Not far from Town Creek Park, this marker points out the birthplace of North Carolina's 49th…read moreGovernor. The marker reads, "Daniel L. Russell, 1845-1908. Governor, 1897-1901; Superior Court judge, 1868-1874; member of Congress, 1879-1881. Born two miles northeast." "Daniel Lindsay Russell, Jr. (1845-1908) was elected to office by the uneasy "Fusion" alliance of Republicans and Populists in the bitter and racially charged election of 1896. Russell was nineteen when he was elected in 1864 to the first of two terms in the state House. With the advent of Radical Reconstruction, Russell sided with the new Republican regime and won election as a Superior Court judge, remaining in that position for six years. While Russell maintained a law office in Wilmington, his residence was in Brunswick County from which he was returned to the legislature in 1876. Two years later he entered the Third District Congressional race and served a single term." "By the early 1890s agrarian unrest and economic depression split the state's Democratic Party. The schism widened, giving the Republicans a long awaited opportunity. An alliance with Populists resulted in victories in 1896 that removed control of the legislature from the Democrats and placed Republican Russell in the governor's office." [Review 13994 overall, 1316 of 2020, number 2634 in North Carolina.]

This marker along one of Wilmington's oldest streets points out the early home of the 28th POTUS,…read moreWoodrow Wilson. It reads, "Woodrow Wilson. President of the United States, 1913-1921. His home, 1874-1882, was the Presbyterian Manse which stood one block east." Online, more information. "Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, lived in Wilmington from 1874 to 1882 at the Presbyterian Manse while his father served as the minister of the city's First Presbyterian Church. The third of four children of Joseph R. and Jessie Janet Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born on December 28, 1856 in Staunton, Virginia." (Staunton is about 360 miles north.) "In 1873, Woodrow Wilson began attending Davidson College. The following year his father took a position as minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. Wilson remained at Davidson College only briefly before transferring to Princeton University. He graduated in 1879, and began attending law school at the University of Virginia. Illness forced him to return to Wilmington the following year. The family remained in Wilmington until 1882. Wilson moved to Atlanta to open a law practice, while his father and family returned to Augusta." [Review 13995 overall, 1317 of 2020, number 2635 in North Carolina.]

This historical marker denotes a local citizen who was born here and educated here then went on to…read moredo great things for the people and the State of North Carolina. The marker reads, "Thomas F. Wood, 1841-1892. Organizer & Secretary-Treasurer of State Board of Health, 1877-1892. Founded North Carolina Medical Journal in 1878. Home was 1 block west." Online, there is more information. "Thomas Fanning Wood, born in Wilmington, attended public schools in that city and upon completion went to work in a drugstore. He studied medicine with several local physicians, a common way of gaining a medical education at the time. Wood's volunteer service for the Confederate army gave him the opportunity to attend classes at the Medical College of Virginia while serving as a hospital steward in Richmond. While in service he passed a medical exam and in 1863 was appointed an assistant surgeon." "After the war Wood returned to Wilmington where he established a private practice. There was a devastating smallpox epidemic in Wilmington from 1865 to 1866, during which time Wood ran a hospital for indigent blacks stricken with the disease. His experiences there led him to promote Edward Jenner's smallpox inoculation in North Carolina. Wood recognized the need for state involvement in public health issues and would be engaged in that form of politics for the rest of his life." "The General Assembly passed a bill establishing the North Carolina Board of Health in 1877 and increased its authority and funding in 1879 and again in 1885. Wood was elected secretary-treasurer of the initial board in 1877 and held that position until his death in 1892. The successful launching of the board was due in large part to the efforts of Wood, who wrote as many as 200 letters per month on behalf of the organization. In 1878 he co-founded the North Carolina Medical Journal, the publication of the North Carolina Medical Society. He was the principal editor of the journal for the remainder of his life. He was active as a public health administrator in many organizations and his contributions to medical literature are significant." [Review 14560 overall, 58 of 2021, number 2795 in North Carolina.]

This marker notes an important event during the Colonial Era. There is a small spot to stop here if…read moreyou wish and the marker is in excellent condition. It reads, "Stamp Act. Armed citizens led a protest in Feb. 1766 at Brunswick, seat of royal power, 2 miles southeast." The spot is the nearby Brunswick Town historic site, https://www.yelp.com/biz/brunswick-town-fort-anderson-state-historic-site-winnabow?hrid=-SdScFPXQAgnBgruEnXR1w Online, "As England was having difficulty maintaining order in the colonies, Parliament turned to economic measures such as the Stamp Act of 1765. The law placed taxes on most forms of paper in the colonies, including newspapers, letters, pamphlets, and wills. While Parliament intended to defray costs incurred from stationing British troops in the colonies at critical sites such as Boston, the imposition of the tax drove many colonies to the brink of rebellion." "A collective shudder raced through the colonies at the news of the approval of the Stamp Act. On October 19 1765, angry mobs collected in the streets and alleys of Wilmington to burn the likeness of "a certain honorable gentleman," most likely the state tax collector, William Houston." "A series of events unraveled in North Carolina that illustrated the colony's stern resistance to the tax. In February of 1766, Speaker John Ashe, Cornelius Harnett, James Moore, and Col. Hugh Waddell, led several hundred citizens through Brunswick, arresting key royal officials and forcing the comptroller to resign. Other similar acts of defiance in North Carolina and elsewhere took their toll on British resolve. Within a few months, the colonies learned that Parliament had repealed the Stamp Act." I knew that there was rebellion in Boston, of course. I did not know that there was so in North Carolina so this was interesting to learn. [Review 14027 overall, 1349 of 2020, number 2666 in North Carolina.]

Located in front of the New Hanover County Courthouse at the corner of Third and Princess, this…read moremarker points out a hero of Wilmington. It reads, "Johnston Blakeley, 1781-1814. Captain, United States Navy. After victories in War of 1812, he and his sloop Wasp were lost at sea. His home was 2 blocks west." Online, there is more information. "Johnston Blakeley, North Carolina's most noted naval hero of the War of 1812, was born in October 1781 in Seaford, County Down, Ireland. At the age of two he and his family emigrated to Charleston, South Carolina. Soon after, his mother and an infant died. Johnston and his father, John Blakeley, moved to Wilmington. Blakely attended school in Flatbush, New York, until the death of his father in 1796." "On February 5, 1800, Johnston Blakely was issued an appointment to the President, a new frigate being prepared for a cruise in the West Indies. He was later assigned to the USS John Adams, under Captain John Rodgers. Rodgers, recognizing his potential, chose to keep Blakeley with him during the Barbary War (1801-1805), and promoted him to acting lieutenant. Continuing his service in the Navy, he saw his commission as a lieutenant confirmed by the Senate in 1807. Blakeley assumed command of the Enterprise as acting commandant in March 1811." "The Wasp set sail on May 1, 1814, with a crew of 173 men and orders to harass British merchant ships in the English Channel. The ship's successes were many and the tales of Blakeley's escapades lightened the hearts of war-weary Americans. Blakeley was described as "a brave and discreet officer" and his ship as "one of the most successful of our cruisers." On November 3, 1814, Blakely was awarded a gold medal for his victory over the HMS Reindeer and on the 24th of the month he was promoted to captain. He never learned of his promotion, however--the Wasp was lost at sea, never heard from again. The ship is believed to have been sunk in an Atlantic storm, since no British ship reported destroying the prized vessel." Captain Blakeley, I salute you. Thank you for your service to our country. [Review 14299 overall, 1623 of 2020, number 2695 in North Carolina.]

Attended an event that included dinner. The food was terrible. We had a choice between chicken or…read morevegetarian. The chicken was overcooked and the vegetables were soggy. The vegetarian option didnt look very appetizing and most plates were sent back untouched. The rolls and dessert were fine. But for $150 per person it was disappointing

I recently visited the Wilmington Convention Center for a conference. The convention center is…read morepretty decent in size and the food catered there was decent. It appears to be newer as the décor and design is modern and up-to-date. Everything went smooth for the conference. It's also connected to the Embassy Suites, so it's easy to stay there and walk right in to the convention center.