Hoge-Wood House History

Wilmington has a unique and rich history.  It includes bloodthirsty pirates, legendary Civil War battles, ghostly lore, the Battleship North Carolina, and much more. Wilmington was one of the last strongholds of the Confederacy, and was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad.  We hope you have time to enjoy and explore Wilmington’s gifts.

The history of the Hoge Wood House is just as interesting as the city itself.  While this beautiful Queen Anne-style house has been lovingly restored and renovated, its exterior is remarkably unchanged since it was built in 1891.  When Page & Larry moved into the house in 1993, they researched (with Page’s parents help!) the structure’s past in order to apply for historic recognition. The large plaque to the left of the front door was awarded about a year later, and the house was officially named “The Payton Harrison Hoge House”.

In 1891, The Hoge’s house was built on land bought from James Sprunt.  On September 26, 1891, The Wilmington Messenger reported “Mr. A.B. Cook has just completed for the Reverend Dr. Hoge, a very compete and attractive residence on S. Third St. near the corner of Nun.  The house…was built from Dr. Hoge’s own drawings…the workmanship is thorough and finished and reflects great credit on the contractor.”  Tony P. Wren, in his book Wilmington, N.C. An Architectural and Historical Portrait, wrote of the house, “A fine Queen Anne-style house, this is a two-story structure with complex roof and cross-gable plan.  The house remains remarkably unchanged since 1891, except that c. 1895 the porch was continued around the north end of the house to the hexagonal-bay tower.  The dwelling exhibits the multiplaned and multiple-roof hallmarks of the style.”

Of historical note, In 1901 Dr. Hoge performed the marriage ceremony of Mary Lily Kenan and Henry M. Flagler at Liberty Hall in Kenansville.  Flagler was the co-founder of Standard Oil Company and instrumental in the development of Florida.  He built a private rail line into Kenansville, NC from Warsaw to especially accommodate his arriving wedding guests.  Other former owners were Dr. Edward Jenner Wood and his wife Louise Bellamy Wood.  Dr. Wood practiced medicine with his father Dr. Thomas Fanning Wood, who is known at the Father of Public Health in North Carolina.