By Hannah, Cayman, and Lam

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.

Fig 2. (“Haunted Cotton Exchange : Alexander Sprunt Family Plot At Oakdale Cemetery.”)

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

Figure 3. Champion Cotton Press view from Cape Fear River(J.H. Rehder & Co.)

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

Figure 6. (“The Cotton Exchange | Wilmington, NC Shopping & Dining".)

Figure 7.(“The Cotton Exchange | Wilmington, NC Shopping & Dining".)

Figure 8. (“The Cotton Exchange | Wilmington, NC Shopping & Dining".)

Figure 9. (Cotton Exchange.)

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.")

Figure 11. (“Paddy's Hollow.")

Figure 12. (“Paddy's Hollow.")

Figure 13. (“The German Cafe”)

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