Letters To The Editor
We would love to hear from you!
BY WBM Staff
History Addition
Many thanks for your very interesting article honoring Tony Rivenbark’s long and stellar career at our Thalian Hall.
Regarding your sidebar “Who Built Thalian” it should be noted that in December 1854 Wilmington and Weldon Railroad President Robert H. Cowan, [and] Donald MacRae were charged with securing plans for a new building which would house both the theater and city hall. Historian [James] Sprunt writes that Mr. Cowan was a Thalian member like his Uncle John, “a very popular member [who] bore a prominent part in all their representations.”
As you correctly point out, prominent theater architect John M. Trimble of New York was selected for the design, though the structure was actually built by two contractors, Nantucket native Robert B. Wood and G.W. Rose. Local architect and New Jersey-native James Post provided project supervision and subcontracted the carpentry. In addition to using available white artisans, Post and Wood often employed slave carpenters, masons and plasterers owned by free black contractors.
It is important to mention all who helped erect such a beautiful building we can admire today.
— Bernhard Thuersam, Historian, Wilmington, NC
I would like to congratulate your magazine on a most memorable September issue. The history of Thalian Hall was excellent and Tony Rivenbark was a true treasure. I thought that your March 2022 issue was hard to beat…but you did it!!
— Carol Radford, Wilmington, NC
We would love to hear from you!
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Mail: P.O. Box 1110, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity.