Cape Fear?

As some of you know Chad and I are in Wilmington, North Carolina. Our hotel is right on the lake/river (or whatever it is) which is Cape Fear, we are even next to Cape Fear Community College. I am curious though as to who would name this place Cape Fear. It doesn't sound very inviting to me, I would even think that people would be deterred to move here because of it's name. It's pretty here and doesn't invoke fear at all, unless of course you are walking the streets late at night and pass a dark stinky alley but that would be scary anywhere. I need to research this but it's about time to go meet Chad for lunch. I'll write more about our trip a little later.