Wilmington

During the month of April, Wilmington celebrates its springtime beauty with the annual North Carolina Azalea Festival and the first weekend in October celebrates the Cape Fear River with Riverfest. The seasons are distinct but mild and offer year round enjoyment for the 31 miles of beaches, 45 diverse attractions, 54 parks and gardens and the 85+ annual events in the area.

Named for it's rough waters and foreboding shoals, the Cape Fear River was first explored by Verrazano in 1524. The first permanent settlement did not occur until 1725 with the creation of Brunswick Town across the river from where Wilmington is today. Wilmington was founded in 1739, and it became a thriving seaport and North Carolina's largest city by 1780. During the Revolutionary war the battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was fought 20 miles northwest of Wilmington and the British briefly held Wilmington in 1781. During the civil war, a massive network of defenses at Fort Fisher protected Wilmington and the Cape Fear River. Due to the strength of protection at Fort Fisher, Wilmington was the last Atlantic Coast port of the Confederacy open to trade. The blockade runners brought needed supplies to inland troops and maintained an economy within the city. Fort Fisher fell to Federal troops during the largest naval bombardment of the 19th century on January 15, 1865 and Wilmington soon filled with troops in occupation.