History with ‘Hud’: The evolving role of Southport’s pilot tower
SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Southport is a very popular tourist spot for those looking to enjoy a small town vibe along the Brunswick County coast. But its role as a coastal town has changed greatly over the years, especially when it comes to a particular landmark along West Bay Street.
The Southport pilot tower was originally an 80-foot wooden structure used for more than 250 years as a watch point to help guide ships into the Port of Wilmington. Pilots were dispatched to help vessels navigate through the sometimes challenging waters of the Cape Fear River ahead of the 28 mile journey upriver to the port.
It was replaced by a metal tower in the 1940s to ensure survival of the structure, with further modification taking place half a century later in the 1990s, seeing modern communication systems being attached to the top. The lower portion of the steel tower and two-story frame building below it still serve as a dispatch site for local river pilots.
In non-navigation roles, it’s even appeared in locally-filmed TV shows, like standing is as radio station for ‘Under the Dome’ from 2013 through 2015.
The tower and attached building remain a part of the Southport Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
While there are other buildings and landmarks in the Southport area more popular than the Pilot Tower, it can be argued no other structure served quite as important of a purpose to keep vessels and mariners safe.
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.
