The nearly 80 years between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars was a time of increasing wealth and population for Wilmington. With about 1,000 people at the start of the period, and over 5,000 at the end, Wilmington was the largest town in what was then known as the Rip Van Winkle State. Wilmington may not have had an economic explosion, but neither was she sleeping.
As in colonial times, the port shipped lumber and naval stores from the region's pine forests. Added to that was the profitable growth in the cultivation of rice and cotton. Commerce was active enough to spawn the creation of several railroads. One, connected to Weldon, Virginia, was the longest in the world. The city was also connected by scheduled steamboats to Charleston, Baltimore and Philadelphia. A packet boat traveled the Cape Fear up as far as Fayetteville. (About 100 miles.)
The essence of these years was the stuff of everyday life. Churches were built, dignitaries welcomed, the river dredged, epidemics and fires battled, and a couple of duels fought. Wilmington was a peaceful and prosperous place, cultured for its size, the social and commercial center for the surrounding plantations.
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