Wilmington is a city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States.
The population was estimated at 100,000 as of 2006 making it the eighth largest municipality in the state.
The Metro area of Wilmington is 532,451 as of February 2008. It is the county seat of New Hanover County.
It was named in honor of Spencer Compton, the Earl of Wilmington, who was Prime Minister under George II.
Wilmington was settled on the Cape Fear River and offers its historic downtown with its one mile long Riverwalk
as a main tourist attraction.
It is minutes away from nearby beaches. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Wilmington, North Carolina
one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.
City residents have the advantage of living nestled between the river and the ocean with Wrightsville Beach
a short 20 minute drive from downtown.
In 2003 the city received, through an act of Congress, the designation of Coast Guard City.
The 210' High Endurance Coast Guard Cutter Diligence's home port is at the city docks.
Wilmington is also known as the childhood home of basketball great Michael Jordan and journalist
David Brinkley; famous Wilmington natives include Robert Ruark, Sonny Jurgenson, Charles Kuralt,
Charlie Daniels, Roman Gabriel, Meadowlark Lemon, Trot Nixon, Alge Crumpler and Hilarie Burton.
It is also home to the WWII Battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55).
Now a war memorial, the ship is open to public tours and is on display across from the downtown port area.
The town is home to the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the Wilmington Hammerheads USL soccer team,
the training camp site for the Charlotte Bobcats and the Cape Fear Museum.
The city has become a major center of American film and television production;
motion pictures such as Blue Velvet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Empire Records, Cape Fear, Black Knight,
28 Days, and The Crow, as well as television shows such as Matlock, The WB's Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill
have been produced there.
read full wikipedia reference about Wilmington, North Carolina
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