Military Cutoff bridge dedicated to Cornelius Nixon
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A longtime Wilmington community figure is being honored in a lasting and highly visible way, as the North Carolina Department of Transportation has officially dedicated the Military Cutoff bridge over Market Street to Cornelius “Sunny” Nixon.
Friends, family, and community members gathered Friday for the ceremony, recognizing Nixon — often known as “the Oyster Man” — and the impact he had across New Hanover County.
The bridge, which carries thousands of drivers each day, now serves as a permanent tribute to Nixon’s legacy.
His youngest daughter, Alice Nixon, said the dedication has been a work in progress.
“This is something that I have wanted for a very long time,” she said.
Nixon was a well-known figure in the community, founding the county’s first oyster shucking facility on Greenville Sound and later opening Nixon’s Oyster Plant on Market Street, which served the area for more than 55 years.
His eldest daughter, Carolyn Nixon Kaham, said her father’s influence extended far beyond his business.
“Call Sunny Nixon, that’s what the community called him, Sunny Nixon. Dad, he put God first, family, community, and always believed in lifting someone up,” said Nixon Kaham.
She added that her father would have been deeply moved by the recognition.
“My dad, who was very humble, would just be so humbled that he, a person that grew up poor, was elevated to this level,” said Nixon Kaham.
Trevor Carroll, a division engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said community support played a key role in making the dedication happen.
“When his family petitioned to have this bridge dedicated to him, so many people reached out, local folks, they provided those resolutions of support for this, and it’s just a great thing to do here for the community where his legacy and his family can always be remembered,” said Carroll.
Nixon’s business later became the state’s third-largest oyster recycling center, and his contributions were recognized by the Division of Marine Fisheries in 2010. He died in 2011 at the age of 90.
