The Black Beach Resort That Almost Changed North Carolina

Postcard of the exclusive African-American beach resort that once occupied Shell Island, circa 1923 . // Beverly Tetterton, Wilmington: Lost but not Forgotten. Courtesy John Bahr, New Hanover County Public Library, and Wilmington Star News.

A first-class seaside destination for Black southerners opened just north of Wrightsville Beach in 1923, but lasted only three years. The short life of the Shell Island Beach Resort still holds lessons for today.

The Lithium War Next Door

Photos by Brian Blanco

A lithium mining startup promised to make Gaston County a clean-energy boomtown. But perceived slights and concerns over water have turned neighbors against the project.

A $1.25 Billion Bet

Photos by Andrew Craft

The New Hanover Endowment, created from the sale of a Wilmington hospital, has the power to radically change the lives of county residents. All eyes are on CEO William Buster to get it right.