Are you a Curious George? Do you wonder how Monkey Junction, an unincorporated area near Wilmington in New Hanover County, got its name?
The area got the distinctive name “Monkey Junction” from a service station and grocery store that was at the corner of Carolina Beach and Piner roads.
The service station was run by Dina and Jack Spindle in the late 1930s through the mid-1970s. The Spindles kept monkeys in order to attract customers. It also was believed that soldiers stationed at Fort Fisher were regular customers who also enjoyed being entertained by the monkeys.
The bus drivers that drove the route to Carolina Beach would announce “Next stop Monkey Junction.” Thus “Monkey Junction” was born.
The area “Monkey Junction” is now known as Myrtle Grove by newcomers, but it still is known by older natives and some businesses around that area as “Monkey Junction.”
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: ‘Curious’ about how this junction in New Hanover County got its name?