title
Ordinance Designating the Mary Etta Williams House at 709 North 8th Street as a Local Historic Landmark
body
Department:
Planning & Development
Meeting Date:
4/21/2026
Contact Name:
Alden Finholm
Public Hearing:
Yes
Contact Phone:
910-772-4165
Advertising Date/Advertised By:
April 10, 2026;
April 17, 2026; StarNews
Attachments:
Attachment #1: Ordinance; Attachment #2: Case Summary; Attachment #3: Local Landmark Application; Attachment #4: Case Map; Attachment #5: Narrative and Supporting Materials; Attachment #6: Historic Wilmington Plaque Application; Attachment #7: State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Comments; Attachment #8: Mary Etta Williams Edited Report with Photos; Attachment #9: Applicant's Impact Statement
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this ordinance is to designate the Mary Etta Williams House at 709 North 8th Street as a Local Historic Landmark.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to N.C.G.S. ?160D-945 and ?160D-946, and Chapter 18 of the Wilmington City Code, the City has the authority to designate local historic landmarks. This ordinance would designate the property at 709 North 8th Street, excluding the interior of the building, as a local historic landmark, and any future major alterations to the exterior would be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission ("HPC") for approval of a certificate of appropriateness ("COA"). Designation as a local historic landmark also makes the property owner eligible for a 50 percent property tax deferral.
The Mary Etta Williams House is significant for its role in social history and education. The property is associated with the Lane-Williams-Joseph family, whose continuous ownership and occupancy of the site since 1885 represents an enduring example of African American landownership, generational continuity, and community stability in Wilmington's Northside neighborhood during the post-emancipation and Jim Crow eras. The property is further significant for its association with Sadie Williams Joseph,...
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