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

Louis J. Poisson House

1886

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

1. Louis J. Poisson House Marker

Inscription. Late Italianate style house built for Louis J. Poisson (1880-1891) [sic], real estate broker; and wife Mary Allen (1866-1960), native of Brockville, Ontario, Canada. From 1905 to 1916, the home of Brooke Gwathmey Empie, attorney, state senator and Recorder of New Hanover County Courts, second husband of the widowed Mary Allen. Remained in Poisson family as investment property for seventy-six years.

Erected by Historic Wilmington Foundation, Inc.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. 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 1886.

Location. 34° 13.881′ N, 77° 56.828′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, North Carolina, in New Hanover County. It is in the Historic District. It is on South 2nd Street south of Ann Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 308 S 2nd St, Wilmington NC 28401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

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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: Gwyer-Walker (within shouting distance of this marker); Walker House (within shouting distance of this marker); Darby-Munson House (within shouting distance of this marker); George Parsley House (within shouting distance of this marker); Walker-Compos House (within shouting distance of this marker); McRae House (within shouting distance of this marker); Gause-Burr House (within shouting distance of this marker); Munson-Bessellieu (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

More about this marker.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 24, 2024

2. Louis J. Poisson House Marker

It has the wrong birth year for Louis Julien Poisson, Sr., who was born in 1860.

Regarding Louis J. Poisson House. Excerpt from The Palm of Alpha Tau Omega (March, 1920):

Brooke Gwathmey Empie, Virginia Rho, a noted lawyer and publicist of Wilmington, North Carolina, died at his home on May 22. Brother Empie was born in the same city on November 8, 1856, the son of Adam Empie, a prominent lawyer, and Virginia Gwathmey Empie, of Richmond, Virginia. He was schooled privately and in the Colston Military Academy, and was graduated from the Bethel Military Academy, Warrenton, Virginia, in 1876. He was initiated in that short-lived chapter in 1874. He entered the New Hanover bank of his native town as messenger, and left it as teller in 1885 to enter cotton export business. In 1893 he entered the employ of the Standard Oil company at Lynchburg Virginia, and was for a time manager there. He graduated in law from the University of North Carolina in 1898 and practiced law from then on.

Taking an active part in polities, he was elected state senator in 1905 and again in 1909, and was the recorder of Hanover County courts in 1915-16.

Also see . . .
1. Wilmington Historic District (PDF).

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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 29, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Wilmington Historic District Boundary Expansion and Additional Documentation (PDF). National 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 29, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 226 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 26, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.