Outsiders frequently chuckle when they hear locals talk about Monkey Junction. It’s a funny name for a popular and growing section of southern New Hanover County, which is also referred to as Myrtle Grove.
Once a quiet rural community, Monkey Junction is now home to major commercial development, including restaurants, strip malls and big-box retailers. There are schools, a library and a fire department in the area, which began at the intersection of Carolina Beach Road and South College Road, Wilmington [Map this].
Monkey Junction has always been unincorporated, but the city of Wilmington is forging ahead with annexation plans. See the bottom of this post for a link.
Monkey Junction is named for a popular tourist attraction at a gas station in that area in the 1950s: a live monkey that belonged the owners. Word spread and people would stop on their way to the beach to see the animal.
Monkey Junction has its own official Web site: http://monkeyjunctionnc.com.
Click here for the Wikipedia entry about Monkey Junction.
Date posted: March 2, 2009
Hi, If my memory is correct, there was a store run by a women and there were some monkeys in cages on the outside. We lived a few miles past there where Monterey Heights is now. My Grandfather had a cement block plant between where the two gas stations are now located. When we would go into Wilmington and stop by on the way home, my Dad would get me a bottle Coke and warn me to stay away from the nasty monkeys. But I am almost sure it was in the late 40′s. A Mr. Huffman bought the station (with no monkeys) and later sold it to a Mr. Davis Raper. But I may not have my facts straight.
I’ve done a few stories on this and tracked down the facts. Check out these two links.
A Wilmington magazine story:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20070404/MAGAZINE20/70404011
The Great Primate Debate:
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20070908/NEWS/709080309