Wilmington is a city located in the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina. It is a metropolitan area that covers New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties in southeastern North Carolina. It was named in honor of Spencer Compton, the Earl of Wilmington. He was the Prime Minister under the rule of King George II.
Settled on Cape Fear River, Wilmington offers historic downtown scenery. Its main tourist attraction is the one mile long Riverwalk. It is also minutes away from nearby beaches. City residents have the best of both worlds because they live between the ocean and the river. In 2003, Wilmington was designated by the US Congress as “A Coast Guard City”. It became the home port for the USCGC Diligence.
Attractions in Wilmington include the Cape Fear Museum, the training camp site for the Charlotte Bobcats and the home of the Wilmington Hammerheads USL soccer team. The University of North Carolina Wilmington provides various programs for undergraduates and graduate students.
Wilmington also houses the third-largest sound stage in the United States. The EUE Screen Gem Studios houses the largest special effects water tank in North America. It has become a major center of American film and television production. Movies such as Cape Fear, 28 Days, The Crow, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, A Walk to Remember, Blue Velvet , and Hounddog were filmed here.
