Recently cleaned after someone decided to express themselves with spray paint, the Kenan fountain…read morewas a gift to the City of Wilmington in memory of his parents, William Rand and Mary Hargrave Kenan. Born in Kenansville, the senior Kenan was a captain in the Civil War, originally enlisting in the Duplin Rifles of the North Carolina 43rd Regiment. After the war, he became a life insurance salesman in Wilmington. A prominent member of the Wilmington community, he became a trustee of the University of North Carolina in 1903. He died shortly after this appointment in 1903. His wife, Mary Hargrave, was a native of Chapel Hill. It is a pretty fountain, approximately 14 feet high. There is a large central fountain with a bowl on a tall pedestal sitting in a larger round basin. The entire stricture sits atop a first tier. The center segment on the four sides forms a bench and the fountain pools are located on either side of the corners. The fountain is also decorated with classic figures including gargoyles and terrapins. [Review 14001 overall, 1323 of 2020, number 2641 in North Carolina.]

An iconic part of Wilmington with Bellamy in the background there are some beautiful pieces done by…read morelocal artists that display the fountain

The Old Smithville Burying Ground is a beautiful old cemetery. Smithville was the original name of…read morethe town now named Southport. It is thought to be the oldest cemetery in Brunswick County. The oak trees and shrubs make this a peaceful place to wander and explore history. The gravesites go back to the 1700s and include Revolutionary War soldiers to those lost when a steamship sank to those working on the Cape Fear lost at sea to those that helped make Southport what it is today.

Located on the inner side of Wrightsville Beach island, this marker recalls more recent history…read morethan the Colonial Era or even the Civil War. The marker reads, "Pioneer East Coast Surfing. Early surfing activity organized on beaches near here in 1909 by B.H. Bridgers & others." Online, "Polynesian children engaged in primitive surfing activities thousands of years ago. In some areas surfing on various types of board was merely transportation for fishermen. Hawaiian adults began to develop boards for surfing about 1200 C.E. Matt Warshaw, in his The History of Surfing, states that in Hawaii, surfing was "both recreational and universal" and was practiced by all members of society." "In 1908 South Carolinian Alexander Hume Ford founded the Outrigger Canoe and Surfboard Club to develop the "great sport of surfing in Hawaii." In August of 1909 Colliers Weekly published an article about surfing by Ford in which he encouraged readers to try the sport. Wrightsville Beach native Burke Haywood Bridgers read the article and, wishing to ask Ford detailed questions about surf boards, he wrote to the author in care of Colliers." "The surfing that occurred in the Wrightsville beach area in the early 1900s is the earliest documented in the state of North Carolina." There is much more - too much to post here - in the linked article. [Review 14011 overall, 1333 of 2020, number 2651 in North Carolina.]

I knew that the famous portrait of Whistler's mother is really a portrait of a real person, but I…read morenever really thought about where she might have lived or where she was born. I've seen the picture. It's in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris https://www.yelp.com/biz/musée-d-orsay-paris-3?hrid=n7kuhIp1EPKNNsk-IJFd7g. So now I know a bit more of the story. The marker reads, "Anna McNeill Whistler, the mother of James Whistler, artist, was born in a house which stood one block east." Online, "James Abbott McNeill Whistler, the son of George Washington Whistler and Anna McNeill Whistler, was a prominent nineteenth century artist who spent his adult life in Europe. Whistler's mother, Anna McNeill, was made famous in renowned painting, "Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother." The work, referred to colloquially as "Whistler's Mother," was painted in London in the early 1870s. Anna McNeill, the subject, was born in Wilmington in 1804." "Anna McNeill, born on September 27, 1804, to Martha Kingsley and Dr. Black Daniel McNeill was the fifth of six children, and was influenced heavily throughout her life by her older brother William Gibbs McNeill." "Anna Whistler moved to London in 1863 to live with her son, and in 1871 he painted her as the figure in "Whistler's Mother." The painting was first shown in 1872, extending Whistler's reputation, but it has received mixed reviews throughout much of its history. "Whistler's Mother" now hangs in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris, and has rarely been exhibited in the United States." [Review 14009 overall, 1331 of 2020, number 2649 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 marker is alongside River Road between Wilmington and the southern North Carolina beaches…read more It's a busy road but there's a spot to stop. The marker reads, "Alfred Moore. Associate justice U.S. Supreme Court, 1799-1804. Continental Line & militia officer; attorney general. Grave 2 mi. southeast." Online, there is more information. "Alfred Moore, Revolutionary War officer and associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, was born on May 21, 1755 in New Hanover County. Alfred Moore's father was a staunch opponent of British tax policies, and his opposition to the Stamp Act of 1765 caused Royal Governor William Tryon to remove him as a superior court judge." "Alfred was admitted to the bar in April 1775 just as war broke out between Great Britain and the colonies. Imbued with his father's political ideals, Moore clamored for action. In September 1775 he received a commission as a captain in the First North Carolina Continental Regiment, commanded by his uncle Colonel James Moore. He saw action first at Brunswick Town in January 1776. The following June, he served briefly in the defense of Charleston. Upon the death of his father the following year, Moore resigned his commission and returned home to manage the family estates." "At the war's conclusion, Moore began a lengthy career in public service, first as a state senator from Brunswick County, and then as attorney general of North Carolina, following the resignation of James Iredell. He resigned his position in 1791 in opposition to the Court Act of 1790, and in 1792 represented Brunswick County as a Federalist in the state assembly. In October 1799, President John Adams appointed Moore an associate justice to the United States Supreme Court upon the death of Justice James Iredell." "He died on October 15, 1810 at "Belfont," the plantation home of his son-in-law. He is buried in the graveyard of St. Phillips Church in Brunswick Town. Moore County is named for him." Moore County is just south of Greensboro North Carolina. The county seat is Carthage and its largest town is Pinehurst. [Review 14180 overall, 1502 of 2020, number 2675 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.]

Holden Beach Town Hall has an amazing staff, awesome volunteers and great public spaces. The new…read moreplayground is finished at Bridgeview Park, in time for the start of the 2026 season. Need a good beach read? Stop by Town Hall and take the elevator to the 2nd floor. Step out and into a little library. Hardcover fiction and Nonfiction fill up the front room, and paperbacks are around the corner to the right. It's run on the honor system, no ID cards necessary. Commissioner meetings take place the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm. Come by and meet the locals and their elected officials. Summer concerts happen Sunday evenings from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Hopefully the new concert stage will be ready!

All ye beach-lovers hearken, a nod to yesteryear when shores weren't crowded and folks all waved…read moreand said Hi. This is Holden and you're welcomed into the inner-circle. High-rise, amusement-park seekers keep driving South on 95. These aren't the beaches you're looking for. 6am-towel-placers relax; there's plenty of elbow and frisbee-throwing room for your whole group. Sparkly new condo communities are a few islands away; embrace the Holden 70s architecture sprinkled among the new. Here you'll talk with many who've been coming with their families for 20, 30, 40 years. It's easy to return to a place that feels like home. And despite small changes here and there, it still seems to stay the same. With 7+ miles of South-facing beachfront, you won't see the sun rise/set over the ocean, but that long stretch of wide sand presents never-ending chances to run/walk/stroll/play no matter the tide level. East or West of town center, you'll have peaceful views as you gaze from a porch or step across the dunes onto the beach. Stay second-row if you must, and there are good values to be had, but the magic is opening your door with only sand between you and the sea. Perennial local dining spots remain for those returning for decades, and you won't see any chains until you drive to Shallotte. A few newer additions help with the variety, but having a standalone beach house also means plenty of meals prepared oceanfront. Activities vary by the season, and we've only come in spring and summer, but enjoy three islands-worth of fireworks on holidays, sand sculpture contests, concerts (when we can again). Turtles love this place, so if you love turtles stop by. Not that we've seen one but apparently people have so it keeps the dream alive. Keep your porch lights off and don't dig big holes if you like not being visited by the turtle-protectors. Beach stores and Food Lion help with affordable provisions, or go even cheaper driving to the Shallotte Wal-Mart. New development: grocery pickup will give you hours back to stare at waves instead of staring at grocery shelves. Plenty of choices to fit your budget, believe me: from the high-roller looking for "sleeps 20 w/ pool, elevator, gold-plated trash bins" (not us) to "sleeps 6, roof, oceanfront" (us), and even that one A-frame on OBE that allegedly sleeps 4 but is kind of a tiny house on the beach. It gets a little crowded on weekends or holidays, or holiday weekends, but those morning and evening magic hours are indeed that. Even the crowds aren't crowdy, and always polite, with occasional child meltdowns when they've had enough of the beach or don't want to leave (take your pick). It's all endearing. In "less busy" times you'll feel like you just discovered this place and have it all to yourself until you see a couple or dog-walker interrupt the fantasy. And they'll probably wave. You'll wave back because this is a family beach. Even RVs have a home in the lot near town center, and there's plenty of paid parking if you're visiting from nearby. But it's best for those times when you are simply doing "beach living" with those you love. For us newbies it's only been 20 years, not in a row, but this year our neighbors were on year 39 straighSame story as ours: heard about it from a friend and kept coming back. Well consider us a friend, and now you've heard.