Southport

Resort town on the Irish Sea coast in Merseyside, northwest England, 25 km/16 mi north of Liverpool; population (2001) 90,350. Tourism is important and other industries include engineering and the manufacture of clothing and food. Southport pier (1859) was the first pier to be built for pleasure rather than as a landing stage. In 1998, a Heritage lottery grant of £1.7 million/$2.7 million was awarded for the restoration of the pier.

At 1,100 m/1,200 yd, the pier is the second longest in England. The town is built mainly on old sand dunes, and the peat mosslands away from the coastal belt are used for market gardening. A large area has been reclaimed for gardens, a marine lake, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities. There are eight championship golf courses, and Southport claims to be the golfing capital of England.

Southport was laid out in a rectangular pattern of tree-lined streets. It acquired its first hotel for visitors in the 18th century, but the town did not expand greatly until the railway to Liverpool was built in 1848, and the line to Wigan and Manchester in 1855. The town centre is characterized by traditional-style shopping under glass vaulted arcades. The internationally famous Southport flower show is held annually.

Southport

Town in New York State, adjacent to Elmira, between the Chemung River and the Pennsylvania border; population (1990) 11,600. The Southport Correctional Facility, a maximum security state prison, is here.

Southport

City in southern North Carolina, on the west side of the Cape Fear River near its mouth, 26 km/16 mi southwest of Wilmington; population (1990) 2,400. It is an important yachting port, and a beach and fishing resort centre.

The Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal is to the northeast and the Brunswick nuclear power plant, operative since 1975, is nearby to the north.