Welcome to the Queen City - Charlotte, North Carolina
As a fast-growing city near the border of South Carolina, Charlotte is the 20th largest city in the United States. Located in the Piedmont region of Mecklenburg County, Charlotte has over 40,000 newcomers each year. It is the county seat and has an estimated population of 610,949 as of 2005. Charlotte has become the second largest financial capital in the nation.
Residents of Charlotte are known as "Charlotteans." The city of Charlotte's location is convenient to both southern North Carolina and northern South Carolina residents. In fact, there are many people from South Carolina who are employed in Charlotte. Charlotte offers others a short jaunt to shopping, dining, or entertainment.
A brief history of Charlotte
Charlotte was founded on a crossroads of two Native American paths, one ran north-south of what's now Wagon Road and the second ran east-west on what's now Trade Street. In the beginning of the 18th century, the area was a small village of Scots-Irish and German descendents. Charlotte was incorporated in 1768, and named in honor of England's German born Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III. Queen Charlotte's homeland was Mecklenburg in Germany, thus providing the county its name.
Charlotte held encampments for both American and British troops during the American Revolution. After being forced out with fierce opposition by Charlotteans, Lord General Charles Cornwallis penned down that Charlotte was "a hornet's nest of rebellion."
In 1799, a 12 year-old boy named Conrad Reed found a 17-pound gold nugget. For three years the family used the rock as a doorstop until a jeweler determined it was solid gold. This became the beginning of the nation's first gold rush and made Charlotte a magnet for gold prospectors. The gold boom didn't last very long, however, due to the Gold Rush of California.
After the Civil war the area gradually grew into a hub for the cotton industry and railroad. The industry today is ever growing and ever changing as new people and businesses take up residence in the city.
Well-known Charlotte residents
Charlotte has been home to many well-known residents of the past and present including evangelists Billy Graham and Jim Bakker, Olympic medalist Donald Schollander, R&B singer Nick Cannon, pro wrestlers Rick Flair and Jeff and Matt Hardy, actor Randolph Scott, U.S. Presidents James K. Polk and Andrew Jackson, NASCAR drivers Jacques Dallaire, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson, and Charlotte Panthers' owner Jerry Richardson.
Charlotte colleges and universities
Charlotte offers many places of higher education such as Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson & Wales University, Johnson C. Smith University, Kings College, Pfeiffer University at Charlotte, Queens University of Charlotte, Reformed Theological Seminary, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Wake Forest University.
Things to see and do
Charlotte has a wide variety of activities for visitors and residents alike. The nightlife includes many restaurants, live entertainment, concerts, comedy and sports clubs, theaters, etc.
Shopping in Charlotte
Charlotte holds several malls, hundreds of unique shops and stores, and most major department stores for anyone with shopping fever. The South Park Mall is the most upscale shopping center in the region. The Carolina Place Mall is located in suburban Pineville, North Carolina. The Concord Mills mall is a retail and entertainment outlet mall in Concord, North Carolina. The Eastland Mall's claim to fame is an indoor skating rink. The Northlake Mall is the newest mall located north of Uptown Charlotte.
Charlotte sports
Charlotte offers sports lovers a Carolina Panthers (National Football League) game at the Bank of America Stadium, a Charlotte Knights (Minor League Baseball) game, or a Charlotte Bobcats (National Basketball Association) game. Racing fans can enjoy the thrill of a live NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Soccer fans can see the Charlotte Eagles (United Soccer League) play. Charlotte is also becoming a prestigious stop for the PGA Tour. Charlotte offers the Charlotte Checkers and the Charlotte Outlawz for hockey fans.
Explore Charlotte outdoors
Beautiful Lake Norman has boating, fishing, or golfing for nature lovers. The Beech Spring Mountain Bike Park provides advanced bikers with a five-mile looping bicycle trail. For those who just want to relax and enjoy the surroundings, there's the Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary.
Explore history at Charlotte museums
Charlotte is overflowing with many museums to explore such as the Charlotte Museum of History, the Levine Museum of the New South, the Mint Museum, and the Discovery Place.
A favorite place to take kids for all day fun is the Discovery Place (www.discoveryplace.org ). It is packed with unique hands-on exhibits. Parents will find it to be an amazing learning center for all ages. The Discovery Place features an Ocean Touch Pool, Imax Dome theatre, rain forest, space station, and much more.
More Charlotte family fun
Charlotte also has Paramount Carowinds www.carowinds.com , where families can enjoy rides, water fun and great entertainment. The Carowinds amusement park is filled with thrilling rides. It also contains a water park with an ocean-wave pool and water rides. Children can meet their favorite cartoon characters, and parents can let their hair down and have a great time.
Other sites of interest
Charlotte offers many other sites of interest or things to do such as the Carolina Renaissance Festival, Afro-American Cultural Center, Blumenthal Performing Arts Centre, Carolinas Aviation Museum, Carolina Raptor Center www.carolinaraptorcenter.org , Charlotte Convention Center, and Children's Theatre of Charlotte. Other interesting places include the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Historic Latta Plantation, Historic Rosedale Plantation, Historic Rural Hill Farm, ImaginOn, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Reed Gold Mine, U.S. National Whitewater Center, and University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens.
Charlotte airways
With the Charlotte skyline radiating in the background Air Force One takes off from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. The Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is rated the 10th busiest airport in the United States. The airport is the largest hub for US Airways and is served by numerous domestic and international airlines.
Charlotte/Douglas offers several nonstop flights to many destinations across the United States, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America.
Whether you are visiting or residing in Charlotte, one thing is for sure, life here is far from boring.