Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Wilmington (North Carolina)

WILMINGTON, a city, port of entry, and county-seat of New Hanover co., N. C.; on Cape Fear river, and on the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard Air Line, and the Cape Fear railroads; 214 miles N. E. of Charleston, S. C., and 26 miles W. of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the most important commercial port of the State. There are steamboat lines to Baltimore, Charleston, and points on the Cape Fear river. Here are a United States Government building, a State armory, United States Marine Hospital, high school, the Gregory Normal Institute, waterworks, electric lights, street railroads, public library. National and State banks, and a number of daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. The industries include the manufacture of cotton goods, lumber, flour, turpentine, fertilizers, foundry products, etc. During the Civil War the city was one of the chief ports of the Confederacy, and a notable resort for blockade runners, until captured by General Terry in 1865. Pop. (1910) 25,748; (1920) 33,372.