One More Look Back

The next stop on the road west was Wilmington, North Carolina. Growing up, we always went to the beach near Wilmington, so coming back as an adult to photograph the city felt like a trip down memory lane.

The highlight was touring the USS North Carolina, the battleship docked across the Cape Fear River. Walking its decks, standing beneath the massive gun turrets, and climbing through its narrow passageways brought back the awe I felt as a kid. Across the water, downtown’s church spires and historic homes, including the grand Bellamy Mansion, rose above the marsh grass. On one street, an old Volkswagen bus wore a rainbow mushroom where its logo should be.

Saying goodbye to the East Coast in a place so tied to my childhood felt fitting. Before heading west, I got to look back one more time.