Wilmington was settled in 1732 and incorporated as a city in 1866. Built along the Cape Fear River, Historic Downtown, Wilmington, NC is approximately 230 blocks of what now consists of cafes, bistros, and restaurants of all cuisines, and hundreds of shops and boutiques as well as art galleries and museums. Home to beautiful mansions and landmark buildings, historic downtown takes you to a time in the past. It is North Carolina’s largest collection of historic homes and buildings. You can even take a horse drawn carriage ride and learn a bit of history on the tour. Sprawling with night life you can enjoy live music or theater at the historic Thalian Hall, the oldest community theater in the US. There has been a large movement to restore the old buildings into apartments, lofts, and condos. Living downtown keeps you right in the mix. A lot of the historic homes are being restored and people are giving a facelift to the historic neighborhoods. Historic Downtown, Wilmington NC is an exciting place to call home and has been recognized nationally as the best river walk in the country.