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Federal Building and Courthouse
Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
National Register of Historic Places

Federal Building and Courthouse

Also known as Custom House

On the National Register since 197452 years
Neo-ClassicalListed 1974Wilmington
DirectionsAdd an old photo

Many listed buildings are private homes. Please enjoy them from the street.

About

About Federal Building and Courthouse

Federal Building and Courthouse, at N. Water between Market and Princess St., was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1974. It was among the first 2 of Wilmington’s 22 listings. The Register lists it for its architecture, at the state level. It describes its style as Neo-Classical, as it does for 25 other North Carolina listings.

What it isUnited States historic place. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 53 MB · National Archives↗
Through the years

1919 to today

  1. 1919Built
  2. 1974Added to the National Register of Historic Places
  3. 2026On the Register for 52 years
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 20 minutes

N. Water between Market and Princess St., Wilmington · about 0.7 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Federal Building and CourthouseStart here
  2. 2City Hall/Thalian HallVictorian · 0.2 mi on
  3. 3Wilmington Historic and Archeological DistrictGeorgian · 0.2 mi on
  4. 4USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55) National Historic LandmarkBuilt 1941 · next door
  5. 5Wilmington Historic District (Boundary Increase)Queen Anne · 0.2 mi on
Around it

11 more Register listings within 2 miles

★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.

StUSS North CarolinaStructure0.3 miBWalker, James, Nursing School QuartersUtilitarian Industrial · Built 19210.9 miDCarolina Heights Historic District (Boundary Increase)Queen Anne1 miBHooper, William, School (Former)Classical Revival · Built 19141.1 miDCarolina Heights Historic DistrictNeoclassical Revival1.2 miDMarket Street Mansion DistrictNeo-Classical Revival1.3 miDWestbrook-Ardmore Historic DistrictBungalow/Craftsman1.4 miSWilmington National CemeteryColonial Revival · Built 18671.4 miDCarolina Place Historic DistrictBungalow/Craftsman1.5 miBDelgrado SchoolNeo-Classical Revival1.6 miDBrookwood Historic DistrictDistrict1.8 mi

Memories of Federal Building and Courthouse

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

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Questions about Federal Building and Courthouse

Is Federal Building and Courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on May 2, 1974 (Register number 74001363).

Is Federal Building and Courthouse a National Historic Landmark?

No. It is on the National Register; North Carolina has 36 National Historic Landmarks. The nearest is USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55) National Historic Landmark, 0.4 miles away.

Can you visit Federal Building and Courthouse?

Our record doesn’t say whether it is open to visitors. Many listed buildings are private, so it may only be seen from the street.

Where can I read the history of Federal Building and Courthouse?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 53 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 47721528 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.