Charlotte in picture and prose : an historical and descriptive sketch of Charlotte, North Carolina

C971.GO

VERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
00032761583

This book must not
be taken from the
Library building.

Wfrfrf-1964

Charlotte ik
Picture

and

1?ro3e.

1

- --[ +w

7'M I

|

PP

STEPHEN B. WEEKS

CUSS OF 1886; PHD THE JOHNS HOPKINS IMVERSJTY

LMBIRA1RY

OF THE

UMVERSIHY OF N«I CAROLINA
HE WEEKS COLLECTION

OF

CAJROLINMNA

• IdO

MISS ALEXANDER'S BOOKLET.

Charlotte in PlctuWi ami Prose
Is a Most Attractive Publication
— Miss Julia Alexander Has Issued
a Booklet that Will Interest Every
Native of This City.
"GftarLottte in Picture and Prose,"
by Mtss Julia M. Alexander, is a hand-
some booklet, giving "an historical
and descriptive sketch of Charlotte."
In sending bill this publication,
which is from the Blanchard Press,
of New York, Miss Alexander does
herself and -her town credit. The
printing', the writing and the pictures
are excellent. In general appearance
the booklet is not unlike Burr-Mcln-
tosh the beautiful and attractive
magazine published by the Blanenard
Press The cover leaf is decorated
witta hornets' nests and pine cones.
The frontispiece is a picture of
Queen Charlotte, of Mecklenburg, for
whom Charlotte is named.

Among the views given are: Sugar
Creek Cemetery, Sugar Creek Church,
Alexander Rock House, built by Heze-
kiah Alexander: East Avenue. The
Osborne Oaks, The Old Cemetery,
First Presbyterian Church, Views of
First Presbyterian Church-Yard,
Views of Latta Park. Monument Com-
memorating Mclntyre Skirmish, Mon-
ument Marking Birthplace of Presi-
dent James K. Polk, the Old Court
House North Tryon Street, the Set-
wyn Hotel, United States Assay Of- |
rice. Views of Vance Park. Lake at j
Country Club, and many other pretty
views and scones. „

In her story of Charlotte Miss
I Alexander has used historical facts.
I Her style is attractive and forceful.
I No woman of the county is better
1 prepared to do such work. She is ed-
| ucated, cultured and well informed.
Her people have helped to make the
countv what it is.

Charlotte in Picture and Prose will
be put on sale at Stone &. Barringer's
book store. The first issue is 5,000
copies, which will sell for 50 cents
each. One. could not select a more
acceptable present to a native of
Charlotte than Miss Alexander's book-
let. The Greater Charlotte Club could
not send out more attractive reading
matter.

Miss Alexander deserves the thanks,
as well as the patronage, of the entire
community. She has devoted time
and expended money to produce this
meritorious booklet.

■^y^ftT^^VSy^T*^ Tyj/y

7^r*T7-r

^^^^'^^^^'^^^^^mmJ^m*mm0

JttjjrzrA

or—

QUEEN CHARLOTTE

Wife of George III, King of England. In honor of Queen Charlotte and her former

home, Mecklenburg-Strelitr in Germany, the City of Charlotte and

County of Mecklenburg, North Carolina, were named.

7E/7/^ c*n^/j jU*~**^A\

'7?

(?c^<yC^c^n

CHARLOTTE
IN PICTURE AND PROSE

AN HISTORICAL and DESCRIPTIVE

SKETCH of
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

By JULIA M. ALEXANDER

With Illustrations of Places of Interest and
Scenes in and About Charlotte

"Those who do not treasure up the memory of their ancestors
do not deserve to be remembered by posterity."

— Sir Edmund Burke

"Scenes must be beautiful which daily viewed
Please daily, and whose novelty survives
Long knowledge and the scrutiny of years."

— Cowper

Copyright, 1906.
by Julia M. Alexander. Charlotte. N. C.

c?

c?-

CHARLOTTE
IN PICTURE AND PROSE

T

HE Pi ea-
rn out Re-
gion of
North Carolina
bears an interesting
relation to the Old
World; through the
veins of its people
flow the same strains
of blood that course
in the veins of Euro-
pean nations, and
the very names re-
echoing- throughout
its borders link it
with more than one
country of Europe.

Italy has given the
name Piedmont to

I our mountainous re-

gion because of its
likeness to her own
sunny slopes. The
principality of Pied-
^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_ Northern

Italy, lying along the
foot of the Alps, is a country of unusual beauty, and was included
among the possessions of Amadeus V, surnamed the Great, Count
of Savoy. By him it was granted to his brother, Thomas II, whose
son Thomas III became founder of the line bearing the titles, Lords
of Piedmont. The foot-hills of the lower Appalachian system so
closely resemble this portion of Italy in contour and climate that it
has been given the name of the Piedmont Region.

The climate has also been frequently likened to that of Southern
France; and this comparison is doubly appropriate since the Caro-
linas were so-called, in 1563, by French settlers of the eastern
borders, in honor of their king, Charles (Carolus) IX.

Germany and England divide honors in having bestowed upon
county and town the names Mecklenburg and Charlotte. In the
year 1761, the German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-
Strelitz, became the wife of George III, King of England; this
marriage, which caused much rejoicing throughout the British do-
main, took place about the time a new county was being formed
in the state of North Carolina, and as compliment to the young
queen the county received the name of Mecklenburg for her

Sugar Creek Cemetery
Sugar Creek Church

home in Germany, and the county-seat was called Charlotte, be-
ing also frequently known as the "Queen City." This expression
of loyalty to the mother-country, from subjects so far distant,
was doubtless pleasing to the king who little dreamed that within
a few years their allegiance would be boldly withdrawn.

This change in sentiment was due to the fact that Scotland's
sons had found in this same Piedmont region a country whose
rugged beauty, bore a strong resemblance to their former home;
and here amid its hills and forests they sought that freedom of
thought and action which in Scotland had been denied them. To
this section of America, about the middle of the eighteenth cen-
tury, came many settlers, who were Scotch by birth, and from a
temporary residence in Ireland, designated Scctch-Irish. From
New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, following the
mountains and valleys of the Appalachian Range, they moved south-
ward, and settled in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Caro-
lina.

The county of
M'ecklenburg
w h i c h originally
embraced Cabar-
rus, Lincoln, Gas-
ton, and a part of
Union, in addition
to all of the pres-
ent county, occu-
pies a position in
the southwestern
part of North Car-
olina ; it now con-
tains 680 square
miles, and is divid-
ed into fifteen
townships. The
city and county
combine a popula-
tion of 70,000.

Cultivation of
cotton is the lead-
i n g agricultural
pursuit, though
corn, wheat, and

other small grains are raised successfully. Fruits of almost every
kind flourish, adding materially to the income of the farmer ; while
truck-farming, dairying and poultry-raising are among the most
profitable industries. In Mecklenburg County conditions of climate
and soil are such that anything may be grown that is raised between
Southern Alabama and Canada. The northern line of cotton-raising
in the United States passes about fifty miles north of Charlotte.

Alexander RocK House. Built by HezeKiah Alexander
(Five miles from Charlotte)

fjaM»MH^r|2R^

■ Iff?

■ 'I

^ v.ySr 1

1 • ^SrW* .^fl F^-g . ^3

,

™ 8

i> ^jsyNj

)■ 1 1

~* 1

Mmi 1

&&$&?*•

Si

11

The Souti- contains 400 millions of acres in the cotton
belt proper, of which 300 millions are especially suitable for cotton-
raising. The climate of this section of country is greatly modified
by the Gulf Stream, which has much to do with the success of cotton-
growing. The rains coming from the Gulf of Mexico in the spring
and summer aid in the raising of the crop ; while in the fall the winds
change to the west and north, giving usually a dry season for the
harvest. A rainy season, drought, or single severe frost, would tend
to greatly decrease the production. At present 32 million acres are
in cultivation of cotton in the United States, and produce three-
fourths of the crop of the world.

With an elevation of 760 feet above sea-level, free from marked
extremes of heat or cold, and sheltered by the guardian peaks of
the Alleghany Mountains from severe storms, that visit the interior.
Charlotte, judged from a climatic standpoint, occupies a most favor-
able position. Throughout

as ^■HHHHHHM|

shown by the United States
Weather Bureau, is generally
mild and equable, with an an-
nual mean temperature of 60
degrees, and prevailing
southwesterly winds. Pe-
riods of severe cold in win-
ter are of short duration ;
spring generally opens early,
and killing frosts are rarely
known before November.
The spring and autumn es-
pecially are seasons of rare
beauty in Charlotte ; flowers,
shrubs, and trees in number-
less variety and abundance
add to the attractiveness of
scenery and give unceasing

pleasure to the lover of nature. With manifold advantages of
climate and location, Charlotte enjoys an atmosphere at once bracing,
temperate, and healthful.

The topography of the surrounding country shows a broken and
picturesque land whose forest-crowned hills, fertile lowlands, and
winding streams present scenes of ever-changing interest. To this
genial clime with its fertile soil came the early settlers of the 18th
century to find a land of plenty but not, however, one of peace. The
story of the pioneers in Mecklenburg County is similar to that of the
first settlers in other sections of this New World, whose inviting hand
beckoned so alluringly across the waters and drew to its shores from
the Old World stalwart sons and courageous daughters — men and
women who were to become the founders of a mighty nation. In dense
virgin forests lurked the Indian, resentful of the white man's intrusion

The Osborne OaK

(More than 100 years old)

and ever ready to surprise and destroy the colonist in hi> newly-made
home. Dark deeds of bloodshed and death were wreaked in cruel
vengeance upon the whites in these primitive days of settlement : and
in return the strong hand of the settler dealt death and destruction,
gradually forcing the red man westward until the land was freed
from Indian depredation. The early settlers of Charlotte and its
vicinity were principally Scotch-Irish, who came with broad-ax and
sword to open the way for liberty and civilization, bringing also that
indomitable love for civic and religious freedom which still remains
preeminent among the characteristics of their descendants. Colonial
life was by no means luxurious nor exempt from toil; land was to
be cleared and tilled ; homes, churches, and schools to be established,
and all the while unceasing vigilance was necessary to ward off

attacks from the Indians. Such conditions necessitated years of toil
and hardship, of continued activity, and patient endurance. To-day
a prosperous and happy land bears witness to their zeal ; and where
the fathers toiled so earnestly, the children have entered upon the
fruitage of their labors.

Years passed and the country became more thickly populated ; the
village of Charlotte being in 1768 legally incorporated; in 1774 it

was made the permanent county-seat of Mecklenburg". Though the
population was small, and its homes of a primitive order with con-
veniences and luxuries almost unknown, Charlotte, as the central
point of a large
section of country,
was even at this
early date a place
of no small impor-
tance. The cross-
ing of two county
roads formed the
center of the vil-
lage, and at their
intersection stood
the court-house.
These cross-roads
were dignified by
the names of Trade
and Tyron streets
— the former ob-
viously from the
amount of business
transacted along
its way, the latter
in honor of Wil-
liam Tyron a Colo-
nial Governor of North Carolina. To-day these avenues extend for
several miles and are the city's most prominent thoroughfares^ their

First Presbyterian Church

View of First Presbyterian Churchyard

Views of Latta ParK

intersection, which is known as "Independence Square," ranks among
the most historic spots in America.

The coming storm of the American Revolution was foreshadowed
throughout the country for some time before its actual culmination.
Oppressive taxation, unjust administration of laws, and an increas-
ingly tyrannical government, all tended to arouse within a liberty-
loving and fearless people that spirit which in the Old World had
made martyrs of their kind for religion's sake — which in the Xew
World had nerved them to face untold dangers and even death for the
preservation of home and family. The people of Charlotte and
Mecklenburg, known as a law-abiding and conservative people, were

Monument commemorating Mclntyre SKirmish. Seven miles from Charlotte

(Erected by Daughters of the American Revolution)

deeply aggrieved by the oppression of English rule, and realized
that their dearly-earned rights were fast being infringed. The
Battle af Alamance on May 17, 1771, and other events of a like
character, gave rapid development to independence of thought, which
finally resulted in the bold action taken by the citizens of Mecklen-
burg County, in May, 1775.

Pursuant to the order of Col. Thomas Polk, who was a leader in
military and civic affairs, a convention consisting of two delegates
to be elected from each militia district of the county, was called to
meet in the court-house of Charlotte on the 19th day of May, 1775.
At previous meetings of the militia companies the sentiment of the
people had been voiced with no uncertainty in opposition to the
tyranny of England ; and it was in accordance with the wishes of
the community that this gathering of representative men was called

C

in order that the existing state of affairs might be fully discussed;
and if it were found advisable, to take action in regard thereto.

Abraham Alexander W a S

elected chairman of the con-
vention and John McKnitt

Alexander, secretary. I ireat
interest was manifested in
the meeting for it was evi-
dent thai recent proclama-
tions issued by tile King ami
Governor g a v e sufficient
grounds to the people for the
assertion of their rights. Ad-
dresses were made by prom-
inent citizens before the dele-
gates and also a large num-
ber of Other persons who had
gathered to witness the pro-
ceeding. A committee was
appointed to prepare resolu-
tions to submit to the dele-
gates. Before matters had
reached a crisis, however, a
courier rode into the village
with tidings of the battle of
Lexington, which had oc-
curred just one month pre-
vious. Excitement was in-
tense and only one course of
procedure was now to be
considered. After lengthy
discussion and argument,
when the night had worn
away into the morning of
the 20th, Dr. Ephraim Bre-
vard, a member of the committee, presented the amended resolu-
tions, which were forthwith adopted. These resolutions couched in
terse, emphatic language, are as follows :

I. Resolved, That whosoever directly or indirectly abets, or in
any way, form or manner countenances the invasion of our rights,
as attempted by the Parliament of Great Britain, is an enemy to
his country, to America, and to the rights of man.

II. Resolved, That we, the citizens of Mecklenburg County, do
herebv dissolve the political bonds that have connected us with the
mother country, and absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the
British Crown, adjuring all political connection with the nation that
has wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties and inhumanly
shed innocent blood of Americans at Lexington

nument marking Birthplace of President James K. Polk
Eleven miles from Charlotte
(Erected by Daughters of the American Revolution)

III. Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and
independent people ; that we are, and of right ought to be, a sover-
eign and self-governing people under the power of God and the
general Congress ; to the maintenance of which independence we
solemnly pledge to each other our mutual cooperation, our lives,
our fortunes and our most sacred honor.

IV. Resolved, That we hereby ordain and adopt as rules of con-
duct all and each of our former laws, and that the crown of Great
Britain can not be considered hereafter as holding any rights, privi-
leges, or immunities amongst us.

V. Resolved, That all officers, both civil and military in this
county, be entitled to exercise the same powers and authorities as
heretofore; that every member of this delegation shall henceforth
be a civil officer and exercise the powers of a justice of the peace,
issue process, hear and determine controversies according to law.
preserve peace, union and harmony in the county, and use every
exertion to spread the love of liberty and of country until a more
general and better organized system of government be established.

VI. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by
express to the President of the Continental Congress assembled in
Philadelphia, to be laid before that body.

The Old Court House
(Shortly before it was torn away to give place to the Selwyn Hotel)

teds***

1 -4

5? '

li i

1^,

■P

It •-•■ j£

TujBV^H ^' .

^ *^|

if

■■fWfS

' - - -

R | ink

i

<•

V

y|i

The Selwyn Hotel

(Signatures)

Abraham Alexander, Chairman,
John McKnitt Alexander, Secretary.

John Davidson,
Robert Irwin,
Ezra Alexander,
Thomas Polk Sr.

Ephraim Brevard
Zaccheus Wilson,
James Harris,
Matthew McClure,
Richard Barry,
John Flennegin,
William Grails m .
Richard Harris,
Adam Alexander,
Charles Alexander,
John Phifer,
Benjamin Patton,
John Ford,

Thus was taken the first decisive step on American soil toward
throwing off the English yoke and publicly making a firm and de-

Hezekiah Alexander,
Hezekiah J. Balch,
Waightstill Avery,
William Kennon,
Neil Morrison,
Henry Downe,
David Reese,
John Queary.

stand for independence. Immediately upon its adoption, a
of the Declaration was sent in care of Captain James
to the Continental Congress then in session at Philadel-
This august body was just at that time preparing an address
to the King, wherein was repudiated a desire for independence, and
therefore declined to act upon the Mecklenburg Declaration, deem-
ing it premature.,

cided
copy
Jack
phia.

The National Declaration of Independence adopted one year later
shows most conclusively how closely the initiative steps of Mecklen-
burg were followed. An adjourned meeting of the Mecklenburg
Convention was held in Charlotte on the 31st of May, and twenty res-
olutions, which have been styled the "Thirty-first Resolves," were
adopted for the purpose as set forth in an introductory clause, "To
provide in some degree for the exigencies of this county in the
present alarming period."

Though failing to receive support from the Congress in Philadel-
phia, such a document as the Mecklenburg Declaration, bearing
signatures of representative men of the county, and of the State
of North Carolina, could not fail to be regarded with significance.
These bold resolutions proved to be a source of much uneasiness to
the royal governor of North Carolina, Josiah Martin, who, disap-
proving the violent measures pursued by his predecessor, Governor
Tryon, was attempting to restore harmony in the state. His trepi-
dation on learning of the independent action at Charlotte is fully
portrayed in an address by Governor Martin to the Executive Coun-
cil on June 25, 1775 ; also in a letter written by him to the Earl of
Dartmouth, on June 30, 1775, referring to proceedings published in
the Cape Fear Mercury, and in a proclamation issued on August 8th
of the same year.* On the night of June 14, 1775, Governor Martin
left his home in New Bern, going first to Fort Johnson, thence to an
English ship lying near by. Here for one year he nominally held the
office of Governor, and with his departure royal rule forever ended
in the state of North Carolina.

'See Volume 10, Colonial Records of North Caroli

■nip in whfo*"

United States Assay Office

Views of Vance Park

In April of the year 1800 the home of John McKnitt Alexander
was burned and in it the original copy of the Declaration, together
with other valuable papers. The fact that the original manuscript
was destroyed, while an unfortunate occurrence, did not affect the
historical truth that independence was declared in Charlotte on
Mav 20, 1775 ; but, however, did give occasion to some persons not
thoroughly conversant with the history of Mecklenburg to circulate
a report fifty years later, that since the original copy was not in
existence, there had been no such action taken. Contemporaneous
history confutes all reports of this tendency ; some persons in
this enlightened age would likely doubt the authenticity of the
Scriptures, since the original copy is not in hand. Deeds in the
Mecklenburg county court-house date from the Mecklenburg

The Post Office Building

Declaration; for example, "This indenture made the 13th day of
February, 1779, and in the fourth year of our independence." The
Moravian Church at Salem, N. C, has carefully preserved in Ger-
man script an annual record called the "Bethania Records," from
the year 1755 to the present time. On one of its pages is recorded
the following paragraph: "At the end of the year 1775 I cannot
omit to mention that already in the summer of the same year — that
is to say in May, June or Jul}- — the County of Mecklenburg, in
North Carolina, did declare itself free and independent from Eng-
land, and did make such disposition of the administration of law
as later on the Continental Congress established for the whole. But
this proceeding Congress looked upon as too premature."

The History of North Carolina by Martin, written during the
period 1791-1809, gives reliable authority for its account of the
Mecklenburg Declaration.

Lafayette, when entertained at a public dinner at the governor's
mansion in Raleigh, X. C, March 2, 1825, offered th« following
toast: "The state of North Carolina, its metropolis, and the 20th of
May, 1775, when a generous people called for freedom, of which
may they more and more forever cherish the principles and enjoy the
blessings."

MecKlenburg County Court House

lg Monument to Signers of Mecklenburg Declaration ot Independence)

Previous to the burning of his residence, with its many valuable
records and documents, John McKnitt Alexander had made several
copies of the Declaration ; he now made two others from memory,
one of these he gave to General William R. Davie, which is known
as the "Davie copy," and is preserved in the archives of the Xorth
Carolina University. It, however, was not an exact reproduction,
which the writer acknowledged on the back of the document,
in the following words : "The foregoing statement, though funda-
mentally correct, may not literally correspond with the original record
of the transactions of said delegation." The National Declaration
of Independence bears such a marked resemblance to the Mecklen-
burg Declaration, that Thomas Jefferson was accused by some of
plagiarism. Among others, the aged John Adams was of this
opinion, and received a sharp rebuke from Jefferson, who naturally
did not favor such a belief. The Reverend Arnold W. Miller, an

ardent supporter of the Mecklenburg Declaration, in his Centen-
nial Sermon of May 16, 1875, traces the origin of American In-
dependence back to the "Scottish Bands and Covenants" and says :
"These Bands and Covenants educated the Scotch and Irish sett-
lers of this country in the principles of liberty and prepared them
for the work to which Providence called them, the achievement Of
American Independence. To the Rev. Alexander Craighead, a
Presbyterian minister of Ireland who settled in Mecklenburg in
1759, the people of this county are indebted for that training which
placed them in the forefront of American patriots and heroes. It
was at this fountain that Dr. Ephraim Brevard and his associates
drew their inspirations of liberty. It was from these 'Scottish
Bands and Covenants,' as embraced in ■Rushworth's Collections,
we find that Mr. Jefferson drew largely both sentiments
and phrases, as he himself admits. The Hon. Julian C.
Verplanck, of New York, in an address delivered over forty years
ago, traced the origin of the Declaration of Independence to the
National Covenants of Scotland. And Chief-Justice Tilghman stated
that the framers of the American Constitution were greatly indebted

Charlotte during a Twentieth of May Celebration

to the standards of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland." Hon.
George Bancroft, the historian, after careful investigation, as-
serted the authenticity of the Mecklenburg Declaration and says :
"The first voice publicly raised in America to dissolve all connec-
tion with Great Britain, came, not from the Puritans of New En-
gland, nor the Dutch of New York, nor the planters of Virginia,

but from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians of North Carolina." Gene-
ral Joseph Graham and Rev. Humphrej Hunter, who were present
at the convention of Ma) 20, 1775. both state in written records that
a great throng was gathered on that occasion and intense inter-
est was manifested.

View of Entrance lo Post Office
Showing Shipp Monument

In the stirring days of the American Revolution. Charlotte and
Mecklenburg upheld with distinction the pledges of 1775. I heir
citizens were prominent in both state and military affairs, and proved
themselves valiant defenders of home and country. It was during
the year 1780 that the British entered western North Carolina, after
over-running Georgia and South Carolina. As Tarleton's forces
advanced on Charlotte they were harassed by Major Davie and
General Davidson with a small troop of cavalrymen : and at mid-
night, September 25. 1780. Davie* rode into the town, where he was
joined by Major (afterwards General) Joseph Graham, and together
they made preparation to meet the oncoming foe. Outnumbered by
the enemy fifteen to one, the North Carolinians were nevertheless
undaunted, and determined to make a bold stand. On the morning
of the 26th of September, they posted their men as advantageously
as possible under cover of a stone wall about the court-house, and
also stationed a number along East Trade Street. Tarleton's
cavalrv. commanded by Major Hanger, formed a line within three
hundred yards of the court-house, and was supported by solid ranks

of infantry. Three times during the day, they charged, and justf
so often were met by a steady firing that put their troops in great
confusion, besides causing much loss of life. Cornwallis was sur-
prised and chagrined to meet this unexpected repulse, and riding to
the front, rebuked his men for cowardice. As nightfall approached,
Graham and Davie deemed it more prudent, on account of their small
force, to seek a position of greater safety. Taking an eastward
course, they were vigorously pursued by the British, but succeeded in
reaching a safe distance with slight loss of life. Among the
severely wounded, was Major Joseph Graham, who received nine
serious wounds and was left on the field, supposed to be dead. He,
however, recovered and rendered further valuable service in the
Revolutionary War. This engagement, known as the ''Battle of
Charlotte," is not numbered among the important battles
of Revolutionary history; but it undoubtedly served to
show the British with what manner of men they had to
deal in Mecklenburg; and might also have given a fore-
warning as to the outcome at King's Mountain and other battles in
this vicinity. Cornwallis remained in Charlotte sixteen davs, but his'

Lahe at Country Club

stay was not permitted to be a peaceful one. At Mclntyre's farm,
seven miles to the north, his foraging forces were attacked by
a small party of North Carolina soldiers, and after a sharp encounter
the British were forced to retreat. This, and other bold onslaughts of
the Carolinians, gave the enemy a thoroughly uncomfortable time,

■ ^ ■' ' J»*»'. • ,.. ». -.Ill &

and caused Cornwallis to dub the brave little town "The Hornet's
Nest," which historic appellation it still retains. The battle of
King's Mountain, only thirty-three miles distant, occurred on Oc-
tober jth of the same year, and was an overwhelming defeat for
the men under the command of Major Ferguson, a favorite officer of
Cornwallis. He at once resolved to take his departure, declaring

Mecklenburg to be "the most rebellious and ill-disposed county in
all America." On October 12th, the British resumed the line of
march, leaving behind many spoils collected on foraging tours.
Davie and Davidson followed closely for a time and captured a
part of the enemy's baggage. Charlotte was not again molested by
the British ; the men of Mecklenburg had proven their ability to cope
with the enemy, and throughout the war thev rendered effective

assistance to the American cause and upheld most ardently the prin-
ciples of independence.

When peace again reigned in the land. Charlotte having laid aside
the habiliments of war, resumed the life of quietude and industry
which it had formerly maintained. At this time, although number-
ing less than three hundred inhabitant-, it was nevertheless a place
of much importance. Here the people of the surrounding country
came to sell or exchange farm produce; and to obtain the necessi-
ties of life, which in that day were deemed few in number, as living
was on a very frugal basis. Here, also, they came to receive the
infrequent and irregular mails; or occasionally, from some traveler.

Presbyterian College

to obtain tidings from the outside world. A time of great interest
was the convening of the county court. The county was divided
into militia districts, and assemblies met in the districts, sep-
parately, or at Charlotte, when the entire county would be repre-
sented. These muster days, as they were termed, were held for the
purpose of discussing political questions of the day, but were also
seasons of general social intercourse : as local newspapers had not
then been instituted, gatherings of this kind served in a measure
for the dissemination of news. Public meetings afforded the prin-
cipal diversion for the men of this period, but the women and chil-
dren remained closely at home and knew little of social pleasures.

Charlotte in these early days, when the absence of railroads and
telegraph made difficult all communication with the outside world,
was not, however, entirely cut off from other sections of the country.
Trips, on horseback or by private conveyance, were made to Charles-
ton, Philadelphia, and other distant points, from which the trav-
elers returned bringing stores of purchases, and also newspapers or
other publications available. Until the introduction of the railroad,
the stage-coach was the usual method of travel, and its coming was

heralded by the blowing of a horn by the driver— a signal for the
gathering of a crowd about the tavern door, and a forewarning that
the monotony of village life was, for a short while, to be broken by
the arrival of the stage-coach with its passengers. Petersburg,
Favetteville, Charleston, Camden, and Cheraw were favorite places
for trading, the goods being hauled by wagons to Charlotte from
these points.

Closely following the establishment of homes in this new land was
the building of school-houses and churches. Religious and indus-
trial training was considered of chief importance, and all instruc-
tion was of a practical nature ; necessary school books were difficult
to obtain, so the elementary branches were principally taught;
occasionally the children of affluent parents were sent North to be
educated. In January, 1771, a bill was passed by the Assembly of
North Carolina, establishing and endowing in Charlotte a college
to meet the increasing need for more advanced learning than was

1

■

■

■

H|

w

1

jn

^H

-"■ „ ,mjM if

hm-;

?

-

5 IglJ

m^ffim

. ...1^

1

ijm*

L* 'i mi*
1

pwrnv

K I

* T 4

• ■ w ■&*■ **^|;a ..Si

f 11

w&w$

'■:Y

U • ,.-*-

V"

i«*. _. v ^_

1-^ -itg;

^

^g|

■MM

i^^^mmm

South Graded School

then supplied by the schools of the state. This institution, chartered
by the King, was called Queen's College, and opened under most
encouraging auspices. Owing, however, to dissensions in the country
at this time, the charter was disallowed by the King in 1773. The
people, being anxious to have in their midst a high grade school, con-
tinued the institution without a charter, under the name of Queen's
Museum. In 1777 other changes were made, the school being incor-
porated as Liberty Hall Academy. With the invasion of Cornwallis,
the academy was compelled to suspend, and was not again opened.
The site on which it stood is now occupied by the' court-house.

On May 25, 1791, there was entertained in Charlotte a distin-
guished guest, General George Washington, who being on a tour
through the South, stopped to visit the little town which won such a
notable reputation for bravery in Revolutionary days.

Owing to its settlement chiefly by the Scotch-Irish, Charlotte has
always been known as a stronghold of Presbyterianism, though
churches of many other denominations flourish: "Among the min-
isters of the Presbyterian
faith who exerted great
influence throughout this
section during its forma-
tive period was the Rev.
Alexander Craighead,
who in the year 1750 be-
gan his pastorate at
Rocky River and Sugar
Creek churches. There
being at that time no
church in the town, the
people worshipped at
Sugar ( "reck Church.
Mr Craighead was a
man of fearless and in-
trepid Spirit. Of Unflinch- Carnegie Library

ing principles, and im-
bued with great patriotic zeal. Mis influence in guiding the |

aright at a time when the country's fate was wavering cannot be
overestimated.

Residence on South Tryon Street

(Under one of these large oaks Aaron Burr and guards are said to have rested while i

ite to Richmond)

In 1792 the local officers of Charlotte first took the oath of alle-
giance to the Federal Government; shortly afterwards a United
States post-office was established, and the village began to assume
the semblance of a town. The wealthiest class of people, however,
resided in the country, and their large estates were cultivated by
slaves.

Tidings of renewed difficulties with the British Government in
1812 aroused again the spirit of patriotism in Mecklenburg; five
companies were sent to join the United States forces and served
until peace was restored.

Phifer Avenue

An epoch in town history was reached when the first local news-
paper made its appearance in 1824, edited by Thomas J. Holton,
under the name of "The North Carolina Whig" ; later it was changed
to "The Charlotte Journal."

One company from Charlotte participated in the Mexican war ;
Captain Green W. Caldwell was in command. From April, 1847
this company served until mustered out at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.,
July 31, 1848.

On October 21, 1852, the first passenger train entered Charlotte
amid cheers from an enthusiastic throng; this event marked a new
era in the development of the town and added materially to its
growth.

In the war between the States. 1861-65, soldiers from Charlotte
and Mecklenburg were among the first to volunteer for the Con-

or, with recruits, -'.713 soldiers. The) sus-
a reputation for valor throughout the war.

federate cause, participating in the battle of Bethel, June 6, [861.

During the four years of tin- war. the town and county furnished

twenty-one companies,

tained mosl worthily

Among those t\

w 0 11 distinction

w e r e Lieut-< len-

eral D. II. Mill.

Brig.-( General Jas.

Lane, Brig.-( !en-

eral Rufus l'.ar-

ringcx, Col. C. C.

Lee, Col. John A.

Young, I !ol. Edwin

A. ( teborne, Col.

John E. Brown.

Col. McKinney,

Col. W. A. Owens

Col. J. T. Tayl-.r.

M a j or Thomas

McG. Smith and

Major Egbert

Ross. Charlotte,

The Charlotte Drum Corps

although spared
many of the hor-
rors of war, and terrible destruction visited upon other sections
of the country, suffered keenly from the effects of this fratricidal
conflict, and many homes were darkened by the loss of those
who had gone forth to battle for their country's rights. While
the 'men were fighting at the front, the women banded together,
and with untiring labor furnished garments and needed supplies
of every kind, adding no little to the physical comfort of the
soldiers, and by their loyal and patriotic spirit giving inspiration and
encouragement President Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cab-
inet, accompanied by a thousand cavalrymen, had just reached Char-
lotte on die 15th of April. 1865, when a telegram announcing the
assassination of President Lincoln was handed President Davis. The
Confederate officials remained for several days awaiting farther de-
velopments in this crucial period. ( >n the 20th of April tin. last meet-
ing of the Confederate Cabinet, before it permanently dissolved, was
held at the home of Mr. William Phifer, on North Tryon Street.
This historic residence is now the property of Col. William E. Holt.
During the war it was considered advisable to remove the Con-
federate navy yard from Norfolk. Virginia, to a place of greater
safety. No point on the coast seeming to be sufficiently protected,
Charlotte was selected as being far enough inland to be comparativelv
safe. and the navy yard was accordingly moved here. Tt was used,
however, chiefly for the making of cannon balls, repairing of guns,
etc. The Mint building served as headquarters for the naval offi-

cers. Some of the former employes of the navy yard are among the
residents of Charlotte at the present time.

Among the prominent men who chose Charlotte as their home
after the war were Brig.-General R. D. Drayton, Brig.-General R.
D. Johnston, and Col. Hamilton C. Jones. A noted citizen and
prominent lawyer of the town for several years was Zebulon Baird
Vance, North Carolina's distinguished war-governor, who later
served for fifteen years in the United States Senate. One of the
most honored residents to-day is Mrs. Stonewall Jackson, who
is esteemed not only for the name she bears, but also for her own
true worth and charming personality.

The period of reconstruction was to this section, as elsewhere
throughout the South, a season of gloom and depression — of unset-
tled conditions and re-adjustment to a changed state of affairs. Over
those unhappy years we would draw the veil of silence — their gloom
has left a shadow on history's page which the passing of time cannot
dispel. In 1870 the population of the town, including suburbs, num-
bered about five thousand people. Stunned for a while by the great
blow which had fallen so heavily upon the South, Charlotte remained
apparently, at a stand-still, except for the dull routine of business.
With the freeing of the slaves it was evident that a great change
must take place throughout a country distinctively agricultural, and
depending largely upon slaves for cultivation. By degrees, however.

View of South Tr

recuperative power began to assert itself : the town commenced to
turn attention to manufacturing interests, and henceforth a new life
began to throb. Prior to the Revolutionary war a rifle factory had
been established, and was one of three such factories in the
United States ; but not until the latter half of the 19th century
were there many manufacturing establishments to be found in

this vicinity. In 1881 the first cotton mill was built in the town ;
it was owned by the Messrs. Oates and was called the Charlotte
Cotton Mill. To-day this city is the recognized center of the great
cotton-mill district of the South. Within a radius of one hundred
miles of Charlotte there are more than three hundred cotton mills,
containing over one-half the spindles and looms in the South.
These mills represent approximately a capital of $130,000,000
and operate about four million spindles and 100,000 looms. In
Charlotte and in its suburbs there are twenty cotton mills and three
cotton-seed mills. The cotton-seed oil industry has developed
largely, not only in the manufacture of oil for varied purposes,
but of the meal for fertilizers, and the meal and hull for cattle
food. As a supplementary food-product, cotton-seed oil finds ready
sale, and is shipped to the North and West, as well as to foreign coun-

The Vance Residence
of Zebulon Baird Vance, Governor of North Carolina

tries. The manufacture of cotton into yarns and cloth represent a
large amount of capital annually. Instead of selling raw cotton at
six or seven cents per pound, as formerly, it has risen in value,
through manufacture into salable goods, to many times that amount,
China and other foreign countries being among the consumers.

For years an obstacle to manufacturing interests in the South was
the lack of mechanical knowledge ; by degrees this want is being
supplied and has opened a large field of industry to young men.
Charlotte is now independent in regard to the establishment of
cotton-mills from the fact that without outside assistance, a cotton-
mill can be designed, built, equipped throughout, and put in operation
while the cotton is growing at its door. While the manufacture of
cotton is the leading industry there are other enterprises which

^\UiW4< . .Awl

I ^&

are aiding- very materially in the industrial progress of the
community. A number of machine shops are occupied in the
construction of all kinds of machinery necessary for preparing cotton
for the market, cotton-seed oil machinery, cotton mill machinery, and
mining machinery. The Mecklenburg Iron Works and the Liddell
Company are the oldest industries of this kind in Charlotte. The
machine shops of the D. A. Tompkins Company are widely known
as a most successful plant for the manufacture of machinery. Sev-
eral large supply houses also find an active field for furnishing sup-
plies to the manufacturer. Among flourishing industries are clothing
factories which give employment to many hundreds of people. A
diversity of minor enterprises adds to the city's increasing wealth
and progressiveness. A marked expansion of the banking business

Home of Mrs. Stonewall JacKson

gives unmistakable evidence of prosperity. Four National Banks,
several State Banks, Trust Companies, and Building and Loan As-
sociations, are on a sound basis, and proclaim the increasing strength
of Charlotte's business interests. The Charlotte Consolidated Con-
struction Company owns the electric car plant and is constantly ex-
tending its lines in every direction, adding greatly to the upbuild-
ing of the city, and especially the suburban development. This com-
pany also furnishes gas and electricity for lighting purposes. More
recent organizations are the Southern Power Company and the
Catawba Power Company, which are developing the water power
of the Catawba river. The Catawba Power Company furnishes
electricity for lighting the streets of Charlotte. Both of these

companies own valuable water .sites on the Catawba river, and the
development of this magnificent water power and its distribution
through the Piedmont region mean untold possibilities for this
tion of North Carolina. Mr. I). A. Tompkins, of Charlotte, who is
thoroughly conversant with the manufacturing interest- and elec-
trical development of the South, has made a cartful estimate of the
water power available within sixty miles of Charlotte. Giving a
map showing the main streams and tributaries within this distance,
Mr. Tompkins says: "Any estimate in figures based upon the cubic
feet of water and the fall, makes 1,000,000 horse power vcr\ conserv-
ative as being available within sixty miles of ( liarlotte. The number
of spindles which 1.000,000 horse power would run would vary ac-
cording to the fineness or coarseness of the yarns. Taking the aver-
age of what is already being made in this territory. 1,000,000 would
run 30,000,000 spindles and 1 ,000,000 looms. In other words the water
power available within sixty miles of Charlotte has been made by
the introduction of electrical development available to be economi-
cally used to run as many spindles as are in all England."

Charlotte occupies a central location in the mining district of the
Piedmont region, and since the latter part of the 18th centurj
mining has been carried on in the neighboring localities with oft-
times much success. In 1835 tnc Charlotte Mint, a branch of the
United States Mint at Philadelphia, was established, and in Decem-
ber. 1837. opened for business. Fifty thousand dollars was appro-
priated by the government for the site and building. ( In July 27.
1844, the Mint was burned: after some months an appropriation of
$35,000.00 was obtained, a new building erected, and the necessary

Scene in Wilmoore Woodland

Heathcote," at Piedmont ParK

machinery purchased. On the secession of North Carolina, Ma)' 20,
1861, operations at the Mint ceased, and the building- was used by
the Confederate authorities during the war. The total coinage of
gold from 1838 to 1861 amounted to $5,059,188.00. At the close
of the war the Mint was seized by Federal forces, and occupied by
their officials until the summer of 1867 ; during that year it was re-
opened as an assay office, and as such is continued at the present
time.

The Gold Bullion deposited at the U. S. Assay Office
in Charlotte, N. C, during the five years ended
July 1, 1906, amounted to $1,233,147.58

The amount of Silver Bullion contained in above de-
posit of Gold, same period 3,834.06

Total $1,236,981.64

St. Catherine's and the Rudisill gold mines near the city are the
largest mines in operation in this vicinity. The large patronage
which the Mint has received, both for the coinage of gold and later
only for the assaying of the metal, is evidence that Charlotte was
judiciously selected for this purpose. In the Mint may be seen a
large and valuable collection of North Carolina stones, many speci-
mens being rare and beautiful.

An important factor in the development and material progress of
Charlotte has been the good roads for which Mecklenburg county is

*' Kilmichtel "
A Country Road

far-famed. Radiating from Charlotte as a center, these splendid ma-
cadam highways extend in all directions through the county, render-
ing travel easy and comfortable under all conditions of weather, con-
tributing greatly to the pleasure of the people and enhancing the value
of property. By a system of special taxation and convict labor, one
hundred and fifty miles of roadway have been built in the past
twenty years. A pioneer in the movement for good roads was
Capt. S. B. Alexander, who, as a member of the North Carolina
State Senate of 1879, drew up and secured the enactment of a bill
providing for the improvement of roads in Mecklenburg county,
authorizing the people to levy a special road tax, and to employ con-
vict labor. This measure, being little understood, met with disfavor

29 *£

LMjjtUttllf.l^

A North Tryon Slree Residence

from the people, and at their request was repealed by the Legislature
of 1881. In spite of the discouraging outlook, Captain Alexander
continued his efforts in the interests of good roads, and in 1883 was
returned to the State Senate for the express purpose of securing the
re-enactment of the road-law. The bill passed the Senate but was
defeated in the House. In 1885, however, Captain Alexander as-
sisted by Captain W. E. Ardrey, was successful in securing the pas-
sage of his bill an-d from that time good roads were assured. The
work of road-construction has been necessarily slow ; but steadily
carried on has fully demonstrated the wisdom of such methods, and
recompensed for all labor and expenditure of funds.

■M

While progressing in other ways, Charlotte has not been unmind-
ful of the educational needs of its people. Among the schools of
earlier days was the Charlotte Female Institute, opened in 1857 under
charge of Rev. and Mrs. Robert Burwell. This school, with several
changes of name and ownership, is still continued as The Presby-
terian College for Young Women ; occupying a handsome and com-
modious building, it offers exceptional advantages. Another leading
school of ante-bellum days was the Charlotte Military Academy,
which opened in 1859 under the direction of Major D. H. Hill
and an able corps of teachers. During the war of 1861-65,
the school building was used by the Confederate Government
as a medical dispensary. After the war ended it was reopened
as a school by Col. J. P. Thomas, and finally passed into the
hands of the city for use as a public school, and is now known
as the South Graded School. Gen. D. H. Hill, who won distinc-
tion as a Confederate officer, was a man of decided literary talent.

The

Liddell
Yard

and during his residence in Charlotte edited a magazine called "The
Land We Love," and also a newspaper entitled "The Southern
Home." Elizabeth College, a large Lutheran institution for young
women, is beautifully situated on the Eastern heights overlooking
the city, and enjoys a wide patronage. Two large graded schools
for white children, and one for negroes, are conducted on modern
and most approved plans under the superintendency of Prof. Alex-
ander Graham, who has ably filled this position for a number of years.
Between three and four thousand children are instructed annually,
and the curriculum affords a liberal education. Other institu-
tions are : The Charlotte University School for Boys, King's

•^vfiH

BptIIHR*™"** • f - Jff^tMtr&SJB

*^ ^1 aifV' »Pl^253H

Si* ^^^^HF^P^^^He *^ /^i ^*' "1

M-y^53Bb^»rt"A:'^W«L * ■'•

ifKllBlCTri Iffi5^ * ^nt** 'M

HK-fagfy" ■ 4iT^MSSHBSSkV 4s

IKaCSP ' * * jATErW'BB'faWR *-,/»

*

1

HBp^hs iSP** - * i^B&y

JBp^^j^sr flfc V JHv

IgiSsW JITS ■-!

§§§IIip§ -gar jfis

' TXFiiirf' 5fi < t,+¥S

Business College, St. Mary's Seminary,
which is a Roman Catholic institution,
special schools of music and art, kinder-
gartens, and various private schools.
Just west of Charlotte, beyond the sub-
urb Seversville, is located Biddle Uni-
versity, a college for negroes under the
care of the Northern Presbyterian
Church; it is named for Airs. Mary D.
Biddle, of Philadelphia, who contributed
largely to its erection. The Piedmont
Industrial School, at the Chadwick and
Hoskins cotton-mills, near the city, is
meeting with much sucess in the educa-
tion and industrial training of mill

people. Twenty miles distant, in the northern part of the county,
is Davidson College which for three-quarters of a century has oc-
cupied a prominent position as a College of Liberal Arts and Scien-
ces. Many of its alumni are among the country's distinguished
citizens ; and though not a school of theology, it has furnished 400
ministers to the Southern Presbyterian Church.

The religious life of Charlotte is well known ; it is a city of
churches. Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Lutheran,
Associate Reformed Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic congrega-
tions occupy handsome church buildings, with large and increas-
ing membership. In point of numbers, the Second Presbyterian
Church leads, with more than twelve hundred members. In 1815 a
large lot was set apart by the town for religious purposes, and a
square just to the rear of this property was made a public burying
ground. The citizens of the town united in erecting a church build-
ing, which for a
number of years
was used by all
di'e n o ruinations.
The people of
this section be-
i n g principally
Scotch-Irish, and
therefore Presby-
terians, outnum-
bered by far any
other denomina-
tion ; and in 1835
t h e y obtained
possession of this
property on which
they erected a
larger house of
w or s h i p The

Cotton Weighing

beautiful and imposing edifice, known as the First Pres-
byterian Church, now stands upon this site, its grounds
occupying" a block in the heart of the city. This mag-
nificent property, carpeted with rich green grass and shaded
by ancient oaks, is justly an object of admiration to every passer-by.
Prominent among its ministers of an earlier period was the Rev.
Arnold W. Miller, a man whose rigid adherence to right, wide
learning, and fearless utterances, during a pastorate of twenty-nine
years, made his influence deeply felt throughout the community.
The burying ground, known as "the old cemetery," has for many
years been unused ; the present cemetery, Elmwood, occupies a natu-
rally beautiful location to the northwest of the city. In the old

VFfi

'tt<m

^S*-2ro

When (he Market Goes Up

(Forty-eight bales of cotton produced on one farm, and which the advanc

in price has brought to market)

cemetery are the graves of Col. Thomas Polk, General George Gra-
ham, Gov. Nathaniel Alexander, Hon. William Davidson, and many
others prominent in the early history of the town and county.

The Young Men's Christian Association occupies an impor-
tant place in the life of young men. Centrally located, with a
well-equipped building, and numbering 750 members, it is actively
engaged in a great work. The Young Women's Christian Associa-
tion, though a more recent institution, affords to young women many
and varied advantages. A number of hospitals alleviate the suf-
fering of humanity: St. Peter's, the Presbyterian, the Mercy
General, the Good Samaritan (for negroes), and others for
the treatment of special diseases. Many charitable organizations
provide for the needy and homeless. The Thompson Orphanage,
under the care of the Episcopal Church ; the Alexander Home, a
Presbyterian institution ; and the Day Nursery, which is supported
bv all denominations, are actively engaged in benevolent work for

children, while the Charlotte Crittenton Home is doing- noble work.
A handsome Carnegie Library finds abundant patronage from a
book-loving community; and Charlotte has also (which is rarely
found), a free library for negroes. Literary, musical, and patriotic
organizations flourish. Three daily papers, the Charlotte Observer,
the Charlotte Chronicle and The Charlotte News, besides other pub-
lications, semi- weekly, weekly, and monthly, have large circulation.
Fraternal and Benevolent Associations represent almost every order
known in the United States. Among club- organized for br-
and social purposes the leading ones are the Southern Manufacturers'
and the Colonial, both of which occupy elegant apartments and num-
ber many member-. Handsome public buildings add greatly to tin-
attractiveness of Charlotte. Notable among these are, the United
States Assay Office, bearing upon it- front a large gilded American
eagle with outspread wings; the government building of red pressed
brick with granite trimmings, constructed at a cost of $85,000.00, and
containing the Post-Office, Federal Court room-, and Weather Bu-
reau : the City Hall, built of North Carolina brown -tone, a bandsnme
and commodioii- structure; and the county court bouse of terra-cotta
and brick, of picturesque architecture and beautifully situated. The
Academy of Music, a theater of artistic plan, and with a large
seating capacity, affords much diversion throughout the theatrical
season. Among many handsome office buildings, those owned by
the Piedmont Fire Insurance Company, the Southern State- Trust
Company and the Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company,
are of large proportions, and elegant in design and ornamentation.

The spirit of militarism has always been a prominent feature of
Charlotte life. Three organizations of this nature existing in the
city are the Hornet's Nest Riflemen. First Field Artillery, and the
Charlotte Drum Corps. During the Spanish-American war two
companies of white soldiers and one of negroes en-
listed from Charlotte

A liberty-loving and history-reverencing people,
the people of Charlotte ami the community around
unite in commemorating the anniversaries of great
events. On May 20, 1875, tne Centennial Celebra-
tion of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

Highland ParK Mfg. Co. Louise Cotton Mill. No. 1

was held and was a noteworthy occasion. Man} prominent speakers
from North Carolina, and also from other states, had a place on the
program; the attendance was record-breaking- and patriotism was
kindled anew. On May 20, 1898, the handsome monument which
stands in front of the county court-house, and erected to the memory
of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration, was unveiled by
eight of their descendants, in the presence of a great crowd which
had gathered from many sections of the country to do honor to the
day. Ex- Vice-President Adlai Ewing Stevenson, himself of Meck-
lenburg- ancestry, was orator on this occasion. The 20th of May
was celebrated most elaborately in 1906, four days being given over
to a gala season. The city was resplendent in decorations of
flags and tri-colored bunting, many large government flags
adding no little to the effect and attractiveness. By night the beauty
of scene was enhanced by hundreds of tiny electric lights. The
Marine band of Washington, D. C, one company of United States
cavalry, two of infantry, and one of marines, were sent by President
Roosevelt to take part in the celebration, and evidenced the official
recognition of the Mecklenburg Declaration by the United. States
Government. This, however was not the first recognition of the
Mecklenburg Declaration by President Roosevelt; in a speech de-
livered in Vance Park on the evening of October 19, 1905, referring
to North Carolina's achievements in the past, he said: "I congratu-
late you even more upon the great historic memories of your state.
It is not so very far from' here that the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence was made— the declaration that pointed out the path
on which the thirteen United Colonies trod a few months later."
In May, 1902, there was unveiled, with appropriate exercises,
a monument erected on the grounds of the government build-
ing, in memory of Lieutenant William E. Shipp, at one time a
citizen of Charlotte, who fell in battle at San Juan during the
Spanish-American war. A monument to the Confederate dead in Elm-
wood Cemetery stands in the midst of a square where lie
buried many Confederate soldiers. On every 10th or May,
which is observed as Memorial Day, appropriate exercises
are held, and a great concourse of people, including Meck-
lenburg Camp of Confederate Veterans, the Stonewall

Highland Park Mfg. Co. Louise Cotton Mill. No. 2

[ackson ( hapter of Daughters of the Confederacy, Sons of Vete-
rans, and Julia Jackson Chapter of Children of the Confederacy,
gather to pay tribute to the dead, and to place offerings of flowers
upon their graves

Iron tablets mark various historic places in the cit) : namely, the
center of Independence Square, where stood the old court-house in
which was signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence; the
place where st 1 the house in which Cornwallis had his headquar-
ters; the site of the inn at which General Washington was enter-
tained; and the spot wlurr President Davis was standing when
handed a telegram which announced the assassination of Lincoln,
The Mecklenburg (hapter. Daughters of the American Revolution,
has placed a monument at the Mclntyre farm, in commemoration of
the bravery of Mecklenburg men in the skirmish which took place
there during the Revolution. This (hapter has erected a monument
marking the site of the house, eleven miles south of Charlotte, in
which Presidenl James K. Polk was horn: and has also marked tin
birth-place of President Andrew Jackson — it was originall) in the
southeastern part of Mecklenburg, though now included in Union
Countw

A period of general interest is the Mecklenburg County Fair, held
annually, in ( )ctober, at the grounds of the Mecklenhunj Fair Asso-
ciation south of the city.

The city is governed by a mayor and a hoard of aldermen ; it has
also a hoard of school commissioners, police, fire, and health commis-
sioners, a tree and park commission, a recorder who presides over
the municipal court, and other hoards and committees looking to the
best interests of .he community. The Fire Department and water
works are owned hv the cit v.

Cotlon PicKers Returning Home

The leading- hotels are the Central, Buford, and Selwyn; the last
named, which is an exceedingly handsome structure and up-to-date
in every respect, derived its name from Lord George A. Selwyn, a
Lord Proprietor, in Colonial times, of this part of North Carolina.
The Southern and Seaboard Air Line railway systems afford
good railroad facilities, and are important factors in the develop-
ment of Charlotte.

Scenes at
Springdale Dairy Farm

From Independence Square, electric lines are reaching out in every
direction along wide avenues lined on either side with beautiful shade
trees, and over well-kept streets. Suburban sections, through the
instrumentality of these electric lines which give greater accessibility,
are rapidly building up, and the city is continually extending. Dil-
worth, Elizabeth Heights, Piedmont Park, and Myers Park, are
especially attractive as residence localities. Belmont, Highland
Park, Atherton, and Chadwick. are among the most progressive sub-
urban mill settlements.

Dilworth and Latta Park are named in honor of the President of
the Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company, Mr. Edward Dil-
worth Latta, a public-spirited citizen, whose broad ideas and pro-
gressiveness have clone much for the advancement of Charlotte.

Latta Park, which is quite extensive in size and affords a variety
of entertainment, is an exceedingly attractive pleasure-ground:

Vance Park, centrally located and easy of access is especially adapted
for open-air gatherings ; and Independence Park, to the east of the
city, has much natural beauty and charm of landscape.

The Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company, by extending
its electric lines westward to Chadwick, and thence to the Catawba
river, has opened up a beautiful portion of country. "Lakeview,"
with its picturesque woodlands, winding driveways and large lake,
bids fair to out-rival all other sections in beauty of scenery.

The population of Charlotte is about 40,000. The increasing
numbers of cotton mills and factories of various kinds are causing
settlements to spring up as if by magic all around the city's borders,
while many residents are armaally drawn thither by the varied,
favorable business interests that are presented, as well as on account
of the many advantages of climate and location.

Life in Charlotte blends most happily the peaceful spirit of the
old South with the progressive ideas of a later period. Attractive
homes embowered in fragrant flowers, with wide-spreading lawns
shaded by oaks and magnolias, give a sense of space and restfulness ;
while here and there handsome apartment houses bespeak the intro-
duction of city life and ways. Out-door pastimes with all their
attendant delights and benefits may be fully enjoyed — driving, rid-
ing, automobiling, golfing, and other pleasures of like kind may
be indulged in all the year with but little interruption from severe

H

T

Catawba River at Mountain Island
(Twelve miles from Charlotte)

winter weather. The salubrity of climate has brought many health-
seekers who have found here renewed strength and protection from
a more rigorous climate.

Situated midway between New York and \ew < >rleans, with line
railroad facilities, and favored with many natural advantages, Char-
lotte occupies an important position in the manufacturing and com-
mercial world. The most substantial and healthful growth must
necessarily be slow; and in pursuing this plan in its upbuilding, a
foundation strong and lasting has been established, upon which to-
day it builds with a steadily increasing growth.

For Charlotte great things may be predicted. Historic memories
preside over a worthy past : to-day it is ruled by the consciousness of
assured power and prosperity: while to-morrow bears in its hand
the promise of greater opportunities and unlimited possibilities.

vg&Ak

^

m