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Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington prospered as a major port, shipbuilding center and producer of pine forest products. Tar, turpentine and pitch were central to the economy, and lumber from the pine forests was a lucrative economic resource. At one time, it was the site of the largest cotton exchange in the world. The waterfront bustled with sailing ships, and steam ships crowded together to pick up or unload precious cargo. James Sprunt's chronicles, published in 1916, paint a vivid picture in the book's foreword. Sprunt writes: "From early youth, I have loved the Cape Fear River, the ships and the sailors which it bears upon its bosom. As a boy I delighted to wander along the wharves where the sailing ships were moored with their graceful spars and rigging in relief against the skyline, with men aloft whose uncouth cries and unknown tongues inspired me with a longing for the sea, which I afterwards followed, and for the faraway countries whence they had come." Downtown remains the historical core of the community and is still in many
ways the neighborhood that defines the region. Suburbs may flourish, but there is
something fascinating -- even compelling -- about the historic homes and buildings
downtown, with their intimate proximity to the river. Both visitors and residents are
affected by a sense of lingering ghosts. Important events happened here, in places that
are still standing . . . places that have not been obscured by modern architecture or lost
in the trends of a constantly changing American culture.
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