History with ‘Hud’: Detailing colonial jail still standing under historic downtown Wilmington building
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — When passing through downtown Wilmington, you can spot a historical building or landmark nearly everywhere you turn. But one of the Port City’s earliest structures is hidden just out of view, lying below a prominent house.
The remains of Wilmington’s first jail can be found beneath the Burgwin-Wright House at the corner of Market Street and Third Street. The colonial holding space was commissioned in 1744, just five years after Wilmington was initially incorporated. It took another five years for the site to be completed, housing prisoners by 1749 on what was then the edge of town.
The jail was meant to hold anyone attempting to test the boundaries of the still-developing law of the land, with a jailor’s house and sheriff’s office also constructed on the same site.
Before Wilmington’s first courthouse was constructed a couple of blocks away, justice came from a traveling judge who would ride into town when it was time to deliver punishments.
Those accused of crimes weren’t held in jail for days of weeks like today. Instead, verdicts and sentences were decided swiftly due to it costing money and takin up space to hold people for long periods of time.
There were cells and cages for debtors and petty criminals, with worse offenders often being placed in a sub-basement cell widely known as the dungeon.
Some punishments were lenient, with just a fine handed out. Others were more humiliating, such as being made to stand with your arms, head and feet shackled in stocks or spend time in an outdoor cage. The worst, non-lethal punishments including painful displays at a whipping post.
But those convicted and sentenced to death were publicly hanged at the nearby gallows, with attendance from citizens being encouraged and viewed as a form of entertainment by some.
All of the public shows of punishment in the city center was intentional, meant to give those passing by a full view of the fate awaiting them if they committed a crime.
But as the city grew, so did its need for a larger jail. After two decades of serving its purpose, a fire consumed the jail in 1769. Instead of rebuilding it, the colony’s General Assembly used the opportunity to commission a new, larger jail at Second Street and Princess Street.
The Burgwin-Wright house was built overtop of the jail’s remains the following year, in 1770.
More than two centuries later in 1930, the house was falling in disrepair and the property was put up for sale. Standard Oil immediately took interest in the lot for a gas station. However, the community campaigned for seven years and purchased the house in 1937.\
Over the years, the house was restored and opened its doors to the public in 1951 as a museum. The former city jail now holds a meeting space, exhibit hall and gift shop.
Inside the museum sits the original sheriff’s key, which would have unlocked the cells and cages. While the site hasn’t been used as a jail for more than two centuries, artifacts and the remains of the cells themselves still serve as reminders of life during the earliest days of Wilmington’s history.
Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston (‘Hud’) has always had two major loves – weather and history. While you can watch him talk about weather each morning on WWAY, he looks forward to bringing you a little piece of history each Thursday on WWAY’s website.
To read other History with ‘Hud’ segments, click HERE.
