Riverfront in Wilmington in New Hanover County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Hotel Cape Fear

1923 G. Lloyd Preacher, architect; Walter Clark, contractor

— 1936 Lynch & Ford, architects; W.A. Simon, contractor —

Hotel Cape Fear Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

1. Hotel Cape Fear Marker

Inscription. Neoclassical Revival hotel, typical of many hostelries built during boom period of automobile and rail travel in America following World War I. Amenities included spacious lobby, ladies parlor, ballroom, dining room, coffee shop and barber shop, as well as 150 bedrooms with private baths. In 1936, 35 additional rooms were built facing Second Street. The Union Bus Station, Carolina and AAA motor clubs were longtime tenants. A popular place for meetings; the Exchange, Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary clubs met here. In 1981, hotel repurposed for 91 apartments for senior citizens.
James D. and Rosalie W. Carr Memorial Plaque

Erected by Historic Wilmington Foundation, Inc.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and the North Carolina, Historic Wilmington Foundation series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.

Location. 34° 14.262′ N, 77° 56.88′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, North Carolina, in New Hanover County.

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It is in Riverfront. It is at the intersection of Chestnut Street and North 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west on Chestnut Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 121 Chestnut St, Wilmington NC 28401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Cape Fear Coast.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cape Fear Club (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Post Office & Federal Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Peterson & Rulfs Building (within shouting distance of this marker); I. Shrier Lyceum Hall (about 300 feet away,

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

2. Hotel Cape Fear Marker

measured in a direct line); Vance Alley (about 300 feet away); The Murchison National Bank Building (about 300 feet away); Park Avenue — Post Office Alley (about 300 feet away); The Bijou Theater (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

Also see . . .
1. The last of the old hotels: This downtown Wilmington skyscraper has stories to tell. Built 100 years ago and opened on Jan. 10, 1925, it's the only surviving pre-World War II hotel downtown. (John Staton, Wilmington Star-News, April 19, 2024) (Submitted on December 21, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Wilmington Historic District (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the district, which includes this property and was listed in 1974. (Prepared by Survey and Planning Unit, North Carolina Division of Archives and History; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on December 21, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

3. Wilmington Historic District Boundary Expansion and Additional Documentation (PDF). National

Former Hotel Cape Fear image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

3. Former Hotel Cape Fear

Register nomination that expanded the district in 2003. (Prepared by Sherry Joines Wyatt and L. Robbie King; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on December 21, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Hotel Cape Fear Postcard image. Click for full size.

E.C. Kropp Co.; via N.C. Postcard Collection, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill (Public Domain), circa 1925

4. Hotel Cape Fear Postcard

Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 147 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 19, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on December 21, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.