Charlotte Photo of the Day

[nakers2]

On 4/23/2018 at 12:51 PM, UPNoDa said:

 Found this on youTube...blew me away seeing uptown in '69.   Love all of the big wide station wagons (pre-SUV era)   Also, fair warning,  city shots stop at 1:03.  From there it's anybody's guess as to what road they were on.  Might have been 85 before widening but can't tell.   Enjoy

The man my grandmother remarried, I call him my grandfather for simplicity and because I like him, was a four year veteran of the Charlotte fire department when this video was taken, only 24 years old, his station was uptown, station #1, I don't believe it was where it is now though, unless it was rebuilt or expanded. 

[videtur quam contuor]

The Central Fire Station was behind City Hall with an address  of 125 South Davidson. It was also known as station #1. It moved to its current location on Myers Street in 1990.  In the 1980's with all the newer construction on the government land on East Trade and 4th streets it looked peculiar to me to have an active fire station behind City Hall when they could just carry hoses and stretch them to the buildings around their location. The trucks looked out of place. At least that was my impression.

You can read CFD history here. One thing one will notice is huge, dangerous conflagrations happened with far greater frequency in the past than in modern times. Respect for engineering, materials and inspections and everything else that has saved us from ourselves, plus the bravery of the men who fought fires.

http://charlottenc.gov/Fire/about-us/Documents/CFD History Final Jan 9 2014.pdf

[11 HouseBZ]

Fun fact: The limestone from the top of the firehouse was saved and is in front of city government center at 600 E Trade in a half circle sitting area. It was a beautiful firehouse. 

A small part of the reason for the move was for better coverage of Belmont which lost their firehouse in the 70's. That house was the prettiest firehouse the city ever built. 

Edited April 28, 2018 by 11 HouseBZ

[SgtCampsalot]

1 hour ago, 11 HouseBZ said:

Fun fact: The limestone from the top of the firehouse was saved and is in front of city government center at 600 E Trade in a half circle sitting area. It was a beautiful firehouse. 

A small part of the reason for the move was for better coverage of Belmont which lost their firehouse in the 70's. That house was the prettiest firehouse the city ever built. 

Do we know the specific address of that building?^ I see the following language about it from tarhoosier's link:

Quote

Chief Wallace supervised the construction of a third fire station, located in the 800 block of Louise Avenue to serve the Belmont neighborhood. On September 1, 1917, the Board of Aldermen approved payment of $8500 for an American LaFrance aerial truck.

Quote

A new Station 3, located at Belmont and Allen Streets in the Belmont neighborhood, was opened on March 22, 1928. This station was in use until February 1971. The Louise Avenue station closed when the new Station 3 opened. It was abandoned and eventually demolished in the mid-1980’s.

It's so fascinating to me that Belmont, not being a streetcar suburb, seemed to be a fully functioning "town" within Charlotte that allowed full walkability without the streetcar, in terms of peppering of commercial buildings, variety of housing types, and it seems their own fire station. Very cool.

Edited April 28, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[11 HouseBZ]

I believe this was where it was Sgt. 

[SgtCampsalot]

50 minutes ago, 11 HouseBZ said:

I believe this was where it was Sgt. 

Wow, I suppose it makes sense that if the CFD didn't need the land anymore (due to better service response strategies from other stations, and/or poor neighborhood disinvestment?) that they'd give it to a Land Trust, as the community garden and those apartments are. Tragic they had to get rid of the building, though.

[11 HouseBZ]

I'm trying to find you the pic of the other 3 house, but I'm having trouble finding it. 

(The 800 Louise one)

Edited April 28, 2018 by 11 HouseBZ

[SgtCampsalot]

^For sure.

One interesting tidbit from this page is that Louise Ave used to be called Louisiana Ave:

https://legeros.com/history/stations/charlotte/

Quote

Earlier stations since demolished include Central Station at 125 South Davidson Street. Built in 1925, it was relocated to 221 North Myers Street in 1990. The first Station 3 was located in the 800 block of Louisiana Avenue. Built in 1917, it was closed in 1928. The second Station 3 was built in 1928 at the corner of Belmont and Allen Streets. The two-story structure was closed in 1974, when Station 3 was relocated to 6512 Monroe Road.

 

[videtur quam contuor]

In the late 70's and early 80's Station #2 was at East and Queens where the CMC clinic is now, just on the creek.  It is not mentioned in the history but I guarantee it was there. That was between the 1215 and 1817 addresses. 

[11 HouseBZ]

Correct about location just slightly off on number. 

Old No. 9

 

I've been told a couple reasons for it's relocation. 1st. It was too close to #2 and #6. 2nd. It was on shifting soil (fill dirt/ sink hole). Either way it was moved for better placement or spacing between houses. Ironically, the city recently purchased land for a future firehouse not far from there off Selwyn. Past city density required a firehouse in that area, then didn't, and now does again. Funny I guess. 

All of the #2's, at least after fire protection became a city dept, have been off of South Blvd. And thankfully are all still standing. 

Edited April 29, 2018 by 11 HouseBZ

[tozmervo]

To quote ten-thousand faux-wood faux-hand painted word signs, "Lake Life." Scenes from Jetton Park.

[15895]

Holy cow the lake water is up!

 

i remember 2 or 3 years ago when the lake water was soooo low you could walk out very, very, very far.

[videtur quam contuor]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

To quote ten-thousand faux-wood faux-hand painted word signs, "Lake Life." Scenes from Jetton Park.

Louis Jetton was from a Huguenot family and came to this area at the time of early settlement. He had a plantation near the Catawba and is mentioned in the history of that period. His descendants married into some of the other land owners of the succeeding generations, served in the legislature and continued to live in the Davidson area into the 20th century. For an uncommon name there are quite a few people named Jetton in Charlotte today.

http://www.bmgen.com/document/pdf/The_History_of_Mecklenburg_County_1740_1900.pdf

p 60, p 134, and a few other references

[Jalen]

Here’s today driving along 277. I tried to get as much construction as possible. Loving BOAT now because the glass corners for me really do just enough to make it look like it was built in this decade and not actually in the 80’s. I was born here in ‘96 and have lived here ever since. So, I’m absolutely proud of any development Charlotte can get really. 

 

https://youtu.be/jpTZ1yVaIEA

Edited April 30, 2018 by Jalen

[Nick2]

Source

[Crucial_Infra]

[Crucial_Infra]

[Cadi40]

Not my picture but this is from WBTV, Reminds me of a picture from Los Angeles.

[KJHburg]

from rival WSOC TV Chopper 9 today from their twitter feed

This is  postcard worthy shot. 

 

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

from rival WSOC TV Chopper 9 today from their twitter feed

This is  postcard worthy shot. 

 

wish it included Legacy Onion.

[jtmonk]

Heads up.  As much as I like the Northwood Ravin project, looks like we might have another "great wall" along 277.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, jtmonk said:

Heads up.  As much as I like the Northwood Ravin project, looks like we might have another "great wall" along 277.

Its cladding has a bit more variation 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Guest

[Crucial_Infra]

Anyone know if there are plans to develop this lot? 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Crucial_Infra said:

Anyone know if there are plans to develop this lot? 

nope, its DOT owned, and no plans to develop it what.so.ever. But I designed a park for that space. 

[Crucial_Infra]

7 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

nope, its DOT owned, and no plans to develop it what.so.ever. But I designed a park for that space. 

Ah yes I remember seeing your park now. Thanks.  A shame NCDOT owns it. It looks awfully barren as it is today (and forever?)