Leland NC History
Leland was incorporated as a town in 1989, but has been a community for a lot longer than that, and is comprised of various areas that have had different names over the years. Leland was originally the name of the area around the junction of Village rd and the railroad, the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta railroad line . You can still visit this area today. It is located near the juncture of Village Rd, Lincoln Rd, and Leland School Rd. The railroad is still there and Village Rd crosses over it in a rather tight curve. This area is in the present day city limits of Leland NC. It is said that in 1897, local residents petitioned Washington D.C. for a post office, and that a local resident, Joseph Gay, included his nephew’s name, Leland Adams, as one of three potential names for the post office. From these beginnings, the Leland Post Office, and eventually the Town of Leland, was born. Joseph Gay was appointed the first postmaster of the Leland Post Office.
Sturgeon Creek and Mill Creek run through the middle of Leland, and empty into the Brunswick River. They have become popular destinations for kayakers and nature enthusiasts. Leland has a public kayak launch off of Village Rd. There is also a larger public water access approximately 1 mile from Hwy 17 on Hwy 133 on the Brunswick River. The Brunswick River was used to store Liberty ships and other non-needed ships after the end of World War II. The boats were “mothballed” and varying numbers, up to 400+ at one time, were there from the mid 40’s until the early 1970’s. You can still very easily see the boat “slips” as you cruise along the river, or from aerial photographs.
Leland, incorporated in 1989, had very little population growth through the year 2000. However, from 2000 to 2009, the population has now exceeded 10,000 residents. This has happened from more development and annexation of local areas, and from many new people moving to the area. The quality of life has increased as time has gone by, and Leland has been able to structure growth so that it benefits everyone. Our core businesses are located in consolidated areas, giving you easy access to most everything you need in close proximity to each other. Brunswick County is still largely rural, and within a couple moments you can find yourself in the country, surrounded by farms and animals.
