August 2023

On July 1, 2023, New Hanover County Schools, the City of Wilmington, and New Hanover County Government partnered to host a legacy graduation for Williston Senior High School alumni. The event, held at the Williston Middle School Gymnasium, offered a chance for the Classes of 1969 and 1970 to participate in a ceremony denied them…

Such is the case with this issue. We featured a collection of companion stories in our July 2015 issue “Greatest School Under the Sun” on the closure of Williston High School amid the upheaval of court-ordered desegregation in the 1960s. The story of the beloved school first built in 1866 for freed slaves stayed with…

In 1912, the Fidelity Trust & Development Company of Wilmington purchased a 600-acre tract of land for $35,000 and developed a planned neighborhood overlooking the Cape Fear River and Greenfield Lake. Its name was decided by a contest in which Wilmington Star circulation editor, Montrose Bain won $10 for coming up with Sunset Park. Upon America’s…

A shimmering, purplish bait ball of menhaden appears just ahead of guide Jeff Wolfe’s 23-foot Kencraft Bayrider as he cruises for monster red drum off Oak Island. Under Wolfe’s watchful eye, angler Coleman Williams casts a live-rigged menhaden in the crystal water and watches as the current swims his bait into the purple mass. It…

Similar to the dynamic landscapes he paints, Jimmy Womble is in a state of constant motion. A resident of Atlantic Beach since 2005, Womble is known for his large oil paintings of waves, tidal creeks and other coastal scenes that are iconic to Southeast North Carolina. Womble favors abstract presentations, reminiscent of Claude Monet and,…

When it comes to seeing live music, there is no substitute for the intimacy and connection provided by a small venue. Catching a band in an intimate space before they get famous and appeal to the masses is a badge of honor — the ultimate bragging rights for live music aficionados. Named for original owners…

Although there are not any apple farms in the Wilmington area, North Carolina is in the top 10 states for the largest producers of apples in the country. According to the North Carolina Apple Growers Association, red delicious, golden delicious, Rome beauty and galas make up the bulk of the production, but many more varieties…

Historic Photos and Captions Courtesy Mary Margaret McEachern Friends’ eyes glazed when I proudly announced our intention to cruise Mary Margaret’s 17-foot center console McKee Craft named Little One down the Intracoastal Waterway from Wilmington to Charleston for a week’s vacation in the summer of 2004. The ladies asked the polite, “Where will you stay…

Dave shook the red metal gas can linked by thin black-rubber tubing to a 35-horsepower Johnson outboard. The sloshing sound inside the rusty tank was barely audible over the sound of wind and waves. “We don’t have much left.” “You’ve got plenty. Don’t worry. This is the last run.” The two young men were riding…

The observant eye will have seen sails peppering the horizon at Wrightsville Beach this summer. The avid sailors at the Carolina Yacht Club have numerous summer races, including a Junior Series, Ocean Series, Fun Sail, and Sound Series. A highlight of August is the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (SAYRA) regatta. The club has been…