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Wilmington, North Carolina

Located in New Hanover County, North Carolina, Wilmington was founded in 1739. The 1898 Wilmington coup is the only successful overthrow of an elected government in U.S. history. Wilmington's film studios have produced Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and Iron Man 3.

Founded 1739 | Population 131,000 | Peak 131,000 (2024) | County New Hanover County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Wilmington, North Carolina

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1739Port City Founded: Major colonial port on Cape Fear River.

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1861Civil War Blockade Running: Last major Confederate port for blockade runners.

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1898Wilmington Coup: Only successful coup d'état in U.S. history. White supremacists overthrow elected government.

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1942Battleship North Carolina: WWII battleship eventually docked as museum in Wilmington.

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1984Film Industry Arrives: EUE Screen Gems Studios opens; Wilmington becomes 'Hollywood East.'.

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2018Hurricane Florence: Category 1 hurricane stalls and dumps record rainfall; catastrophic flooding.

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Complete Historical Timeline

1739 Culture

Port City Founded

1861 Disaster

Civil War Blockade Running

1898 Civil Rights

Wilmington Coup

1942 Government

Battleship North Carolina

1984 Culture

Film Industry Arrives

2018 Disaster

Hurricane Florence

Did You Know?

The 1898 Wilmington coup is the only successful overthrow of an elected government in U.S. history.

Wilmington's film studios have produced Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and Iron Man 3.

Battleship North Carolina participated in every major Pacific naval offensive in WWII.

Wilmington is located in New Hanover County, North Carolina.

Wilmington was founded in 1739.

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