History of Charlotte

[KJHburg]

As I have repeatedly said our historic high rises are swallowed up by newer taller buildings but anyone who says uptown Charlotte has no history walk down Tryon.   Not pictured St Peters Catholic,  Spirit Square, Latta Arcade etc.  Plus of course all the historic homes in 4th Ward and a few scattered elsewhere around uptown. 

A WW2 D-Day plus one vet told me once that where Duckworths is was a car dealer uptown at the time. 

[KJHburg]

The closest national military cemetery to Charlotte is up in Salisbury and it has a long history since the Civil War.

https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/salisbury.asp

Remember Memorial Day:  all gave some but some gave it all.  Honoring those who died in service to this country.

Photo from Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort SC

[DMann]

Amen brother!

[11 HouseBZ]

Part of that history to the Civil War is the site of the cemetery is, or is near the location of the Civil War era Salisbury Confederate Prison. Many, many people died at that prison, as high as 25% of all prisoners sent there! Either way it lead to the start of the cemetery. Good reads for anybody. 

 

https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/salisbury-prison-civil-war/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_National_Cemetery

[KJHburg]

when people say Charlotte has no history walk them by these spots just a few of the many uptown.  Today. 

Iveys building from 1920s, the Tryon Plaza from the 1920s, First Presbyterian Church and Settlers Cemetery, St Peters Condo formerly first hospital

[KJHburg]

As the Allies celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day invasion that turned the page World War II tomorrow,    Charlotte played its part on the home front.   The Westinghouse Arrowood industrial area was the home to the US Rubber Company, a Navy ammunition plant.  My aunt worked there right out of High school and it employed at its peak 12,000 people 70%-90% women.  My aunt had to wear bells around her neck so people heard her coming as she carried live ammo and she said the rest of her life that caused her nervousness.    Here are some great articles on the plant and look at the names of the people with the Charlotte Chamber who worked to get this plant.  This plant is the basis for the huge industrial park that stands there today.  (My aunt who worked here later worked most of her life at Belks uptown) 

https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/home-front-charlotte-mecklenburg-1941-1946-places/shell-plant

https://www.steelecreekresidents.org/Newspages/news356_ShellPlant2.htm

Correction just talked to Mom my aunt her sister wore bells on her shoes not around her neck so when  she was carrying live ammo no one would bump into her.  

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by KJHburg

[rockhilljames]

Does anyone have any information on the roughly 7 story building across the street from Trademark at the corner of W Trade and  N Pine? Is it historical at all? What is it used for now? Is it likely to survive development of that block? What's up with the weird backside of it? I've always been intrigued by it.

 

[Scribe]

That is the Builders Building http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs Alphabetical Order/surveys&rbuildersbuilding.htm

Quote

The Builders Building was designed by Charlotte architect and engineer Marion Rossiter “Steve” Marsh (1901-1977) and constructed in 1926-27 in response to the building boom that was occurring in Charlotte and its environs during the years immediately following World War One.  Its purpose was to provide a single home for the principal participants in Charlotte’s building trades. The bringing together of firms involved in the building trades was especially popular in those communities, such as Charlotte, that were dedicated to unremitting growth and expansion.  This concentration of architects, general contractors, and components manufacturers, it was argued, would allow construction professionals to respond more effectively to the increasingly complex building systems that were appearing in urban centers of the United States, including those in North Carolina, in the early twentieth century.

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Scribe

[videtur quam contuor]

Camp Greene was THE major force in the growth of Charlotte in the teens to the '20's and for years after. At its peak there were 60,000 soldiers there at a time, nearly tripling the population of the city. The camp closed in late 1918 and the population of Charlotte had increased 36% from 1910 to 1920 and then 78% 1920-1930. There was never a rise anywhere like that in our history. The Builders Building reflects the needs of that time.

https://www.ourstate.com/camp-greene/

[rockhilljames]

6 hours ago, Scribe said:

That is the Builders Building http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs Alphabetical Order/surveys&rbuildersbuilding.htm

 

Thanks! It's a shame the arcade was not preserved.

[KJHburg]

the Builders Building side view today.  It is on the block owned by the First Presbyterian Church that one day will have a major mixed use project on it.  

[NCMike1990]

Found these pics of CityFair on the Charlotte Over the Years Facebook page. 

Notice the parking deck had no screening.

Edited June 10, 2019 by NCMike1990

[Seaboard Fellow]

11 hours ago, NCMike1990 said:

Found these pics of CityFair on the Charlotte Over the Years Facebook page. 

Notice the parking deck had no screening.

CityFair had an uncanny resemblance to The Landing in Jacksonville, FL which appears to be headed for a similar fate. 

[skymiler]

The problem with The Landing in Jacksonville is that the city planners have no real vision of what that property could become.   Most envision another park  which would be fine if they would address the homeless in that area.  That piece of land has so much potential but I have yet to see any decent proposal.

[nakers2]

I've heard a few things about City Fair and from what I can gather, it was really ahead of it's time, I imagine a concept like this could do well in Uptown today, especially if it was open late. Offer limited validated parking, maybe offer a covered access from the light rail, or tie it into the overstreet mall some way and I could see it being successful, especially if some high end retail was brought in along with more mid-range options. 

 

[JRNYP2C]

Blast from the past!!!  I remember the record store and Wendy's that was there.

[KJHburg]

I took several classes from my UNC Charlotte MBA there on the upper floors their first ever venture uptown with classrooms.   What about Fat Tuesdays? 

[NCMike1990]

Big thanks to a member over at Charlotte Over The Years Facebook group for sharing these awesome pics. The first pic is Kings Dr. at Independence (now Charlottetowne Ave). The rest are along the Freedom Drive area. You can see one of the drive-in movie theaters (there were actually 2 right next to each other). All these pics are from the early 70s.  Source

 

 

[KJHburg]

that skyline shot from  early 1970s is classic not even NCNB Plaza aka BofA Plaza at the square.  Great find.

[NcSc74]

1 minute ago, KJHburg said:

that skyline shot from  early 1970s is classic not even NCNB Plaza aka BofA Plaza at the square.  Great find.

Resembles OKC skyline now minus a few building.

[nakers2]

6 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

that skyline shot from  early 1970s is classic not even NCNB Plaza aka BofA Plaza at the square.  Great find.

Isn't that it being built? Or is that another tower? Hard to tell because it's a bit discolored. 

Also, how were some of these taken? They look like drone shots. 

[Crucial_Infra]

16 minutes ago, nakers2 said:

Isn't that it being built? Or is that another tower? Hard to tell because it's a bit discolored. 

Also, how were some of these taken? They look like drone shots. 

That crane appears to be putting on the final touches of what is today’s Two Wells Fargo building which was completed in 1971.  NCNB Plaza as well as the Wachovia’s 400 South Tryon were  completed in 1974. So this looks like 1971 to me. 

[Scribe]

I've learned a piece of cool Charlotte history and want to share...

First Baptist Church when building their new building (now McGlohon Theatre) was asked by Andrew Carnegie to match the architectural style of the new church to the library...

Quote

In 1906, members decided that a new building was needed and plans were put into place for a $50,000 auditorium that would seat over 1,000 people. Because the new building was to be located next door to the city's library, Andrew Carnegie agreed to donate $5,000 toward the purchase of an organ if First Baptist would use a design similar to that of the library. The new beautiful church with its Byzantine domes and arched stained-glass windows was dedicated in 1909.

Not only was First Baptist Church originally named Beulah Baptist Church, but it also makes the original library more real, when I pass by McGlohon Theatre.

Also, he donated 10% of the entire construction budget (for the organ but still) just because he cared how the building would work with the other buildings on the block (mainly the library)!  He knew what's what... Wish the city planners those in power that have jurisdiction would care half as much... then maybe we would have less beige/grey boxes...

source: https://www.charlottefbc.org/our-history

Edited June 13, 2019 by Scribe

[Matthew.Brendan]

 

 

R.I.P

[jtmonk]

4 minutes ago, Scribe said:

I've learned a piece of cool Charlotte history and want to share...

First Baptist Church when building their new building (now McGlohon Theatre) was asked by Andrew Carnegie to match the architectural style of the new church to the library...

Not only was First Baptist Church originally named Beulah Baptist Church, but it also makes the original library more real, when I pass by McGlohon Theatre.

Also, he donated 10% of the entire construction budget (for the organ but still) just because he cared how the building would work with the other buildings on the block (mainly the library)!  He knew what's what... Wish the city planners would care half as much... then maybe we would have less beige/grey boxes...

source: https://www.charlottefbc.org/our-history

Do not blame City Planners!!  The blame should be placed on developers and those who hold office such as City Council, Mayor, State Senate, etc.  As a City Planner myself, there's nothing more I would love to do than take these proposed developments that are submitted and change them drastically.  Unfortunately, City Planners are bound by local, state and federal laws.  If a development meets the development standards laid out in our ordinance then I have to sign off on the development.  I can make recommendations, but the developer is not required to make changes based off my recommendations.  If you want better development standards then tell your City Council Member and the Mayor.  Also vote in state elections because the people in Raleigh have a lot of say in what we can and cannot regulate.  So let me state this again because I see many people mention this often, DO NOT BLAME CITY PLANNERS! Thank you.