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

City Market House 1882

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

1. City Market House 1882 Marker

Inscription. Conveyed by Wilmington Market Company to the city, served as fish and produce market until 1920 then served as city auditorium. Later became city market until 1960, it now houses businesses.

Erected 2002 by Ann Marwood Durant Chapter, National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the The Colonial Dames XVII Century, National Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 34° 13.997′ N, 77° 56.956′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, North Carolina, in New Hanover County. It is in Riverfront. It is at the intersection of South Water Street and Market House Alley, on the left when traveling south on South Water Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 119 S Water 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: Old Wilmington City Market (here, next to this marker); Underground Railroad Activity in Wilmington, N.C. (within shouting distance of this marker); What is the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom? (within shouting distance of this marker); William Benjamin Gould: A Brief Biography (within shouting

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distance of this marker); Wilmington Iron Works Machine Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Seigler Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Ofiesh-Plisco Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); J.W. Brooks Building (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

Regarding City Market House 1882. Excerpt from a 2021 city staff report on the building:

Built in 1879-80, with renovations in 1912, 1919, 1930, 1944-45, and 1960, the City Market building is currently a one-story, masonry building with three contemporary storefront bays and an open central passageway with an iron gate. The warehouse extends the full depth of the block from Front Street to Water Street, stepping down to Water Street in six bays divided equally by pilasters. The Water Street elevation features four equal bays with the two central bays later modified for a pedestrian entrance.

According to an article published in the January 24, 1989 edition of the Wilmington Star, the building opened in 1880, and the city purchased it in October 1882. In 1919, the building was converted for use
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

2. City Market House 1882 Marker
as an auditorium. During the 1920s, the building was used as a farmers’ market limited to female salespeople. In 1960, it was remodeled again into five separate offices.

Archival data indicates the building has undergone at least three significant exterior renovations and looks vastly different than that of the original building constructed in the late 1880s. The 1910 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows the first indication of a retail space along Water Street. The original Front Street elevation had five bays and two, three-story square towers flanking either end of the building with a central bay rising between them. The second story featured tall arched windows.

Wilmington City Market Then and Now image. Click for full size.

City of Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission (Public Domain), October 14, 2021

3. Wilmington City Market Then and Now

This composite image from a city staff report compares how the market's main entrance on South Front Street looked in 2021 (top) and in the 1890s (bottom). The city stripped the building of its historic status because its appearance has been changed so much.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 215 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 19, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on December 22, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.