Sunset Park Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sunset Park Historic District
|
|
.JPG)
Sunset Park Historic District, September 2009
|
|
 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Carolina Beach Rd., Southern Blvd., Burnett Blvd., and Sunset Ave., Wilmington, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Area | 227 acres (92 ha) |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Stephens, Burett; Gouse, James F. |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001265 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 2003 |
Sunset Park is a special neighborhood located south of the historic downtown area of Wilmington. It is found in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. This area was officially recognized as a historic district in 2003. This means it has important buildings and history that are protected.
The Story of Sunset Park
The name "Sunset Park" was chosen in a contest! Montrose Bain, who worked for the Wilmington Star newspaper, came up with the name. He won $10 for his idea. This name was picked for a big new development that would cover about 600 acres (2.4 square kilometers). It was planned just 3 miles (4.8 km) south of downtown Wilmington.
The Fidelity Trust & Development Company bought this large piece of land on March 9, 1912. They paid $35,000 for it. The company planned to start selling lots to the public on October 7, 1912.
The company wanted Sunset Park to be a fancy, well-planned community. It was designed to have great views of the Cape Fear River and the beautiful Greenfield Lake. The developers promised that all modern city comforts would be available. This included streetcar service, electric lights, gas, sewers, and sidewalks. The streets would be paved with a special material called Macadam, and there would be tree-lined roads and open areas. It is said that the neighborhood was designed to look like famous areas in Atlanta, Georgia, such as Ansley Park.
In 1912, a newspaper called The Evening Dispatch even published a poem about Sunset Park. The poem praised the beauty and modern features of the new community. It talked about how wonderful it would be to live there with all the new improvements.
Homes and Buildings in Sunset Park
Most of the buildings in Sunset Park were built between the 1910s and the 1960s. You can see many different styles of architecture here. Some popular styles include Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, Tudorbethan, and Colonial Revival. You can also find Cape Cod (house) and Ranch-style house homes.
The very first houses were built along Northern and Central Boulevards. Later, from the 1940s to the 1950s, many Cape Cod and Ranch-style houses were built on the cross streets. The oldest homes, from the early 1910s, are in the Queen Anne style. These homes often have two stories, unique roofs, wrap-around porches, and different types of windows.
A lot of homes were built between 1940 and 1943. This happened because the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company grew its facilities. This expansion took up land that was originally meant for Sunset Park homes near the Cape Fear River.
Sunset Park has even been a filming location for movies and TV shows! Scenes from the movie Blue Velvet were filmed here. Also, the TV show Matlock (TV series) filmed some scenes in the neighborhood.
Images for kids
-
Designation sign on Northern Blvd. Pergola
-
Pen Drawing of Sunset Park, 1912
-
Opening Sale Ad from August 31, 1912
.jpg)
