Wilmington established.[4]
- 1954 - WECT (television) begins broadcasting.[14]
- 1955 - Starway Drive-In cinema in business.[12]
- 1956 - Lower Cape Fear Historical Society formed.
- 1966 - Historic Wilmington preservation group founded.[15]
- 1971 - February 6: Bombing of grocery store; racial unrest ensues, eventually leading to controversial conviction of "Wilmington Ten."[16]
- 1976 - Emsley A. Laney High School established.
- 1980 - United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturns "Wilmington Ten" convictions.[16]
- 1981 - Athlete Michael Jordan graduates from Laney High School.
- 1984 - Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis opens the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group studio complex, now owned by Cinespace Studios.
- 1989 - Old New Hanover Genealogical Society formed.[15]
- 1997 - Mike McIntyre becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district.[17]
- 1998 - City website online (approximate date).[18][19]
21st century
- 2003 - Star-News in publication.[6]
- 2007 - Bill Saffo becomes mayor.
- 2010 - Population: 106,476.[20]
- 2015 - David Rouzer becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district.[21]
- 2018 - Hurricane Florence makes landfall in Wilmington causing major flooding and several deaths
