History of Westbrook-Ardmore

In 1906, Carolina Place marked the beginning of Wilmington’s suburban expansion, situated just east of what is now Westbrook. It was soon joined in 1908 by Carolina Heights and Winoca Terrace, which are located to the north of the former Westbrook Farm. Meanwhile, the Delgago Cotton Mill village grew just southeast of the city limits. Connecting these neighborhoods with downtown was Tide Water Power Company’s street cars, which traversed city streets and offered transportation to Wrightsville Beach.

The growth around the periphery of Wilmington’s city limits left one last opportunity for suburban development: the former Westbrook farmland. First to capitalize on the land run was D. R. Foster & Company, who created The Bronx. Next was the Manhattan Company, followed shortly by Carolina Court. Eventually, three more developments were born: Pinehurst, Westbrook, and Ardmore. Collectively, the six developments closed a chapter in the development of Wilmington by filling in the last open land within the city’s pre-1945 street grid. 

Each of the six, interrelated developments captured in aesthetic and amenity the aspirations of the American middle class during the early-to-mid 20th century. Economic yet stylish architectural styles,  such as the Four Square and Craftsman bungalow, lent themselves towards mass, speculative construction by developers based upon published pattern books. Paired with the expansion of credit and access to mortgages, homeownership became accessible and affordable to white Wilmingtonians. While these communities thrived, it’s important to acknowledge that, at the time, racist deed restrictions limited the pathway to the American dream for African Americans. Furthermore, the development of these segregated neighborhoods—with their idyllic tree-lined streets, paved sidewalks, and pocket parks—was partially achieved through convict labor, demonstrating how slavery persisted in another name in the growth of American suburbs.

Increasingly, the houses of Westbrook-Ardmore featured driveways and garages, as the automobile became a fixture of the middle-class household thanks to the efficiencies of mass production and expansion of credit. Consequently, service stations built in the sleek, Art Deco style became fixtures of Westbrook-Ardmore’s prominent street corners, a testament to the prominence of the automobile in this new age. This evolution underscored the growing importance of the car in American life.

Fifteen years since Westbrook-Ardmore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, HWF proudly recognizes Westbrook-Ardmore during the 2024 Azalea Festival Home Tour!

Want to learn more about this neighborhood? Click here to peruse the National Register Historic District application!

Housed within a former Art Deco service station, Fermental is a fantastic example of adaptive reuse within Westbrook-Ardmore, and the project won a Preservation Award in 2023. What a wonderful setting for our Azalea Festival Home Tour kick off—make the most of your home tour experience by joining us for this enlightening evening! A historic happy hour from 5:30-6:30pm will set the stage for an immersive retrospective of the district from 6:30-7:30pm. HWF Executive Director Travis Gilbert will trace Westbrook-Ardmore’s history and illuminate how it ties into the greater story of our city and region.

Cash bar available—we look forward to raising a glass to preservation with you! In a nod to the neighborhood, Fermental will be featuring a couple rotating Westbrook Brewing beers on draft! There will also be a taco food truck on site, El Charrito.

If you have purchased your ticket online, you may pick it up at the event. If you’d like to purchase your ticket in-person, you may do so at the event!