The Carolina Theater opened on March 7, 1927, with the silent film, "A Kiss in a Taxi." The theater featured a Wurlitzer Organ and was built in the lavish, ostentatious style popular among "movie palaces" at the time. Movies at the Carolina Theater ran for three days, and a Vaudeville troupe performed on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The 36,000 square feet theater was part of the Publix theater chain, which meant that it was held to the highest standards. Publix theaters were decorated with the intention of evoking particular parts of the world, and the Carolina was decorated with a Mediterranean theme, with wrought iron railings and murals along the side walls which depicted Mediterranean scenery. Over the years, the Carolina was remodeled and refurbished to keep up with the times. The theater's grand murals were later replaced by others on acoustic tiles to improve sound. In its heyday, the Carolina hosted numerous Hollywood legends, including Katherine Hepburn, Bob Hope, and Elvis Presley. The Carolina closed in November of 1978. Two years later, the theater was partially damaged by a fire, but the theater's fire curtain limited the extent of the damage. In 1982, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission named the theater a historic landmark, but the building continued to sit empty and in disrepair for a number of years.&nbsp; In 2013, the city of Charlotte sold the theater to the Foundation for the Carolinas for $1. The Foundation for the Carolinas (FFTC), a charitable foundation whose office is next door to the theater, currently has plans to renovate the Carolina Theater and use it as a performing arts facility. The renovation is to take place in 2017 with plans for the theater's reopening in 2018. The Carolina Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

An article about the theater's history and efforts to restore the building

More Info

Built in 1927, during the age of grand "movie palaces," the Carolina Theater was a vital part of Charlotte's entertainment scene until it closed in 1978. The building was partially damaged by a fire in 1980 and sat empty and in disrepair for a number of years. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 and is currently undergoing restoration.

Carolina Theater 

This walking tour includes historic buildings and landmarks along Tyron Street and a quick walk through Charlotte's historic fourth ward. The tour also includes several museums such as the Levine Museum of the New South.

Downtown Charlotte Walking Tour

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture (formerly the Afro-American Cultural Center) was born as a result from sit-ins held by students demanding a forum to acknowledge the history and contributions of African- Americans to this country. The museum’s theme is “where you belong”, which captures the original vision of the founders. From beginnings in 1974, the founder’s vision has been superseded. In 2009 the Gantt center opened in the heart of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.The museum is named in honor of Harvey Bernard Gantt; a respected community member and businessman. Gantt was also the first African American student admitted to Clemson University, and served as Charlotte’s first African-American mayor. The Gantt center presents and preserves African-American excellence in art, history and culture. The Gantt center celebrates the trials and triumphs of African Americans and their contributions to arts and culture.The Gantt center features the John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African- American Art. The collection consists of fifty-eight famous works renowned by the greatest American artists. Featured artist include; Romare Bearden, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Elizabeth Catlett, Jonathan Green, Jacob Lawrence, Ann Tanksley, Hale Woodruff, and many more. The Gantt center also features traveling exhibits such as; America I am, Questions Bridge: Black Males and many othersWork by Romare Bearden is featured in The Gantt's permanent collection. Beardon, a native of Charlotte, was a pioneer African American artist, breaking down many barriers for himself and for other African American artists. In his work, Bearden often featured his own experience which he recognized as “the incidents of Black life” and used memories of his childhood visits to his grandparents in rural NC as inspiration in many of his works.A champion of civil rights and promoter of his fellow artists, Bearden founded several cooperatives and galleries for African American artists. The Spiral Group was one. It included both African American artists and creatives, and the group was most active during the turbulent period of social unrest in the early 1960’s.

The Harvey B. Gantt Center offers exhibits and educational programs that explore the experiences and celebrates the triumphs of people of African descent in the United States. October 2009 marked the opening of the Afro-American Cultural Center as the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture. The name of the facility honors Harvey Bernard Gantt, a community leader and businessman. Gant was a trailblazer, the first African-American student admitted to Clemson University and Charlotte's first African-American mayor. 
The Center is a dedicated space to present, preserve and celebrate excellence in the art, history and culture of African American and people of African descent.  Included in the permanent collection are several works by Romare Bearden.

While there has never been an exhibit dedicated to Bearden exclusively, The Gantt Center has several Bearden works on display in its permanent collection.  One painting by Bearden is featured prominently in the lobby of The Gantt Center.  It sets the tone for the whole museum.

The Harvey B. Gantt Center

The Mint Museum Uptown is one of two branches which makes up the Mint Museum of Charlotte, North Carolina. The original sole location of the Mint Museum, now known as the Mint Museum Randolph, was founded in 1936 as the first art museum in North Carolina. After many years of flourishing success, the Mint Museum was expanded and the Mint Museum Uptown was founded in October of 2010. As a member of the Levine Center for the Arts, the Uptown museum plays a central role in Charlotte's art and culture scene. The museum has a sleek, modern exterior which was designed by the Machado Silvetti Design firm of Boston. It boasts a number of compelling collections, including a Craft + Design collection, an American art collection, a European art collection, and a Modern and Contemporary art collection. The Craft + Design collection displays the Mint Museum's collection of international contemporary decorative arts, which includes a variety of pieces made of glass, art, and jewelry, among other materials. Some of the most famous of these include Pipe Dream by John Cederquist and Royal Blue Mint Chandelier by Dale Chihuly. Its American art collection includes unique works from a variety of genres and time periods, containing pieces which range in time period from the Colonial Era to the Second World War. Some of the most famous of these pieces are My Friend Brien by Robert Henri, Portrait of Isaac Gouverneur by Gilbert Stuart, and Indian Summer in the White Mountains by Sanford Robinson Gifford. The Mint Museum Uptown's Modern and Contemporary art collection also contain a number of acclaimed works, including Self Portrait as Wunderkabinett by Julie Hefferman, Ring of Iron, Ring of Wood by Kay Sage, and The Birth of Venus, After Botticelli by Vik Muniz. The museum also has a number of special collections. Aside from its impressive collections, the Mint Museum Uptown also has a number of additional resources and galleries. These include the museum's Lewis Family Gallery, which invites children of all ages to play and explore, providing a number of hands-on art and puzzle activities for them to participate in. The museum also provides ART packs which allow children and the adults who accompany them to explore the artwork together. Four resource centers are stationed throughout the museum to provide information about special exhibitions and permanent collections residing in the museum. Two special event spaces, the James B. Duke Auditorium and the Robert Haywood Morrison Atrium, are also housed in the Mint Museum Uptown. The Mint Museum's other location, the Mint Museum Randolph, also houses a number of interesting collections and amenities. The Mint Museum's Art of the Ancient Americas collection, European art collection, historical fashion collection, Native American art collection, and libraries and archives are located at the Mint Museum Randolph. In 1980, the Mint Museum, in its Randolph Road location, exhibited a retrospective of the hometown artist who had achieved international prominence. The show, ROMARE BEARDEN: 1970-1980, was the museum’s most ambitious undertaking up to that time. Curated by Jerald Melburg who would go on to open a gallery and represent Bearden in the South, the show was a big hit important both for the artist and the museum.Marking the 100th anniversary of Bearden’s birth, The Mint Uptown hosted the second major exhibit of the artist’ work. ROMARE BEARDEN: SOUTHERN RECOLLECTIONS was again curated by Melberg but this time was twice the size, including 100 works in the exhibit. The show covers five decades of the artist’s career, featuring collage paintings and watercolors. Charlotte takes great pride in Bearden and his art. The centennial exhibit sparked a community wide celebration. Bearden is an integral part of Charlotte culture. When the exhibit closed, some of the work on display was gathered for permanent display in The Mint’s Romare Bearden Collection which is on view to the public on the museum’s fourth floor.

Charlotte’s Mint Museum Uptown makes up the second part of the city’s Mint Museum, and plays a vital role in Charlotte's Levine Center for the Arts. The Mint Museum Uptown was established in 2010, and is one of two branches which make up Charlotte's Mint Museum, the first art museum in the state of North Carolina, founded in 1936. The Mint Uptown’s exterior is strikingly beautiful, its five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility having been designed by the illustrious Machado Silvetti design firm of Boston. The museum houses a number of cutting-edge exhibits, an internationally renowned Craft + Design collection, and exceptional collections of American, European, and contemporary art, among other things. While it is one of two branches which make up the Mint Museum, the Mint Uptown houses different collections and exhibitions than the Mint Museum Randolph. 
Anchoring Charlotte’s main cultural district, The Mint Museum Uptown opened its doors in 2010 and is home to its internationally  acclaimed Craft + Design collection as well as important collections of American, contemporary and European art.   A popular attraction at The Mint is the Romare Bearden Gallery which is located on the fourth flour and showcases work by the artist and offers an excellent retrospective of Bearden’s work. 

The Mint Museum Uptown

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art opened in 2010, and quickly became a fixture in the Charlotte museum scene. The building which houses the museum itself is significant, as it was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, whose other major contributions to the United States art scene includes designing the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The building itself is an artistic and purposeful contribution. The museum is known for it’s soaring glass atrium which stretches across the museum, infusing natural light throughout the four floors. Other features include a terra cotta exterior, which encloses the building, and vaulted skylight system. The interior design of the building was precisely selected to infuse a natural and organic sense of elegance. Steel, glass, terra cotta, Black granite, polished concrete and wood composed the primary palette of construction materials. Botta himself designed this array, as well as many of the internal fixtures for the space, including the reception desk, the gallery benches, the cafe bar, and globe hanging lights.The museum is named for the Bechtler family, including Andreas Bechtler, a native Swiss but North Carolina resident who collected nearly 1,500 pieces of artwork completed by major 20th-century modernism figures. The Bechtler’s amassed this collection through a combination of inheritance and personal gathering, passed down through parents, siblings, and extended family. Exhibited in the collection are works from famous 20th-century artists, with an emphasis on the School of Paris post World War II. Artists displayed include Andy Warhol, Barbara Hepworth, Alberto Giacometti, Max Ernst, Jean Tinguely, Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso. One of the more well-known pieces is the 17.5-foot sculpture, The Firebird. Designed by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, the creature was created from 7,500 mirror mosaics over polyester on steel armature. In 2006 Bechtler purchased the piece and in 2009 it was installed in the museum plaza. The significance of The Bechtler Museum in telling the story of Romare Bearden is not that his works are part of the Bechter’s collection. Because The Bechtler features European artists, Bearden is not a fit for their specialty, rather, the connection is something else. Romare Bearden grew up in Harlem and was heavily influenced by the culture-soaked setting of his youth, including the jazz music. The Becthler is known for its jazz music series, something that would be familiar for Bearden. So much so that jazz music is a prominent theme in many of Bearden’s work.Bearden’s homelife in Harlem was quite exceptional. Bearden’s father was a sanitation inspector for the New York Health Department and an accomplished piano player. Love of music and art informed Bearden’s childhood and teenage years.Bessye Bearden, the artist’s mother, was a well-known and highly-respected social activist and progressive. As the New York correspondent for the Chicago Defendant, one of the most influential African American publications in the country, Bessye Bearden had excellent access to many of the most influential African American figures of her time.Through his parents, Bearden received exposure to the vibrant culture and social happenings occurring in Harlem. The artist’s world included Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, W.E.B. Du Bois and Mary McLeod Bethune

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art houses a unique and rare collection of 20th-century modern pieces of artwork. Amassed by a North Carolina resident family and donated to the museum, the permanent and rotating exhibits demonstrate significant contributions to art from this time period.The museum building itself is unique, created by a well known Swiss architect, and designed specifically to showcase the pieces of work. The Betchtler Museum is visited by thousands of art enthusiasts each year who are welcome to view the collection and rotating exhibits. 

Distinguishing itself from Charlotte's other Uptown museums, The Bechtler is Charlotte’s boutique cultural space.  The distinct red terracotta tiled building was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Mario Botta and opened in 2010.  This jewel of a museum houses the personal collection of the Swiss industrialist family, The Bechtlers.  Found in the museum are works by the most important and influential artists of the mid-20th century including Miro, Giacometti, Picasso, Calder and Warhol.

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

In March of 1852 in New York City, Henry Wells and William Fargo signed paperwork forming the official Wells Fargo and Company. With the intention of providing express and banking to California, the company was designed to implement financial services among the growing population of pioneers moving west. Professions like mining, merchant and store ownership and ranching were growing rapidly in the undeveloped Western States, and Wells Fargo capitalized on this. &nbsp;By just 1918 the company had expanded to more then 10,000 offices based in various mining camps, growing cities and small towns.&nbsp;
The company was determined to provide the most efficient service from the East Coast. Their first method of transport was relying on sailing ship or steamer. However this was quickly outdone with the development of the stage coach. As civilization continued to develop advanced methods of technology and transportation, Wells Fargo followed suit.&nbsp; 
Within a short amount of time the well known Pony Express was developed, and eventually the railroad would be installed. However within just several years business transactions would begin to utilize the telegraph, morphing into the flow of technology development which would lead to the invention of the radio, telephone, and internet, all of which was used to facilitate Wells Fargo business.&nbsp;
Wells Fargo Museums are located all around the United States, and the Charlotte branch is known for having a significant and unique collection of artifacts, exhibits, and information. Included in the Charlotte branch is an authentic and rare 19th century Concord stage coach, an interactive telegraph machine, a recreated, underground mining tunnel, and actual gold nuggets and rare coins.&nbsp;

This museum is located within the Wells Fargo Center, the 7th tallest skyscraper in Charlotte. The building houses the professional offices of Wells Fargo and other companies, but for visitors to the city, the building is most significant as the home of the Charlotte branch of the Wells Fargo History Museum. This interactive and educational museum illustrates the company’s growth from servicing 1850’s pioneers to becoming one of the nation’s top financial institutions. The museum exhibits educate guests about the history of money and banking as well as the role of the Wells Fargo company within the nation's economy. 

Wells Fargo History Museum, Charlotte 

Latta Arcade was built in 1914 and featured a central atrium and promenade between two floors of shops and restaurants. Designed by William H. Peeps, the building style is considered Beaux-Arts. The two-story building features an expansive skylight, stretching above the common walkway. While it is assumed this feature is to protect shoppers from inclement weather, a common feature in many European markets, it was instead implemented to provide natural light to grade cotton. The Latta Arcade is an example of one of the many arcades built on the East Coast during the early 1900s. The buildings served as home to both offices and shopping centers and were filled with stores, restaurants, and shops, similar to a mixed use downtown building crossed with a modern-day shopping mall. Charlotte's Latta Arcade celebrated its centennial in 2014 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. In that time, the building’s exterior has undergone renovation, however the interior is primarily intact. The oldest shop in the arcade is Arcade Mens Room, a barbershop.

Built in 1914, the Latta Arcade is surrounded by modern office buildings and is one of the last remaining buildings from the early 20th century in this part of downtown Charlotte. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and holds a gallery of shops, restaurants, and offices.

Latta Arcade

Built in 1927 as the First National Bank Building, this was the tallest building in Charlotte prior to World War II. The 1927 First National Bank Building's association with the now defunct First National Bank of Charlotte is significant, as that institution opened immediately after the Civil War and contributed to the phenomenal economic success that the city experienced during the late nineteenth century. The bank closed on December 4, 1930, as a result of the Great Depression.
Despite the demise of the bank, the building continued to be called the First National Bank Building until 1942, when it was known as the Liberty Life Building. By 1964 the building’s name changed again and became the Baugh Building, and a new modern facade was added. By 1976 businesses were leaving the Uptown, and the building, now called the Bank of North Carolina Building, was half empty with many of the floors completely vacant.
The building was converted to offices and condos in 2007, and given the name Tryon Plaza. An interior and exterior renovation was completed, including a restoration of many of the building’s original rooms, including the bank board room. Today the building contributes to the growing downtown center.&nbsp;

The 22 story skyscraper is located in Uptown Charlotte, at a location known as “The Square”. Comprised of the intersection at Trade St. and Tryon St., along with an adjacent park, the Square is a well known focal point in downtown Charlotte. The Tryon Plaza was formerly the First National Bank Building. The First National Bank Building had a significant historical role in Charlotte’s past, and is now considered a historic landmark. 


The First National Bank Building at Tryon Plaza

In 1993, Washington, D.C. designer and sculptor Raymond Kaskey was commissioned by a group of Charlotte philanthropists known as the Queen's Table to create a group of sculptures which reflected Charlotte's history. On November 27th, 1995 the Future, Commerce, Industry, and Transportation statues were dedicated to the city. They were placed at Independence Square, which was named so due to the reported signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence that took place in Charlotte in May of 1775. The statues are figurative representations of Charlotte's past, present, and future, and were placed at corners of Independence Square, the center of the city's Uptown area. Each of the statues have a number of attributes which communicate Charlotte's history. The Commerce statue represents a gold prospector of the late 18th century, alluding to the North Carolina Gold Rush and the foundation of the Charlotte U.S. Mint in 1835. The prospector is depicted emptying his pan onto a head, allegedly that of Alan Greenspan, at his feet. Alan Greenspan is the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve. This pouring by the prospector symbolizes Charlotte's transition into becoming a major financial center. The Industry statue is depicted as a female millworker with a child at her feet, symbolizing the flourishing mill industry Charlotte once had, as well as the prominent role mother-child labor played in Charlotte's economy prior to child labor laws. The Transportation statue is depicted as an African American male with a hammer in his hands. He is portrayed as a strong character, a reference to the men who built Charlotte's rail lines and thus transformed Charlotte's economy. The number 1401 is also inscribed on the statue, alluding to a steam locomotive that used to pull trains through the city called "Charlotte." The Future statue is represented as a mother playing with her child. In the depiction, the mother holds her child up in the air in a sort of playful embrace. North Carolina's state flower, the dogwood, is depicted at the bottom edges of the statue. Near the bottom of the statue is a hornet's nest, which is a long-standing symbol of Charlotte due to the rumored story of General Cornwallis's, a British officer in the American Revolution, connection of the symbol to the Queen City. This is a symbol Charlotte cherishes, as it references the city's tenacity and resilience in the face of adversity. Each figure weighs approximately 5,000 pounds and is mounted on a granite column approximately 20 feet tall. Each bronze figure appears to rise out of the top of its granite column. The sculptures have been commemorated as a gift to the people of Charlotte on a plaque located behind the figure of the Future.

Dedicated in 1995 and located on each corner at the intersection of Tryon and Trade Streets in Uptown Charlotte, three of the Four Corner Statues symbolize factors that have contributed to the city's historic growth (commerce, industry, and transportation) while the fourth statue represents the future. The four statues were commissioned by an organization of Charlotte philanthropists known as the Queen's Table and designed by sculptor Raymond Kaskey of Wahington D.C. 

The Four Corner Statues at Independence Square

The Old Settlers’ Cemetery is believed to have been established in the early 1770s, the oldest known grave is marked as 1776. The site continued to serve as a burial ground until shortly before the Civil War, officially 1854, however some burials were permitted for the following decade to honor family plots. At this point it is understood that the cemetery was too small, approaching overcrowded. The city opened another cemetery, the Elmwood Pinewood Cemetery, and all future graves were placed at that site for several following decades.
The Old Settlers’ Cemetery currently contains the graves of several notable North Carolina figures. Included are Nathaniel Alexander, North Carolina’s 13th governor; Alexander was also a medical physician and Revolutionary War veteran. Other Revolutionary War veterans buried at the cemetery include Greene Washington Caldwell, and war hero Major General George Graham. Several members of the established Polk family are buried at the cemetery, including Thomas Polk, war hero, politician, signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, host to President George Washington and great-uncle to the 11th United States president James Polk.&nbsp;
A complete record of the individuals buried at the cemetery does not exist, and it is noted that many graves have been moved over time. Additionally, the north and east corners of the cemetery were reserved for individuals enslaved by families owning plots within the cemetery grounds. Many of these individual’s graves are unmarked and undocumented. &nbsp;
In the early 1900’s the first preservation attempt was made at the site. Noting the decrepit conditions of the property, local individuals contacted the Charlotte Park and Tree Commission, who began a preservation and beautification project on the cemetery square. The most notable act completed was preservation of the property’s historical iron gate and granite outposts, the original entrance of the cemetery. Over the next century additional projects were composed and completed, including resurfacing many memorial stones, grave stones, and documentation of the sites. Significant landscaping was also completed during this time.&nbsp;
Today the cemetery sits at the center of Charlotte’s popular and busy historic Fourth Ward District, just outside the city center. With the 1990’s renovations, the city continued to develop the cemetery as a beautiful landmark among the urban space. The cemetery is prized as being lush with plant life, built around old oak trees and lined brick pathways, all engineered to give the impression of a historically significant park.&nbsp;

The oldest cemetery in Charlotte, the Old Settlers’ Cemetery was in use between the years of 1774 and 1886. The cemetery is host to the graves of some of Charlotte’s most influential characters and families, including founding citizens, political figures, numerous soldiers and individuals enslaved to these notable families. In the late 1990’s the cemetery was granted a revitalization, and much of the landscaping, groundwork and paving were updated. Today the cemetery is a successful preservation project and centralized reminder of the city’s history. 

Old Settlers' Cemetery

St. Peter’s Hospital was initially developed in reaction to a local Rector of St. Peter’s Church promoting medical services for the underprivileged in the city. The first civilian hospital, St. Peter’s opened on January 20th 1876. The first hospital was named Charlotte Home and Hospital, and was&nbsp;located in two rooms rented out of a residential home. This is widely accepted as having been the first non military hospital in North Carolina.&nbsp;
According to records, the first patients of the hospital were hardly willing participants in the health care movement, and the neighbors that surrounded the facility’s first few locations were displeased with their proximity to the establishment. Early employees of the hospital describe the environment of a hospital admission similar to a kidnapping, as people were essentially forced into treatment. Additionally, the neighbors complained about the chance of contagion and exposure to disease and illness the hospital facilitated. It is stated that policemen were often present to escort, or force, the ill into the building as well as to restrict rioters outside from entering.&nbsp;
In 1877 a permanent location was established for the Charlotte Home and Hospital. The building process was ceremonial and elaborate, and one year later the one story, four room building was opened to patients. The success of this purchase and construction is due to a local organization responsible for raising the $275 dollars required to fund the project. &nbsp;The Busy Bee Society, a women's academy, is credited with this achievement.&nbsp;
By the late 1890’s the Charlotte Home and Hospital was developing into a major medical center, serving not only residents of Charlotte but those all throughout the state of North Carolina. A major addition to the hospital was proposed in 1898. Built in front of the original building and additions, the new structure had 30 rooms over three stories, with large porches on three sides of the building and on each floor. The building contained a drug store, private doctor’s rooms, community rooms, laundry facilities, and other additions that were incredibly novel to medical centers at this time. In 1922 another 22 rooms were added, including nurses quarters, a maternity ward, baby ward, and children ward, along with additional space that would serve to double the capacity of the “charity” wards.&nbsp;
Today the hospital has been renovated into private offices and condos. However the building is still aesthetically similar as to how it would have appeared in 1922, with internal components of the structure dating back to its original 1800’s structure. While the building is not open to the public the exterior remains significant to medical history and North Carolina history.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

The first non-military hospital in the state of North Carolina, St. Peter’s Hospital  was built to address contagious diseases by treating patients and removing the sick from the general population. The hospital opened in 1876 and in its early years, gained a reputation for "kidnapping" some of its non-willing patients. Reform came quickly and by the early 1900s, the facility had cared for thousands throughout the state of North Carolina. Today, the building remains significant due to its partially renovated and partially persevered architectural structure, with much of the internal structure dating back to it’s original work. However the building's interior is currently serving as condos, and is not open to the public. 

Old St. Peter's Hospital

Bordered by the business district of Tryon Street, the entertainment district, the historic Elmwood Cemetery and Trade street, the Fourth Ward is a popular, centralized area of downtown Charlotte. The Fourth Ward Park is centered at the core the neighborhood.&nbsp;
By the mid 19th century, Charlotte had grown into a very legitimate metropolis with a diversifying population. As a result, the city began to separate into quadrants, essentially politically spaced “wards”. In the northwest the Fourth Ward was developed, an area that housed many professional families, including physicians, merchants, and businessmen. There also arrived a remarkable number of Churches, ministers, and religious figures, and the Fourth Ward began to take on a particularly religious connotation.
By the early 20th century, sprawl began to creep outside of uptown Charlotte. The introduction of the trolley cart allowed people to move into early versions of a suburb, which quickly became the fashionable living choice. With that adjustment, the Fourth Ward suffered a stage of decline as many of its notable figures began to move to the suburbs. In 1976 the Junior League and other social groups took an interest in restoring the Fourth Ward, and instigated a program to update and resort the neighborhood.&nbsp;
Due to the success of that project, many of the Fourth Ward’s original Victorian mansions still exist today. The neighborhood is filled with elegant homes now serving as single family homes,, luxury condos, and urban apartments. The religious significant of the neighborhood still exists, and many churches line the streets, all accessible via the walking tour.&nbsp;Maps and literature can be picked up at INFO! Charlotte, the visitor center, located at 501 S College St, several blocks from the Fourth Ward.&nbsp;

Spanning an area greater than thirty city blocks, the historic Fourth Ward offers a blend of Victorian homes, modern day condos, shops, and thick, tree lined streets that offer visitors and residents a view of Charlotte’s historic past. Accessible via a walking tour, the path leads past many of Charlotte’s oldest and most historically significant buildings. The Friends of the Fourth Ward Organization and the city of Charlotte have developed literature to educate visitors of the historical significance of many of the buildings. Maps and literature can be picked up at INFO! Charlotte, the visitor center, located at 501 S College St, several blocks from the Fourth Ward, or online. 


Historic Fourth Ward

During the 1920s, the population of Charlotte increased and the city went through something of a residential building boom. According to newspaper reports, 1927 was a particularly busy year, with a record number of new apartments constructed that year. The Frederick Apartments were part of that year's building boom. The Frederick Apartments included two types of residences--one or two-room "bachelor apartments" and larger "housekeeping" units intended for single women or families. The three-story building is relatively typical of medium-sized apartments constructed at the time. The apartments are historically significant for another reason. From 1938 to 1940, journalist W.J. Cash lived in the apartments. At the time, Cash was associate editor of The Charlotte News.&nbsp;During his time in the Frederick Apartments, Cash completed the manuscript for The Mind of the South, the classic exploration of the Southern psyche. Cash committed suicide in Mexico City in 1941, shortly after the book's publication.

The Frederick Apartments is a three-story apartment built in 1927. The apartments were constructed at at time when Charlotte was experiencing a population increase and residential building boom. The building is also noteworthy for being the former residence of journalist W.J. Cash, author of "The Mind of the South," a classic work of Southern history.

Frederick Apartments (Former home of W. J. Cash)

When it opened shortly before Christmas of 1940, the Barringer Hotel was one of the largest and grandest in Charlotte, if not the entire South. The 12-story property was named for William Rufus Barringer, who owned a number of hotels, by his children.&nbsp; In its heyday, the Barringer Hotel hosted Gene Autry, Betty Grable, Judy Garland, and Richard Nixon were guests there. According to rumor, Elvis was also a guest at the property. In 1952, an addition was made to the hotel, adding a 120 rooms to the property. At that time, the hotel boasted hand-painted wallpaper in the dining room and antique paintings in the lobby. Over the years, the property changed names and owners multiple times. The hotel, known at the time as the Cavalier Hotel, closed in 1975. In 1983, the city purchased and renovated the property and began using it as low-income homes for the elderly. More recently, the property serves as residences for homeless women and their children. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. There is an interesting side-note to the Barringer Hotel: it once reportedly hosted what may have been Charlotte's first gay club. Researchers have found references to the Bamboo Room Bar in the Barringer, which hosted gay men on Thursday nights.&nbsp;

Once one of the finest hotels in Charlotte, if not the South, the Barringer Hotel hosted Hollywood greats and the politically powerful between its opening in 1940 and closure in 1975. Following a long period of decline, the hotel was converted into an apartment home for the elderly. The building now serves a residence for homeless women and their families. 

Barringer Hotel (Hall House)

Discovery Place has interactive exhibits for children of all ages and adults. The complex includes an IMAX Theater as well as several other theaters and several floors of interactive exhibits along with shows about everything from dinosaurs to the science of fire. There are play areas for the youngest children and even some exhibits that adults will love. For example, guests will encounter organisms and creatures from across the globe in World Alive, an exhibit that includes learning laboratories as well as an aquarium and rainforest.

Discovery Place

Planning for what would eventually become the Levine Museum of the New South began in the summer of 1990. Members of the Mecklenburg Historical Association, a group of Charlotte's local historians dedicated to preserving the Queen City's history, developed the idea of the Museum of the New South during that summer. These members then approached Sally Robinson, a community leader and cultural advocate, about helping them make their concept a reality. Robinson formed a group of local historians, university professors, and community letters to consider the museum proposal. This group decided that the museum would be called the "Museum of the New South," due to the focus the museum would place upon the transformation of the Charlotte area from the end of the Civil War to the present day. On April 25th, 1991 the museum was officially incorporated in the state of North Carolina as the Museum of the New South. Although the museum was officially incorporated, the museum's board of trustees decided to operate without a building due to a lack of support in the community (at the time) for building another museum, and the flexibility in regards to exhibitions and programs that the board felt that not having a building would offer. Therefore, for the first four years of its existence, the Museum of the New South was a museum without walls. The museum's exhibits were displayed in public places, often in the form of interactive kiosks. Unlike many other museums, the Museum of the New South also organized numerous outreach programs for the Charlotte community. In the spring of 1994, the museum's board and collection of local historians began to focus more on developing relevant collections and permanent exhibits for a future museum location. With the help of the state of North Carolina and private funding, the museum's first official building was purchased at 324 North College Street in Charlotte. The museum opened its first floor in January of 1996 after undergoing renovations, with the permanent exhibit of New South: A to Z. The museum focused on a number of different topics pertaining to the New South, including women reformers, African American churches, and World War II. In 1997, the museum received a $200,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to use for its core exhibit and further renovations. On October 13th, 2001, the Museum of the New South was moved to a different location: a 40,000-square-foot building located at 200 East Seventh Street in Charlotte. The Museum of the New South was renamed the Levine Museum of the New South in honor of the museum's patrons Leon Levine, founder of the Family Dollar stores retail chain, and his wife, Sandra Levine. The centerpiece of the museum is the exhibit Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers: Reinventing Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont in the New South. This permanent exhibit spans 8,000 square feet and includes more than 1,000 artifacts, images, video clips, pieces of music, and oral histories. These various forms of media use Charlotte and its 13 surrounding counties as a case study to illustrate the profound changes in the South since the Civil War. This exhibit provides visitors with six different environments to interact with, including a lunch counter with personal, oral accounts from local sit-in leaders, Charlotte's main street, where one is able to try on a hat in an early Belk department store, and the opportunity to sit in Good Samaritans Hospital Chapel, one of the first African American hospitals in the South. Along with this permanent exhibit, the Levine Museum also offers a number of visiting exhibits which focus on various topics pertaining to Charlotte's rich history. The Levine Museum of the New South has won numerous awards. In 2002, the museum's Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers exhibit was named one of the best exhibitions in the Southeast in an annual competition sponsored by the Southeastern Museums Conference Curator's Committee. In 2005, the museum's exhibit COURAGE: The Carolina Story That Changed America commemorating the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education was given the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history by the American Association for State and Local History. Also, in 2005 the Levine Museum of the New South was one of six recipients of the National Award for Museum and Library Service, the federal government's highest honor for community service for museums and libraries.

Although it was officially incorporated in the state of North Carolina in 1991, the Levine Museum of the New South didn't officially open its doors at the state-of-the-art 200 East Seventh Street location until 2001. With 40,000 square feet of exhibit space, this interactive museum houses the nation's most comprehensive interpretation of post-Civil War Southern history. The permanent exhibit, Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers: Reinventing Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont in the New South, traces the history of the region from the end of the Civil War to the present, using a number of interactive tools. Seasonal and special exhibits complete the experience and focus on certain aspects of Southern culture and history. The Levine Museum of the New South has won numerous awards, including the National Award for Museum and Library Service. 

Levine Museum of the New South

The Charlotte Coliseum was
originally built in 1988 for the Charlotte Hornets, who entered the NBA that
year. It was the largest basketball arena in the league, seating 24,000 people
and costing $52 million.&nbsp;The team was a tenant for the building from 1988
until&nbsp;2001 when the owner moved the team to New Orleans. The NBA soon
returned to Charlotte with the creation of a new expansion team, the Charlotte
Bobcats, in 2004. The team played their first seven seasons in the Charlotte
Coliseum, and were later able to change their name to the Hornets after the New
Orleans franchise agreed to change their name to the Pelicans. 

The coliseum was also home
to the WNBA team, Charlotte Sting, which&nbsp;became one of the first eight
teams of the professional women's league in&nbsp;October 1996. The
Sting's&nbsp;first game occurred on June 29, 1997 against the Cleveland
Rockers. By the end of their first season, the Sting&nbsp;had a record of
15-13, but lost in the playoffs. Like the Hornets, the team started playing in
the new Time Warner Cable Arena in 2005. However, the team's attendance was
declining, and the franchise&nbsp;folded on January 3, 2007. Many of
the&nbsp;players were able to gain contracts on other WNBA teams.

Charlotte Coliseum hosted
its last game on October 26, 2005, between the Charlotte Bobcats (the name
of&nbsp;Charlotte's NBA franchise&nbsp;at the time) and Indiana
Pacers.&nbsp;When the Time Warner Cable Arena was built, the coliseum was sold
by the city of Charlotte. The Coliseum was demolished on June 3,&nbsp;2007, and
the property is under contract for new development.

Previously known as the
Time Warner Cable Arena, it opened on 2005 but was not officially known as the
Spectrum Arena until the beginning of 2016. The new home of Charlotte sports
houses many different attractions besides basketball. The stadium has the
capacity to expand up to 20,200 and can be integrated to fit an ice&nbsp;rink
for hockey games, stages for concerts, and rings for professional
wrestling.&nbsp; Fans and general guests will experience a very unique experience with the newly produced "Rock the Rooftop" socializing zone, that is built for indoor tailgating and has its very own&nbsp;kids interactive area for all ages.

Charlotte Coliseum was home to the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association, as well as the Charlotte Sting, one of the first WNBA teams in the league. The stadium was built in 1988, and opened in August of that year. It was the largest stadium built specifically to host a professional basketball team at the time, seating 24,000 people. The Coliseum hosted the 1991 NBA All Star Game and the 1994 Men's Final Four. The Coliseum struggled after the announcement that the Hornets would be relocating to New Orleans in 2001. Although the NBA returned to Charlotte in 2004, the building was deemed out-of-date. The Charlotte Bobcats played at the Coliseum during the 2004-2005 season while construction was completed on Time Warner Cable Arena. The Charlotte Coliseum was demolished in 2007.  In it's place, the new Spectrum Center would take over as the home arena of Charlotte sports.

Spectrum Center, 1988-2017

Grace A.M.E. Zion Church was dedicated in 1902, making it one of Charlotte's oldest African-American churches. It is also the only remaining religious building in Brooklyn, which was once the city's largest African-American neighborhood. The church was designed by the architects Hayden, Wheeler, and Schwend.&nbsp; Grace is located in Brooklyn, which was, in the early twentieth century, a thriving middle-class African-American neighborhood in Charlotte's Second Ward. The church played a vital part in the African-American community, and counted many of the city's leading African-Americans as members. Two of its most well-respected early members were Dr. John Taylor Williams and Thaddeus L. Tate. Williams was one of the first African-American physicians in North Carolina and was appointed as consul to Sierra Leone by President William McKinley. Tate was involved in the establishment of numerous businesses and educational institutions in Charlotte. In the 1960s, large portions of Brooklyn were destroyed in the name of urban renewal. As a result, many residents moved to other parts of the city, particularly West Charlotte. Nevertheless, Grace A.M.E. Zion Church remains an important part of the community. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Dedicated in 1902, Grace A.M.E. Zion Church is one of the oldest African-American churches in Charlotte. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Grace A.M.E. Zion Church 

Construction for this 160-million-dollar facility began in 2007
and was finalized in 2010. The project was accomplished by the City of
Charlotte, who were accountable for the construction and ownership of the Hall
of Fame. However, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority run and manage the
daily procedures.&nbsp;Licensed by the NASCAR company the Hall brings in thousands
of consumers and fans yearly that provide a huge boost to the Charlotte
economy.

Inside the Hall of Fame, visitors will find a variety of exhibits
and displays, both interactive and educational. The High Octane Theatre seats
278 people and shows films, clips, and movies devoted to the sport of NASCAR.
The Great Hall is the main entrance to the facility which hosts a gyrating
display, along with audiovisual clips and graphics. The Glory Road exhibit showcases
18 historic vehicles along with an emphasized demonstration of 40 historic and
current race tracks. The Hall of Honor is considered a “sacred” area, where
NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees are enshrined and honored.&nbsp;To be
inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, you must have driven at least 10 years. Another
requirement for the Hall of Fame requires the nominee to have been retired for
at least three years. Those who did not drive in NASCAR, but were a part of the
sport in a significant way must also be active for at least ten years. Like many great privileges though,&nbsp;there are only a
select few that get to receive the honor of being in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The first class of inductees in 2010
consisted of: the founding family of NASCAR itself, Bill France Sr. and Bill
France Jr.; the Cup Series’ only seven-time champs, Dale Earnhardt and Richard
Petty (though future Hall-of-Famer, Jimmy Johnson may break the record of 7 championships); and driver and championship-winning team owner, Junior Johnson.

The second class, inducted in 2011,
featured: patriarch of the Petty racing clan, Lee Petty; championship drivers
David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Ned Jarrett; and championship-winning team
owner and WWII infantryman Bud Moore.&nbsp;

The third class, inducted in January
2012, included: championship-winning drivers Darrell Waltrip and Cale
Yarborough; driver and owner for the renowned Wood Brothers, Glen Wood; championship
crew chief for Petty Enterprises, Dale Inman; and nine-time NASCAR Modified
champion, who becomes the first non-Cup Series driver inducted in the Hall of
Fame, Richie Evans. 

The Race Week and Heritage Speedway show visitors&nbsp;a behind the
scenes look at life during those events and times.&nbsp;

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is an 86,500 square foot state-of-the-art facility with over five acres of exhibits and interactive displays which not only share the history of the sport but preserves it. Exhibits allow fans the perspective of drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have shaped the sport. The NASCAR Hall of Fame includes exhibit spaces, a Hall of Honor, interactive entertainment, a restaurant, retail outlet, and a media center. There is even a race-car simulator and on rare occasions, scheduled visits from drivers.

Downtown Charlotte Walking Tour

Carolina Theater

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information