Cape Fear Unearthed

Latest Episodes:

Unearthing 1898, Part 2: The Massacre Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

On the morning of Nov. 10, 1898, hell jolted loose in Wilmington, as it was later described.

Chaos filled the streets as a mob of armed white men swept across the city, burning The Daily Record

In the second episode of "Unearthing 1898," host Hunter Ingram and guests look at Wilmington on Nov. 10, 1898, from sunup to sundown. How did the day of violence and fear begin and how did the agenda of white supremacy sweep across Wilmington? What actions were taken by the white residents of the city and what horrors were its Black residents forced to endure?

Joining the episode are LeRae Umfleet, the author of "A Day of Blood" and lead research of North Carolina's commission on 1898; David Zucchino, author of "Wilmington's Lie;" and Christopher Everett, director of "Wilmington on Fire."

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot," by LeRae Umfleet
"Wilmington's Life: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy," by David Zucchino
"Democracy Betrayed," edited by David Cecelski and Timothy Tyson.
"Wilmington on Fire" (2015, dir. Christopher Everett
Wilmington Massacre and Coup d'état of 1898 Timeline of Events, CapeFearMuseum.com

Unearthing 1898, Part 1: The Campaign Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

On the morning of Nov. 10, 1898, Wilmington awoke to violence in the streets.

A white supremacist mob had started the morning by marching through the city, burning a Black-run newspaper and eventually killing Black citizens in the streets before overthrowing the local government.

But to understand the truly horrific motivations behind the 1898 Wilmington Massacre, we have to first explore what set the stage for it.

In the first episode of "Unearthing 1898," host Hunter Ingram and guests look at Wilmington from the end of the Civil War through the Election of 1898, exploring how the city became a majority Black community, why it was an example of racial progress in the country, how a political shift in power terrified white Democrats desperate to hold onto control, and the ways they set in motion a plan to steal that power back through duplicitous and downright murderous means.

Joining the episode are LeRae Umfleet, the author of "A Day of Blood" and lead research of North Carolina's commission on 1898; Jan Davidson, historian of the Cape Fear Museum; and Chris E. Fonvielle Jr., a historian and author.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot," by LeRae Umfleet
"Wilmington's Life: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy," by David Zucchino
"Democracy Betrayed," edited by David Cecelski and Timothy Tyson.
"Wilmington on Fire" (2015, dir. Christopher Everett
Wilmington Massacre and Coup d'état of 1898 Timeline of Events, CapeFearMuseum.com

Legend and Liquor: The Haunting of Lula's Pub Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

Lula's Pub is a downtown Wilmington bar beloved for its underground aesthetic, its low-key atmosphere and its ghost story, which tells of a former slave killed on the property who now greets guests in mirrors or dark corners.

Venture down a dark, cramped hallway and into this subterranean hideaway that's lit with string lights and neon signs. It's a small communal space, but it's legend of the man who haunts the property is one that has stood the test of time.

Still, it begs the question, is the story of Cooter true? And what strange encounters have happened on the property, itself a story of historic progress in downtown Wilmington?

We tell the story of Cooter and the property in this week's installment of A Cape Fear Unearthed Halloween.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"Pub Crawl Wilmington," Wilmington.Tours app by Java Dog Press
"Ghosts of Old Wilmington," by John Hirchak
Wilmington Morning Star articles

A Murder Etched in Stone Oct 08, 2020

Show notes

Lizzie Turlington was a promising leader in North Carolina's deaf mute community in 1886 when she was murdered in the woods outside of Raleigh.

The Wilmington native was shot once in the head by the man who had taken her for a leisurely ride that Friday afternoon in December – her fiancé Walter Bingham.

Turlington's story became famous as the manhunt for Bingham unfolded into the new year, one in which they were supposed to get married. But it became infamous when his name was engraved on her gravestone at Wilmington's Oakdale Cemetery, under the words "Murdered By."

This week's return of A Cape Fear Unearthed Halloween revisits the murder that shocked North Carolina 134 years ago.

Who were Turlington and Bingham? What happened on that lonely road outside Raleigh on Dec. 17, 1886? Why did her family want to etch their fateful encounter into stone forever?

WARNING: This episode includes some graphic details that may not be suitable for young listeners.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

Wilmington Morning Star editions from Dec. 1886-Mar. 1891
"Is There Any Connection Between Deaf-Mutism and Insanity? The Case of Walter L. Bingham," by Dr. Eugene Grissom, American Journal of Insanity, Vol. 44, Issue 2, Oct. 1887
Raleigh Weekly Chronicle, Jan. 1887

Washington, Taft and Wilmington's Presidential Visits Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

In 1791, George Washington, just two years into his presidency, set out on a tour of the Southern States. Nearly 120 years later, William Howard Taft celebrated his first year in office with a tour of 33 states and territories.

On each trip, the presidents took time to stop into Wilmington, where they were welcomed with massive celebrations and enthusiastic citizens.

Three other presidents – James Monroe, James K. Polk and Millard Fillmore – also made stops into Wilmington during or immediately after their terms in offices.

Ahead of the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 3, this episode of Cape Fear Unearthed dives deep into each of these five historic visits from the presidents of the United States of America.

What brought them here? What did the city have planned for each of their visits? And what did their journeys to Wilmington say about the time in which they served as commander in chief?

As the nation prepares to head to the polls in November, please make sure that you are registered to vote. Visit Vote.gov to learn how and to find your polling place.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"Chronicles of the Cape Fear River: 1662-1916," by James Sprunt
"Presidents who have visited Wilmington, N.C.: Washington, Monroe, Polk, Fillmore, Taft" (souvenir booklet), by Iredell Meares (1909)
Wilmington Morning Star editions from November 1909

One Night at Frying Pan Tower Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Frying Pan Tower was once the first light of the Cape Fear, serving as a light station 32 miles off the coast of Southeastern North Carolina to warn mariners of the dangers of Frying Pan Shoals.

Today, it has been retired by the U.S. Coast Guard and is well past its prime, but a group of owners and volunteers are working against rust and time to preserve and restore it for the future.

This special episode was recorded live on deck of Frying Pan Tower, featuring a interview with former owner and current non-profit director Richard Neal, who talks about buying the tower a decade ago, how they are working to preserve the structure and what life is like on the 135-foot tower.

To donate or register to volunteer at Frying Pan Tower, visit FPTower.org.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"Cap'n Charlie and Lights of the Lower Cape Fear," by Ethel Herring
"North Carolina Lighthouses," by Cheryl Shelton-Roberts and Bruce Roberts
Historic information provided by FPTower.org

A View of History from the Bellamy Mansion Aug 27, 2020

Show notes

As Confederate monuments come down across the country, the historic Bellamy Mansion’s intertwined stories of Southern prosperity and slavery have only invited more questions about the history of the 160-year-old Wilmington residence and what it has to say about the city’s past and present.

This week’s episode of the Cape Fear Unearthed local history podcast digs deep into those questions with an exploration of its defining family and their ties to the Confederacy; the experiences of the Black men and women, both enslaved and free, who built and ran the house; and what role the mansion now plays in the conversations of race and politics.

Joining this extended episode are Bellamy Mansion Museum director Gareth Evans and operations manager/site historian Leslie Randle-Morton, who talk about the history of the house after the war, the involvement of the Bellamys in politics and major events like the 1898 Wilmington Coup, and why the house can be such a valuable resource today, especially in 2020.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources

"The Bellamy Mansion: An Antebellum Architectural Treasure and Its People," by Catherine Bishir
"Back with the Tide," by Ellen Bellamy
Bellamy Mansion Museum online resources, including "The People" and "The Place"

The Crusade of Women's Suffrage in North Carolina Aug 13, 2020

Show notes

The Women's Suffrage Movement was fought city by city, league by league for nearly eight decades.

Changing the country's mind on what role women should play in society was never going to be an easy fight, but for years, the suffragettes at the center of the movement persisted.

On August 18, 1920, their work paid off when the 19th Amendment was ratified and women officially got the right to vote. In an eleventh hour turn of events, North Carolina played a role in those final days of the fight – by voting down the amendment.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of this victory, this episode of Cape Fear Unearthed features a special conversation with Cape Fear Museum historian Jan Davidson about the movement.

What fueled it, how did divergent ideas of womanhood threaten it and what role did North Carolina come to play in it on the eve of the passage of the 19th Amendment.

While not always perfect in its pursuit, the Women’s Suffrage movement was intimately tied to the racial politics of post-Civil War America, and would become a model for the future fight to secure every American the right to vote.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

"The Women's Suffrage Movement in North Carolina: Parts 1 & 2" by Elizabeth A. Taylor, North Carolina Historical Review, January-July 1961
"Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony" (dir. Ken Burns, 1999)
"Suffrage: Women's Long Battle for the Vote," by Ellen Carol DuBois

How Smithville Became Southport Jul 30, 2020

Show notes

Before it was one of North Carolina’s most desired destinations, the setting of Nicholas Sparks’ “Safe Haven” or a quaint fishing village, Southport was supposed to be the first line of defense for the Cape Fear.

The land that would become the Brunswick County getaway was originally designated as Fort Johnston in the 1740s, intended to protect the growing ports of Brunswick Town and Wilmington from Britain’s enemies.But the fort’s mighty vision never came to be.

In this episode, we look at how, from that unrealized dream, a town blossomed around the remains of the fort after the Revolutionary War and grew into a popular respite for Wilmington’s residents.

Over time and through at least three major wars, the community flourished into the town of Smithville, later renamed Southport in 1887 to try and court business and railroad attention flocking to Wilmington – all while remain a linchpin in the region.

Joining the episode is Pat Kirkman, a 24-year member of the Southport Historical Society.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

- "Jacob's Dream: The Town With Two Names," by Susan Carson

- "Southport (Smithville): A Chronology, Vols. I-IV," by Bill Reaves

- "Chronicles of the Cape Fear River, 1660-1916

- "A History of Fort Johnston on the Lower Cape Fear River," by Wilson Angley

The History Behind Wilmington's Confederate Statues Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

In June 2020, the city of Wilmington removed two downtown statues to the Confederacy that had been publicly displayed for a century or more.

One was a memorial to those soldiers from New Hanover County who fought for the South, the other was a statue to Confederate Attorney General George Davis.

But what does the larger community know about the stories behind these monuments, the people they honor and the people who put them there?

This week’s episode of the Cape Fear Unearthed local history podcast attempts to shed some light on those questions by looking at the controversial life of Davis, whose accolades made the inscription of his monument but not his public support of slavery. It also examines the story of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which sought to help the widows of fallen Southern soldiers before transitioning into more questionable influences on public education and historical record.

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

- "George Davis, North Carolina Whig and Confederate Statesman," by Fletcher M. Green, North Carolina Historical Review, October 1946

- "Chronicles of the Cape Fear River: 1661-1916," by James Sprunt

- "Land of the Golden River, Vol. 2-3," by Lewis Phillip Hall

- The Daily Journal, March 1861 editions

- "The History of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Vol. 1894-1929," by Mary B. Poppenheim and others

- DocSouth monument entries for the Confederate Memorial and George Davis statues

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