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IntroductionShopping, food, history. Haunted? The Cotton Exchange in Wilmington,
NC is one of the biggest tourist attractions. Located in Historic Downtown Wilmington, it is located further down front street, across the river from the USS Battleship North Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udswU_0iDTo
HistoryBegan in the early 1870’s
Land transformation into Cotton Center
Business included over 50 European agencies
Renovations throughout the Cotton Exchange Center over time.
Alexander SpruntAn experienced navigator and sailor
Served as British Vice Consul
First export Cotton Exchange: England
James Sprunt Both an English and German consul.
Philanthropist. (education, disabilities).
Funded the James Sprunt Historical Publications
Attended night school to study navigation.
Served in the Confederate Army
Figure 1. James Sprunt (New Hanover County Public Library)
Cotton Exchange HistoryWinslow Merrick Barber Shop. (1908)
Boney & Harper Milling Company. (1912)
James Sprunt Cotton Exchange building; largest exporter of cotton on the east coast until its dissolution in 1950
First downtown complex in NC to utilize existing buildings. (1975-1976)
History with Slave Trade● “Ships carrying cotton to England (the first transatlantic shipment of
cotton from the US) sailed out of the port of downtown Wilmington, in fact only a couple of blocks from the Cotton Exchange.”
● Alexander Sprunt and Sons were the owners of the cotton presses and chartered the ships.
Slave Trade Cont’d● By the 1800s, blacks in Wilmington outnumbered whites 2 to 1. The town
relied on slaves’ abilities in carpentry, masonry, and construction, as well
as their skill in sailing and boating, for its growth and success.
● Slave auctions took place by the Cotton Exchange in front of the court
house
Interview With Chris Fonvielle
● Modern Cotton Exchange is Post- Civil War
● headquarters of Champion Cotton Compress
● slaves worked the docks loading cotton onto blockade-runners during the Civil War
The Cotton Exchange Renovation“It was saved from urban renewal in the 70’s by Joseph Reaves and Mal Murray, local visionaries.”
“ The complex was ready to open in 1975 when a terrible fire swept through the furniture store on Front Street and delayed the opening. However, the fire gave them a wonderful patio connecting the 8 buildings.
“My family purchased the property in 1990.
“My office is in a building named for them, and it has two secret vaults.”
Before Renovation After Renovation
Figure 4. Cotton Exchange Before (Randt)
Figure 5. Cotton Exchange After (Randt)
The Wood Seed Building (a building that once housed a Chinese laundromat and a seed company)
The Bear Building (an early 20th-century grocery)
The O’Brien Building (originally Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
The Granary Building (a late 19th-century saloon building)
The DahnHardt Building (a late 19th-century saloon building)
Cotton Exchange NOW
Cotton Exchange Kiosk Map
Economy:Tourism ● Concentrated in Cotton Exchange ● Haunted Cotton Exchange tour● Shops
○ Carolina beads and gemstone○ Emory’s crystal
● Restaurants○ The Basics○ The German Cafe○ Paddy’s Hollow
Figure 10 :("The Economy Impact of Travel.")
Economy:Films ● Film production grow● Movie
○ Safe Haven○ Iron Man
Movie List
● Shows○ One Tree Hill○ Dawson’s Creek
● Cucalorus Film Foundation○ Annual event: Cucalorus (independent film festival)○ Sponsor documentary projects, kid festive
Figure 14: ("OTH.”)
Demographic ● Population
○ 107,116
● Density○ 2,076○ 924% higher than NC
● Crime○ 5938
Figure 15 :("Wilmington, NC Demographics.")
Sources“2.6 A Slave Auction at Wilmington.” A slave Auction at Wilmington. Web.02 March.2016. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp.editions/nchist-newnation/4382>.
Bowen, Blannie. “No More Haircuts in Front Street Shop. Wilmington Morning Star
“Cotton Exchange.” VisitNC.com. Web. 02 Mar. 2016
“Cotton Exchange.” Cotton Exchange. Web. 14 Mar. 2016
Dumas Malone, ed., Dictionary of American Biography, XVII, 486. Web. 19 April 2016.
"Haunted Cotton Exchange : Alexander Sprunt Family Plot At Oakdale Cemetery". Hauntedcottonexchange.blogspot.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
James Sprunt: A Memorial Volume from the City of Wilmington 1925. Web. 20 April 2016.
J. H. Rehder & Co.,. The Water Front, Wilmington, N.C.. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
New Hanover County Public Library,. Sprunt, James. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Sources Cont’dOcasio, Hannah. Cotton Exchange. 22 February 2016.
"OTH." Wilmington Is Home. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Paddy's Hollow." Paddyshollow.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Randt, J. "Cotton Exchange Of Wilmington". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
“Safe Heaven Movie Sites.”Visit Nc. Web.2 Mar. 2016.
"The Cotton Exchange | Wilmington, NC Shopping & Dining". Shopcottonexchange.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"The German Cafe". Thegermancafe.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
William S. Powell, ed., Grant, Dorothy Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, V, 41. Web. 20 April.
“Wilmington.” 22 June 1974: 10. Web. 25 April. 2016