Q. Prior to Wilmington College or UNCW moving to the current campus, what was the name of the street that is now known as South College Road?
Beverly Tetterton, history librarian with the New Hanover County Public Library, says the road is contemporaneous with the move of Wilmington College to its present location. Apparently, the stretch was originally known only as Highway 132.
In the minutss of the Wilmington College Board of Trustees for May 8, 1958,the Trustees approved a petition to the New Hanover County Commissioners to rename Hwy. 132 from U.S. 17 to Oleander Drive as “College Road.” (Thanks for Tyrone M. Rowell for spotting the item in the University Archives.)
According to Dana Fischetti, ground was broken for the three original buildings – Alderman, Hinton James and Hoggard Hall – is 1960, and they were formally occupied in 1961. There wasn’t much out there before then.
Wilmington College became UNCW in 1969 when by act of the General Assembly, it became the fifth campus of the UNC system.
RELATED LINKS:
Why is UNCW buying new vehicles and paving a path during a budget deficit?
Can you tell me what shut down UNCW student radio station WLOZ in 1983?
Date posted: May 4, 2012
User-contributed question by:
Richard
before college rd it was hwy 132 it ran from monkey junction to the present hwy 132.
prior to that ot was 35 st
which ran from shipyard blvd to cedar st.
College Road was at one time named Third Street according to a map of Winter Park. This is the from about Oleander (once named Strawberry) to about Maple(still bears this name). I am not sure about the area around UNCW but the map also lists Pine Grove as Masonboro.
A lot of the street names have changed but most have remained.
Hope this answers your question.
The street before Hwy 132 was called 45th street or 46th street Not sure…