A Brief History of Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, NC, located several miles east of the Catawba River, is the largest city in its state. With a population of over 775,000 residents, Charlotte is the second largest financial center in the United States following New York City. It is home to many national headquarters including Bank of America and Wells Fargo’s East Coast operations. It is also the site for landmarks such as the NASCAR Hall of Fame, U.S. National Whitewater Center, and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture.

Pre-American Revolution Charlotte

Originally settled by Europeans in 1755, the area known as Charlotte grew between two Native American trading paths. Thomas Polk, an ancestor of President James K. Polk, built his home at the intersection of these two paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers. Decades after Polk’s settling, the area became known as “Charlotte Town” and was officially incorporated in 1768 as part of Mecklenburg County.

In 1770, surveyors marked out the area in a grid pattern for streets and future development. The east-west trading route became Trade Street while the north-south route became Tryon Street. Five years later, local leaders created and signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Although not a true declaration of freedom from British rule, it was among the first of a group of documents that led to the American Revolution.

Gold Rush in Charlotte

In 1799, a 17 pound rock was found by Conrad Reed, a 12-year-old boy from Cabarrus County. For three years, the Reed family used the stone as a doorstop until 1802 when a jeweler examined the rock and determined it was nearly solid gold. This discovery was the first of verified gold in the United States and set off the country’s first gold rush. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, many strains of gold were found throughout the area and led to opening of the Charlotte Mint in 1837.

Another economy boost occurred in the 1870s, when cotton processing and a recently constructed railroad hub brought jobs and residents to the area. In the 1880 census, Charlotte’s population had grown to over 7,000.

Charlotte Today

Today, Charlotte is home to 199 neighborhoods stretching in all directions from the city’s center. Shopping and dining is prominent along the Park Road and South Park areas while Southeast Charlotte is home to golf communities, luxury developments, and huge churches. In the 19th century, numerous churches including Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran and Roman Catholic moved into the area, giving Charlotte the nickname “City of Churches.”