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". (Timeline) 1739 Town incorporated and renamed "Wilmington" after the Earl of Wilmington, the patron of the governor of North Carolina Gabriel Johnston. New Hanover County seat moves to Newton from Brunswick. 1751 - St. James Episcopal Church founded. 1756 - Fire. 1760 - John Sampson becomes mayor. 1764 - Fort Johnston built near Wilmington. 1776 - February 27: Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge fought near Wilmington during the American Revolutionary War. 1781 - Wilmington occupied by British forces under command of Cornwallis. 1820 - Population: 2,633. 1830 - Population: 3,791. 1840 - Population: 5,335. 1844 - Wilmington Journal newspaper begins publication. 1849 - April 16: Snowfall. 1850 - Population: 7,264. 1855 - Oakdale Cemetery and Wilmington Library Association (social library) organized. 1860 - Population: 9,552. 1862 - Yellow fever epidemic empties out city, befalling over 1600 and killing 654.Wilmington Cemetery Tells Tale of a North Carolina Epidemic Retrieved May 9, 2020 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. 1867 Morning Star newspaper begins publication. Wilmington National Cemetery established. 1879 - Africo-American Presbyterian newspaper begins publication. 1892 - New Hanover County Courthouse built. 1898 - November: Wilmington massacre.
20th century
1906 - Public library built. 1915 - Royal Theatre in business. 1919 - Customs House built. 1935 - WMFD radio begins broadcasting. 1947 - University of North Carolina at Wilmington established. 1954 - WECT (television) begins broadcasting. 1955 - Starway Drive-In cinema in business. 1956 - Lower Cape Fear Historical Society formed. 1966 - Historic Wilmington preservation group founded. 1971 - February 6: Bombing of grocery store; racial unrest ensues, eventually leading to controversial conviction of "Wilmington Ten." 1976 - Emsley A. Laney High School established. 1980 - United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturns "Wilmington Ten" convictions. 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. 1997 - Mike McIntyre becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district. 1998 - City website online (approximate date).
21st century
2003 - Star-News in publication. 2007 - Bill Saffo becomes mayor. 2010 - Population: 106,476. 2015 - David Rouzer becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district. 2018 - Hurricane Florence makes landfall in Wilmington causing major flooding and several deaths
See also Wilmington history List of mayors of Wilmington, North Carolina New Hanover County history National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hanover County, North Carolina Timelines of other cities in North Carolina: Asheville, Charlotte, Durham, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Winston-Salem
References
Bibliography
. (Includes city history, pp. 9–24)
1911 ed., 1920 ed. 1952 ed., 1963 ed.
1957-
External links
Items related to Wilmington, North Carolina, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)