History of Charlotte

[videtur quam contuor]

I visited the original Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Cemetery this afternoon. This was established in 1770 as Clear Creek Church. One may read the cemetery history here:

https://www.philadelphiachurch.org/about/our-heritage/

NOTE:  the church history advises that the church owns the cemetery but the dirt road from the main road is private and accesses the neighbor's home and outbuildings. 

BE ADVISED

This is the best preserved and remembered stone:

 

A view:

 

 

The Elizabeth Robb stone. Professional carver with proper choice of stone.

 

One of the sources of Clear Creek is at the bottom of this slope.

 

Philadelphia was the last of the original Presbyterian churches in the county which served the rural population. Charlotte proper had no church until 1820, 50 years after Philadelphia.

https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/hornets-nest-book-two/churches

Regarding churches to population ratio, there are no estimates of population in Mecklenburg County that I find prior to the first US census in 1790. That number was 11,300, of which 1600 or so were slaves. Thus 9700 white men, women and children. You may do your own calculation on what the 1760-1770 population of the county may have been and what number of people would have been served by these original churches, eight in number. There were also Lutheran, perhaps Moravian and others in the population so each of the original county Presbyterian churches served at most two hundred to three hundred people in the 1760-1770 period. Most of the churches would have been on the lower side of that figure by my guesstimate.

[KJHburg]

This is a great example of adaptive reuse of a historical building and of course the old Nebel Mill the Design Center of Carolinas is as well.  Charlotte has done grade A job on preserving its history in the areas surrounding uptown.  But for historical high rises we are and have been a much lower grade like C minus.  That is why I am upset that CHA Inlivian is even thinking of tearing down an all brick building from the 1940s that could be converted in a hotel or private apartments to build a low rise stick built apartment complex that will not stand the test of time like the old Barringer Hotel aka Hall House. 

Outside the uptown loop  we have done a great job.  Inside the uptown loop we have been terrible at preserving our historical highrises.

I am all for newer and taller but the scale of any city is the older buildings and we just a precious few in uptown now with the Polk building gone recently too. 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

History of Myers Park and this was a "new" way outside the city neighborhood back in the day.   And it was built on a farm field with little tiny trees planted much like our new neighborhoods of today. 

https://www.mpha.com/history-the-trolley/

[KJHburg]

1962 photo of the Mission style Charlotte train station on West Trade we lost in the name of progress.   Save the Barringer Hotel Hall House  once it is gone, its gone and no plaque is going to help.

 

[ertley]

I'm going to offer a *very* unpopular opinion--so no need to let me know that everyone disagrees!--but I don't really care for the style of the old train station, so it's one lost historic structure I can live with with (which is saying A LOT, for me). I most hate the tower, which is more prominent in the other views I've seen taken from the other vantage on Trade. Minus the tower, I don't dislike it so much.

I admit it's a personal prejudice, but I just don't really care for specific, regional architecture outside its native region, as a rule. I know the Mission style evolved and was hugely popular in the Midwest, but especially this iteration, I just think, "belongs in California or Colorado."

IMHO--and would accede to the majority and advocate for it to be saved if it were still here!

But SAVE HALL HOUSE!

Edited June 15, 2020 by ertley

[Hcubed]

https://www.ncpedia.org/great-wagon-road

I never knew about the Great Wagon Road!

[KJHburg]

Important day in history of Charlotte back in 1977 something Bo-spectacular happened.  Right at the corner of South Tryon and West Blvd. 

https://www.fox46.com/news/on-this-day-in-1977-the-first-ever-bojangles-opened-in-charlotte/

[videtur quam contuor]

One of those founders (maybe both) were involved in another Charlotte based food franchise prior to BoJ: Der Wiener Haus. Hot dogs in many fashions, toppings and sides. The DWH units had a deck on the front for dining outside. Tacos Nevado on South Boulevard just before Woodlawn is an existing building remaining from that franchise chain. I *may* recall that DWH was at S Tryon and West where the first BoJ was/is. DWH  lasted for a while but the profit margin on hot dogs was so slim it was destined to fail. Thus a new concept-spicy Cajun Chicken. 

I was at the Tryon and West BoJ today at lunch. 25 minute wait due to drive through only. No eating inside.

[jjwilli]

34 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Important day in history of Charlotte back in 1977 something Bo-spectacular happened.  Right at the corner of South Tryon and West Blvd. 

https://www.fox46.com/news/on-this-day-in-1977-the-first-ever-bojangles-opened-in-charlotte/

According to the 1977 ad below from the Observer we may be celebrating a few days late. But it does make sense to celebrate their birthday on national fried chicken day. I do wish they would give the original location at West and S Tryon some love and give it an upgrade to their latest store look.

Here is what the other original location on LaSalle looks like now: https://goo.gl/maps/HTuLHL2kjKJEPFS99

[Third Strike]

Old CATS logo. I wonder if CATS will ever update the current one. 

[KJHburg]

went by the old Dowd House today the former HQ of Camp Greene.  First time I have seen it.  Great history behind it of course.

https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/doughboys-camp-greene-mecklenburg-county-nc-1917-1918-dowd-house/dowd-house

 

Personal history my 2nd great grandmother was a Dowd from Chatham County  

 

[CLT>]

On 7/6/2020 at 5:28 PM, Third Strike said:

Old CATS logo. I wonder if CATS will ever update the current one. 

They are on their 3rd logo since this one... Pick something well designed and stick with it. All downhill after this one in my opinion.

[Hcubed]

Not Charlotte, but Monroe. I think this is amazing, fascinating. I am looking fo one about Charlotte. There are films on many towns surrounding Charlotte.

 

 

[Hcubed]

 

[Hcubed]

 

[kermit]

The district naming alone makes this totally worth a click

 

 

[KJHburg]

My grandparents and great grandparents lived in Providence and Sharon and Pineville the township names and that is how their address was as it was not really Charlotte.  

My family history book that my brother is working on with my help has many references to Sharon or Providence including draft cards and so forth. 

[KJHburg]

Strongest earthquake in NC since 1916 the 5.2 M in Sparta NW of Charlotte.  But not the largest in the Carolinas by any shot the 1886 earthquake in Summerville SC outside of Charleston was a 7.6 M and did lots of damage even here in Mecklenburg county.  As it was reported there was not any still standing brick fireplaces in Mecklenburg county after the quake they fell.

https://www.shakeout.org/southeast/northcarolina/

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000bbei/map?dyfi-responses-10km=true&shakemap-intensity=false

[KJHburg]

for reference unless y'all think we need an earthquake in the Carolinas thread.  

[KJHburg]

History of quakes in Carolinas and this is one of the biggest ones that happened today in Sparta Alleghany County NC

Today's #Earthquake will go down as the 2nd or 3rd largest in North Carolina but also one of the largest in the Southeast on record. #wcnc #NCQuake #NCEarthquake #ncwx #cltwx #scwx

 

 

[ertley]

I took an earthquakes seminar in college (science credit for this liberal arts major!) and one of the little nuggets of trivia/wisdom? I learned is that it's far better to have earthquakes occur with regular frequency , to relieve the tectonic pressure when it's not too intense, because it just continually increases with time, and so (obvs) the longer the duration between events, the worse they are when they come. 

WAY before the fantastic article in the New Yorker a few years ago--I highly recommend seeking it out, if you didn't read it, about the nearly-certain next Pacific Northwest earthquake that's a few years overdue, and thus is predicted to be mega, MEGA and hugely destructive when it hits--there was a piece in New York magazine, I think, that also talked about the fact New York City sits over/near several faults, and late 20th century forensic geologic science revealed that area has a history of 'seismic events' and that, as well, it's overdue for one, based on the geologic record. The biggest problem with both areas is that so much of their infrastructure and major buildings were built before any awareness of their seismic history and risk, and each and every structure built before, say, 1990, is going to be extremely vulnerable. Apparently large swaths of Seattle and Queens, built on reclaimed land, are expected to basically liquify if the next earthquakes are anywhere near what are feared.  

[KJHburg]

Here is a history and explanation of the earthquake in Sparta NC from a leading scientist 

https://temblor.net/earthquake-insights/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-rattles-southeastern-u-s-11546/

[Norm2]

12 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Here is a history and explanation of the earthquake in Sparta NC from a leading scientist 

https://temblor.net/earthquake-insights/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-rattles-southeastern-u-s-11546/

Thanks for sharing, that was an interesting read.

[KJHburg]

From our upcoming family history book my brother and I are putting together.  From  a junior high school writing project when I lived in Fairfax County VA outside of DC and notice the teacher's remarks at bottom.   My description of the Square  and had to write about a description of the place.  This is all from memory or from looking at one of my photos.  As you can see I was into Charlotte construction and development  before many of you were born LOL. 

yes I called the Radisson Omni hotel a rhombus probably just learned that word and know it is more of a trapezoid. 

Edited August 17, 2020 by KJHburg

[Windsurfer]

On 8/10/2020 at 6:47 PM, KJHburg said:

Here is a history and explanation of the earthquake in Sparta NC from a leading scientist 

https://temblor.net/earthquake-insights/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-rattles-southeastern-u-s-11546/

Interesting reading for sure, but wonder why "Figure 26" doesn't reflect the Eastern Carolinas' quakes?  After all, Charleston's was pretty violent causing buildings to collapse.