Ep. 41 - Wilmington, USA
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, marries a couple of my favorite concepts together: History, and beach accessibility. Listen in to our 41st adventure as we take on a part of the USA that will get beach lovers and history buffs equally excited.
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Transcription:
*Intro music*
Heeeeeello and welcome to the 41st episode of The Friday Take Five. You’re listening to the best five minute podcast for history and adventure. I’m Mark Moran, the host of this show, and each and every week, I work to scratch an itch for travel bugs and history lovers alike. If you walk away from today’s episode with a renewed appreciation for history, or a new travel destination added to the bucket list, then I’ve done my job. In the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy, episode number 41.
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Episode 40 had us in the deep freeze of Northern Europe. Episode 41 is much more my speed on the weather front, with warmer temperatures and hardly a dusting of snow in the annual forecast. Another deeply historic destination that also just happens to have arguably some of the best beaches in the US mere minutes outside of town. Enter the city of Wilmington, North Carolina, and the awesome beaches of the incredible nearby Carolina Beach.
One of my most memorable family vacations as a youngin was the road trip out from our home in the central US to the East coast of the state of North Carolina. Google will tell you the drive is roughly 20 or so hours, but pack in bathroom breaks and the like and you’re more so looking at 24. We were rocking it in the minivan though and crushing the books on tape, so looking back I only have fond memories of the drive there and back.
We were staying in the Carolina Beach area, which is roughly a 15 minute drive from the area of Wilmington proper. As we pulled up to the rental home, I caught my first whiff of the sea breeze. Though it wasn’t my first time to the ocean, there’s always something special about that first smell of the ocean air you get after being away for awhile. I booked it toward the beach. I still recall the sense of excitement as I got closer and closer, climbing over the sand dune between our rental and the water before finally being greeted by the beauty of the majestic Atlantic ocean.
The next few days had us spending time relaxing and soaking up sun on the beach, and let me tell you, Carolina Beach is a great place to do it. Though you won’t always find it as high on the popularity lists as some other beaches up and down the Atlantic coast, it more than does the trick, and bonus for the nerds like me, it’s close to a historic hub - The city of Wilmington.
On a trip into Wilmington, we made sure to tour the Battleship of North Carolina. Moored across from the historic downtown Wilmington, the naval wonder clocks in at over 700 feet in length and roughly 100 feet wide. Serving today as a museum, this ship was a key player in the US navy during WW2.
Commissioned mere months before Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, the ship was thrown into the fray along with 2000+ of its crew members in campaigns across the Pacific, ultimately earning 15 Battle Stars throughout its active service.
By 1947, the ship was decommissioned and laid dormant in Navy shipyards. It was eventually scheduled for scrapping before North Carolinians banded together to raise funds to have the ship brought to Wilmington and preserved as a monument to the more that 10,000 residents of the state that lost their lives during the war.
Speaking from firsthand experience, the ship is a wonder to behold. As a kid I couldn’t get enough of sitting in the gunner seat of a turret or seeing the early computers from decades ago that kept the hunk of steel afloat.
History buffs will also appreciate the National Register historic district within the city of Wilmington. With over 200 blocks of Victorian Era architecture, rivaling other historic southern cities like Savannah and Charleston. The 10,000 square foot Bellamy Mansion is a wonder to behold and a must if you love awesome architecture.
Now, the Wilmington area marries a couple of my favorite things together: History, and accessible beaches. I loved our trip to the area and I hope to make it back before too long. So, if you’re looking for a new place to hit that lets you learn a bit and relax by the ocean, then you definitely need to get Wilmington added to your travel bucket list. That’s all for today folks. We’ll see ya, when we see ya.
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Hey there! Thanks for taking a trip with me to a new destination in episode 41. If you haven’t already, be sure to give the show a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about Wilmington, feedback on the show or recommendations for new episodes? I’d love to hear it so follow me and DM me on socials @FridayTakeFive or email me at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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