The Perfect Blend

By Ben Korb
Photos courtesy of the Wrightsville Beach Museum; Creasy Collection

Perhaps the most enduring aspect of Wrightsville Beach is the heterogeneous mix of residents and visitors that congregate on the island. Even with all the growth the island has experienced recently, there are still accommodations and activities for everyone, from the most cash-strapped college students to millionaires.

Wrightsville Beach is a barrier island located to the east of Wilmington, N.C. The island runs nearly 4 miles from Masonboro Inlet in the south to Mason Inlet in the north. The island was originally cut by a shallow Moor’s Inlet with the northern portion called Shell Island. Moor’s Inlet was eventually bulldozed and the island was united.

In the early 20th century, the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway produced sand and clay that were deposited between the barrier island and the mainland to form a substantial island. Originally called The Hammocks, and now Harbor Island, it is broken with marshlands, tidal flats and creeks. Today the city limits of Wrightsville Beach include the barrier island, Harbor Island and a small portion of the mainland.

When Wilmington was founded in 1740, the area was called New Hanover Banks and was separated from the mainland by nearly two miles of sound, waterways, marsh and small islands. New Hanover Banks was originally owned by the state and then transferred into private ownership. Because the island could be reached only by boat, development was slow. The only visitors were fishermen and hunters until sailing became a popular activity in the area. The Carolina Yacht Club was founded in 1853 and erected a clubhouse, the first structure on what was now being called Wrightsville Beach after local landowners on the nearby mainland. The club is now recognized as the third oldest yacht club in the United States.

In 1887 the construction of a turnpike connecting Wilmington to Wrightsville Sound was completed. Later that year, the Wilmington Seacoast Railroad Company obtained a charter to build a track from Wilmington to The Hammocks, and it was eventually extended to the barrier island where it ran south along what is now South Lumina Avenue. Access to the island brought many visitors from around the state, and hotels and cottages soon began to spring up. An electric trolley supplanted the train in 1902. The trip took 30 minutes from downtown Wilmington.

The Town of Wrightsville Beach was incorporated on March 6, 1899. In 1905, Hugh MacRae, the president of the parent company of the trolley line, built an immense public pavilion at the final stop on the line. The Lumina, a grand 12,500-square-foot complex built on 200 feet of oceanfront, provided visitors with three levels of entertainment, including a bowling alley, shooting gallery, canteen and dance hall with a balcony for the band. The beach was becoming a popular destination not only for residents of Wilmington and other North Carolinians, but for tourists from all over the East Coast, including New York. The Lumina was enlarged several times to accommodate the crowds and a movie screen was even added 50 feet off the beach in the surf.

In 1935, the trolley gave way to the automobile and a two-lane bridge was built across the Intracoastal Waterway to Harbor Island and then over Bank’s Channel to the beach. Over time the island has withstood a fire, World War II and several destructive hurricanes and is still one of the most popular destinations on the North Carolina coast. What brings people to the area today are the very things that first attracted people to this barrier island: The large sound with its channels and waterways, wide sandy beach and vibrant ocean provide the enticement that has led to the virtually complete development of the island.

What brings the unique mix of people to the island is the variety of activities nearby. There are several fullservice marinas for boating enthusiasts as well as a public boat ramp with parking. Masonboro Inlet to the south is stabilized from shoaling by rock jetties that extend several thousand feet into the Atlantic. To understand the diversity of people on the island, one need only spend a little time at the inlet. Large yachts heading to the Gulf Stream, midsize boats going a few miles offshore, small aluminum boats fi shing along the jetty, and the occasional surfer or kayaker paddling across the inlet to Masonboro Island can all be seen using this stretch of water.

Sailing is still very popular in Bank’s Channel with bigger boats heading out Masonboro Inlet into the Atlantic. Wrightsville Beach hosts several national sailing competitions, such as the Laser Nationals and Atlantic 500 Sailboat race, as well as local events at the yacht club.

Diving is another popular activity with many wrecks and reefs just off the coast. The fishing is good all over the island from the sounds, inlets, pier and, of course, boats. Biking, walking, jogging, and rollerblading are popular around “The Loop,” a 2.45-mile course around Harbor Island across Bank’s Channel to the beach and back. On Harbor Island there is Wrightsville Beach Park with ball fields, playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, and a volleyball pit.

Surfing is another popular activity on the beach. With the University of North Carolina-Wilmington close by, Wrightsville Beach has become a popular spot for catching the consistently ridable swells. Surfi ng is not just for the young, however. With the resurgence of the longboard, many older afi cionados are flocking to the sport and lifestyle in a pattern reminiscent of the popularity of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Major competitions have been held on the beach, which currently hosts the Annual East Coast Wahine Championships for women.

The main attraction, of course, is the wide, sandy beach itself. Thousands flock to the beach every day during the summer — and even on the coldest winter days, people can be found strolling along the scenic expanse of sand. Once a person crosses the drawbridge, he need not leave the island. There are restaurants of varying expense, shops for all imaginable necessities, and even a small grocery store. For additional choices, major department and supermarket chain stores and many local retailers are within several miles of the bridge.

The island also offers a variety of choices for permanent or short-term housing. Visitors can take their pick from beach resorts, rental houses and condos, to more moderately priced hotels on the island. There is plenty of parking for day visitors also.

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