Westbrook-Ardmore Historic District
Also known as: Carolina Court; Carolina Court Addition; Bronx, Manhattan; Pinehurst, Westbrook Gardens
Why it's listed
Westbrook-Ardmore is a residential district of six early twentieth-century subdivisions on the eastern edge of Wilmington, North Carolina. Developers gave each subdivision its own name, including The Bronx, Manhattan, Carolina Court, Pinehurst, Westbrook, Westbrook Gardens and Ardmore. The houses are mostly one- and two-story bungalows with broad front porches, set back on tree-lined lots with paved streets and sidewalks. Building began around 1914 along Dock Street and South Fifteenth and Sixteenth Streets and continued until the mid-1950s. The neighborhood grew along the streetcar line on Seventeenth Street, which ran until 1940, and includes small churches, convenience stores and former gas stations. The district is listed for its planned suburban development and for the range of popular architectural styles it contains, from Craftsman bungalows to Late Gothic Revival churches and Moderne service stations. St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, completed in 1942, is among its notable buildings.
Significance in brief: The district is regarded as significant for its planned suburban development, shaped by the streetcar lines that served it, and for its architecture, which ranges from Craftsman bungalows and Four Square houses to Colonial Revival, Late Gothic Revival, Moderne and Ranch houses. Development ran almost continuously from about 1914 to the mid-1950s, giving the neighborhood a wide representation of popular twentieth-century styles.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08001414, listed February 5, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Dock St., Wrightsville Ave., Queen and Lingo Sts., and by S. 14th St., Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | New Hanover County |
| Listed | February 5, 2009 |
| Reference number | 08001414 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1914-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Lynch and Foard, architects; Fore and Foster, contractors |
| Architectural style | Craftsman/California Bungalow; Colonial Revival; Late Gothic Revival; Mission/Spanish Colonial; Moderne; Commercial Style; Mediterranean Revival; Period Cottage; Ranch; Minimal Traditional |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most resources are well preserved and in good condition, though some have aluminum or vinyl siding, replacement windows or enclosed porches; in 2008 the ABC Board demolished a block of buildings, leaving one historic house standing on it. |
| Acreage | 134 |
| Coordinates | 34.23319, -77.92538 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08001414.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436262
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.