October 2023

Richard Johnson did not grow up dreaming of owning a tree farm. But he purchased one at auction seven years ago when a friend suggested Johnson might want the acreage in Pender County in the 4.75-square-mile town of Burgaw, population 3,071.  Johnson had made a literal fortune with the 2005 sale of his interactive job…

We had a tough choice this month picking a cover photo between the Airlie Gardens live oak acorns and the Cape Fear River Rowing Club going to Boston to compete. The women’s eight is led by our former team member, head coach Allison Potter. The men’s entry will be doubles partners, Joe Bell and Mark…

Down a gravel lane, past the horses, goats and chickens and among the oak trees stands a newly built home of coastal modern design. This current-day version of a grand country home surrounded by the great outdoors is surprisingly located in the heart of Wilmington, off Greenville Loop Road. The homeowners stumbled upon the lot…

Rowing is the epitome of a team sport. On every stroke, each rower slides their seat up, unfeathers their oar, places their oar in the water, and pushes their legs back at the exact same time to catch water and move the boat forward. Rowers depend on one another to work in synchronization for the…

Mount Lebanon Chapel, St. Andrews On-the-Sound (and St. James Parish’s) history is intimately interwoven.  A coffee-table book will be published next year to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the first St. Andrews service in the church April 27, 1923.  Historian Elaine Henson was tasked with writing the first six chapters of the book, covering 1835…

There were quail back then, big coveys, especially on the coastal plain. Forged by a thousand years of dodging predators, quail were wild, smart, and plentiful. They flushed like bullets and usually placed a stump, branch or tree squarely between you and their tailfeathers. In the South, quail were known as birds so if you…

Even for soup aficionados, the idea of a steaming hot bowlful in the summer may sound contrarian. However, there is a palpable sense of excitement associated with the longer nights, shorter days, and the brisk afternoons of autumn. Not surprisingly, it’s the time of year when thoughts turn to hearty, rich, delicious soup. Fall in…

Isabella Cox was diagnosed with epilepsy in the third grade. “I was diagnosed with benign rolandic epilepsy at 9 years old and on medication for four years,” says Cox, a senior in the International Baccalaureate program at Hoggard High School and president of the school’s National Honor Society. She has been seizure-free for six years…

Coastal Carolina Clay Guild Show and Sale Nov. 3rd -5th Dozens of well-known community ceramicists will feature their latest creations during the annual Coastal Carolina Clay Guild (CCCG) Holiday Show and Sale at the Hannah Block Community Arts Center at 120 South 2nd Street in Wilmington, Nov. 3-5. The unique pieces of art, many of…

There’s something special about a neighbor or a friend popping over and coming in through the back door. That “come on in” Southern feeling is what the Back Door Kitchen Tour, founded in 1973, has come to emulate. The tour is sponsored by the Residents of Old Wilmington and benefits the downtown area. The 2023…