Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,477 at the 2010 census. The town consists of a four-mile-long beach island, an interior island called Harbor Island, and pockets of commercial property on the mainland.HistoryA post office called Wrightsville was established in 1881. Wrightsville Beach is composed of two islands that are separated by two different bodies of water. Bradley Creek runs between the mainland and the Hammocks (currently known as Harbor Island). The Hammocks are then separated from the beach by Banks Channel. In the 1700 and 1800’s the Hammocks were accessible by a footbridge from the mainland and by boat. The beach itself was only accessible by boat.The first documented history of present-day Wrightsville Beach began when the Lord’s Proprietors granted land to Charles Harrison in 1725. The land grant was for 640acres located north of the present day Hiede Trask Bridge that runs over the Intracoastal Waterway and was the first formal ownership of property near the beach.In 1853, the Carolina Yacht Club was founded by 7 local gentlemen who loved to sail and race boats. Currently known as the second oldest yacht club in America, the Yacht club was built in 1884. It was the first permanent structure on the beach and was only accessible by boat. Eventually a few scattered cottages and commercial buildings began springing up on what was then known as Ocean View Beach. The town was incorporated in 1899 as Wrightsville Beach, in honor of the Wright family of Wilmington and the community of Wrightsville on the mainland side of Harbor Island.