EVERYDAY LIVING PHOTO: UNCW/JAMIE MONCRIEF

St. James University

Cape Fear River's gentle wake laps sleepy Southport's shoreline on still afternoons, making it difficult to imagine the town as a hot bed of anything but strolling in quiet contemplation. Historian Chris Fonvielle knows better. Standing before 150 students enrolled in St. James University, Fonvielle reveals how Southport helped spark the Civil War. "One of the first overt actions against the federal government occurred in North Carolina,? at Smithville, to be precise, Southport's original name.

BY LIZ BIRO

44 Students lean forward as Fonvielle describes how on January 9, 1861, Smithville citizens led by Southern nationalists calling themselves the "Cape Fear Minute Men? took over U.S. Fort Caswell, an area near the current Oak Island lighthouse visible across the river from downtown Southport. Earlier that day, the Cape Fear Minute Men had seized Smithville's Fort Johnston, which still stands in Southport. These actions happened three months before the Confederate's firing on Fort Sumter, S.C., the official start of the Civil War. Eyes widen at Fonvielle's tale. Such astonished looks show up whenever St. James University classes are in session.

1 2 a message 18 22 42 44 46 54 70 60 32 38 downtown wilmington 7 8 downtown wilmington's art and culture, get involved at the cameron art museum 11 12 the downtown art scene includes unique performance opportunities 14 a home like no other family is the heart of the home at st. james plantation.a sense of place the st. james chapel 19 new woodlands park homesites planned for october release 21 22 23 golf 's best-kept secret -ireland in other words, links golf is nothing like american golf. nothing. that's why anyone who calls him or herself a golfer needs to take a week or so and travel to experience the differences.27 the charm of orton plantation 29 'going green' becomes a neighborhood affair 32 going green: anall-volunte erfire department 36 it could be said that a community gets the fire department it deserves. and thanks to community-wide support, the st. james fire department has evolved into one of the best firehouses in the area.38 39 splish-splashing is fun and exercise for this group of ladies.41 42 harborwalk a new 45 st. james university47 plantation some of the first neighbors ann o'malley met in st. james plantation were flowers. drives around the community introduced her to various gardens she wished to know better. today, o'malley is roaming those yards, and she's brought a few hundred people along. "you can drive by all of these houses and see how beautiful they are in the front, but there are things in the back,? o'malley says, joining several folks nosing about powder blue hydrangeas, sunny yellow lantanas, and soft pink mimosas decorating pattie accordino's lush rear lawn.50 51 52 53 1 4 55 56 fun + learning = owner spotlight: 59 he said, she said 61 st. james properties, llc resale division 3891 ridge crest drive the reserve collection 3310 sparkleberry court the nature view collection 3565 st. james drive the links collection 4135 south lagoon court the links collection 3030 marshwinds circle, villa 1104 the plantation villa collection 3776 ridge crest drive the reserve collection 3840 worthington place the reserve collection 3350 club villa, villa 305 the plantation villa collection 4152 skeffington court the nature view collection hole by hole hole #11 hole #12 75 76