"things will be great when you're downtown...
you'll find a place for sure downtown...
everything's waiting for you."
- Petulah Clark, Downtown
When I posted the pictures of downtown Wilmington last week, I had the idea that I wanted to get to a place across the Cape Fear River where I could get some panoramic views of the cityscape, as well as some additional photos of the U.S.S. North Carolina and a broadside view of the U.S.C.G.C. Diligence. I think the photos I took came out fairly well. They were taken from the parking lot of the U.S.S. North Carolina battleship memorial.
“A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one." - Aristotle
Wilmington is not a huge city. The population of its greater metropolitan area is only listed as 326,166 according to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, with a population of about 100,000 within they city limits. I know, to many people that's a small town. Around here, it's a city. It's population is almost four times that of Myrtle Beach and the population of the greater metropolitan area is more than three times that of the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach's metropolitan area.
Like most cities, there is an active arts community. After eating lunch at a Thai restaurant downtown on Thursday, we browsed an art gallery about a block away before we had to drive back to the Grand Strand so that I could get to work on time. Last week, we saw a crew filming downtown. Many television shows and movies have been filmed in Wilmington, including The Crow, Dawson's Creek, and One Tree Hill. Okay, enough of the tourist bureau promotional sales pitch. Let's move on to the photos.
“This city now doth, like a garment, wear the beauty of the morning; silent bare, ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie open unto the fields and to the sky; All bright and glittering in the smokeless air." - William Wordsworth
I've started from the east side of the city's waterfront. The large building in the center of the picture is the U.S. Customs House. The brick building on the far right was once a warehouse, but now houses the City Market.
I have shifted the perspective to the west. The U.S. Customs House is now on the right and the U.S.C.G.C. Diligence is on the left. 
This view is another shift to the west, with Diligence on the right. The large white building is the Wilmington Hilton.
Finally, the far west end of the panorama. You can still see the Hilton just right of center with some boaters having a fun day on the river just in the foreground. The long, low brick building to the left of center, with a brick tower at the end of it is the former central office of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, which is now CSX Transportation. The headquarters have long since moved to Jacksonville, FL, but there is a nice railroad museum, convention center, and hotel now occupying the building.
This is a closer shot of the City Market. The building with the green roof is where the riverboat Henrietta III is normally docked. It is North Carolina's largest riverboat.
This is another view of the handsome architecture of the U.S. Customs House.
This is a broadside shot of the U.S.C.G.C. Diligence, home ported in Wilmington.
This is one of my favorite photos, because it shows several "layers" of Wilmington, with the lower level of parking at riverfront street level and the upper lever actually at street level where the entrance is, about two blocks from the river. It also shows the layers of history, from the older riverfront buildings to the newer, taller buildings in the background. There are also some trees left in this area, and the Cotton Exchange, from my pictures last week, is just left of center, peeking through the trees.
Another view that I was really happy with is this photo looking up Market Street from the waterfront. I think it captures a frozen little slice of city life, and a nice view of the city as it rises away from the river. This was taken from the same spot as all of the preceding photos. I think my camera has a pretty good zoom to capture this much detail, including the pedestrian crossing the intersection, and the Guinness delivery driver walking around his truck. You've gotta love a city with beautiful tree-lined streets.
This is a shot of the stern of the U.S.S. North Carolina. The smaller craft to the right is the J.N. Maffitt, which is began life during WWII as a Navy launch vessel, but now serves Wilmington as a water taxi.
This is one of the U.S.S. North Carolina's seaplanes. These aircraft were used during WWII to rescue downed pilots from the aircraft carriers the North Carolina was assigned to escort.
“I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
That is my "photo essay" of Wilmington for this week. I hope I haven't turned into one of those hosts I remember from my childhood who bore all of their guests with slide shows from the latest family vacation every time you visit.
In other news: I am still searching for at least one more author for the 80's blog. We will discuss details and launch as soon as we find at least one more interested person.
I had an invasion from my "past life" today at work that caused me a great deal of stress, but I will need to learn to deal with that sort of thing if I'm going to be working closer to my former community of employment. I will relate that story tomorrow.
“The rule is, jam tomorrow and jam yesterday - but never jam today." - Lewis Carroll
