Centennial Wildcats

New Hanover High School Turns 100

BY Pat Bradford

Published March 24, 2022|
The massive yellow brick building replaced Wilmington High School, which was located in the Tileston School building at Fifth and Ann streets. In 1922, with an enrollment of 840 students, it was the largest high school in North Carolina and was New Hanover County’s only white high school until the mid-1960s. At a distance in the center of the photo is Trinity Methodist Church. In the plaza at the intersection of Thirteenth and Market streets, is the World War I Memorial. It was unveiled on May 20, 1922 and funded by local school students and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The memorial, which lists the names of all New Hanover County’s World War I dead, was moved to the high school campus, in front of Brogden Hall. Photo c. 1920s or early 1930s. courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library, Louis T. Moore collection
The massive yellow brick building replaced Wilmington High School, which was located in the Tileston School building at Fifth and Ann streets. In 1922, with an enrollment of 840 students, it was the largest high school in North Carolina and was New Hanover County’s only white high school until the mid-1960s. At a distance in the center of the photo is Trinity Methodist Church. In the plaza at the intersection of Thirteenth and Market streets, is the World War I Memorial. It was unveiled on May 20, 1922 and funded by local school students and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The memorial, which lists the names of all New Hanover County’s World War I dead, was moved to the high school campus, in front of Brogden Hall. Photo c. 1920s or early 1930s. courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library, Louis T. Moore collection

Located on Wilmington’s historic Market Street, New Hanover High is the oldest existing high school of the eight in the county’s school district. Construction began in 1919 on the original building designed by William J. Wilkins. The school opened its doors to students in the fall of 1921 and graduated its first class in 1922. At the time it was the largest secondary public school in North Carolina. 

Current enrollment is approximately 1,452, with a staff of 160. Wildcat athletes have won 30 North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championships, including five in baseball, four in boys basketball, four in football, three in boys tennis, three in softball, and three in boys golf.

The list of the school’s notable alumni includes architect Charles Boney, James Goodnight, CEO of SAS Institute, news anchor David Brinkley, U.S. District Judge Robert Daniel Potter,Something of Valueauthor Robert Ruark, actress Beth Grant, and a long list of athletes including NFL tight end and four-time Pro Bowl player Alge Crumpler, NFL quarterback Roman Gabriel, MLB outfielder Trot Nixon, George Edward “Bo” Shepard, former head basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, and professional basketball player Ty Walker.

View is from 14th Street, looking northwest. Wilmington High School, located in the Tileston School building at Fifth and Ann streets, was replaced by New Hanover High School when the first class graduated in 1922. courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library, Louis T. Moore collection

NHHS is internationally known after being featured in season four of the TV seriesOne Tree Hill; it’s where the Tree Hill Ravens played their state semifinal game versus Verona. It also has been featured in three big box office films.  

To celebrate the 100-year milestone, a free expo with tours of the school is scheduled for April 23, 2022, in the Princess Street Gym.  The expo will showcase memorabilia and share history from the past 100 years, along with special activities.

The school’s flagship gym, Brogdon Hall, is currently decommissioned due to a sinking floor. Repairs budgeted in excess of $2.5 million are ongoing. 

“I didn’t play any sport, but I remember Coach [Leon L.] Brogden. Coach was a wonderful guy. One of the all-around top high school coaches. He coached baseball, basketball and football all successfully,” says George Clark, class of 1946. 

Students pose in front of New Hanover High School with Trinity Methodist Church in the background. Trinity Methodist Church was organized in August, 1889, as the Market Street Methodist Mission. The church met in Giblem Lodge at Eighth and Princess streets, but soon moved to a church at 9th and Market streets. In 1920, the church hired Leslie Boney to design a building at 14th and Market streets and by that time — the church’s name had changed to Trinity United Methodist Church. The neoclassical revival building is a temple-form structure that employs pressed metal, wood and tile. Services were first held on December 4, 1921. courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library, Louis T. Moore collection

The landmark occasion will be capped with a Centennial Ball at the Cape Fear County Club hosted by the Alumni Organization, with dancing, reuniting with classmates, and tables with decades of memorabilia.

The celebration will honor teachers and staff, those that guided students to their careers.

“When I ask one of the alumni who they wanted to see from among the famous alumni, she answered, ‘I want to see the teachers and those who made a difference in my life,’” says Linda Kalnen Sykes, executive director of the Alumni Organization.

Clark is among those who appreciated his teachers.

“I had an English teacher, I can’t remember her name, I liked the fact that she was assigning poetry and one of the projects that she gave was to memorize poetry. To this day I love poetry,” Clark says.

Approximately 200 alumni are expected to attend the ball. 







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