1960 the year my world changed

It was 1962 1960 a milestone for me as well as Wilmington the town I grew up in. I was one of the big kids at school being in the 6th grade at Forest Hills School, but things were getting ready to change. 1963 I would be at Chestnut Street Jr High and at the bottom of the pile being in the 7th grade. To make things worse it would be a larger school and many of my childhood friends would no longer be going to school with me. Some would go to one of the other Jr high schools but many would leave Wilmington for good. 1962 1960 was the year that the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad would be moving to it's new home office in Jacksonville, FL and taking many of my friends with it. For me the transition wasn't easy and for the town losing it's biggest employer was a disaster which some might say it has never really over come. Yes we have grown and have many new companies to employee workers, but we lost something that year that has never been regained. Up until the Atlantic Coast Line left it seemed Wilmington was just one large family. Maybe because every one ether worked or a member of the family, or neighbor worked there. The old office buildings took up over 2 city blocks of 2 and 3 story buildings not counting the passenger terminal and freight offices and ware houses. With it all figured in they covered nearly a third of what is now the downtown area. This was all vacant now and soon after passenger service ended and by the mid 60s the Hotel Wilmington would also close. It was one of the tallest buildings downtown. What I remember about it was those revolving doors.