Doing Architectural History at the Archives

Architectural researchers — both the merely curious and those who, by vocation or avocation, have taken an interest in architectural history or preservation — will find much of interest in the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society's Archives. Better-known structures may have a folder in our vertical file of buildings and houses; other structures are described in a separate vertical file of blocks in the downtown Wilmington area. Additionally, our extensive map collection contains Sanborn Insurance maps for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These maps offer detailed drawings of building footprints and note architectural features such as construction materials, number of stories, location of chimneys, property line boundaries, etc.

City directories can provide valuable information about the occupants of a building over the years.

Also of interest are the digital versions of the Historic Wilmington Foundation plaque files at the New Hanover County Public Library's site (here).