| Charlotte | |
| By Anne Holcomb Waters |
There is no reason on God’s green earth for Charlotte to be here.
Charlotte has no advantage of nature to justify its location, its geographical presence. It has no port like New York or New Orleans, no confluence of rivers like Charleston or Pittsburgh, no navigable river like Wilmington, no commanding heights like Memphis.
So as the first white men moved west from the coast and south down the Great Wagon Road, why did they stop here? When Thomas Spratt, the first European to settle in the area, walked into what is now the heart of Uptown Charlotte, what made him decide to stay and (literally) set up shop?
The land Spratt saw was unquestionably beautiful. Green hills swelled gently from ridge to red-clay field to ridge; pines grew in stands thick as jungles with brush and briars and berries; and throughout ran clear, fast creeks that fed the Catawba River to the west.
But the land that would be Charlotte and Mecklenburg County had more going for it than just beauty. The soil was more fertile than that in the Uwharries to the east or the Blue Ridge to the west. Close at hand were several of the best fords for crossing the Catawba. For centuries, the Cherokee and Catawba tribes had directed their trading routes toward these fords, so that two main paths had developed, one running northeast and southwest, the other northwest and southeast.
So when Thomas Spratt made his way to the top of the low hill where Trade Street now crosses Tryon Street, the thought that has occurred to thousands since when gazing upon Charlotte may have come to his mind: I could do all right for myself here.
Stand at Trade and Tryon on any weekday and picture the courthouse here at the corner, which is where it stood until the mid-19th century (and which is why the intersection is still referred to as “the Square,” as in Courthouse Square). Look up at the steel and glass around you and imagine the fine Victorian houses that once lined both streets as far as the city limits. Now watch the traffic speed by and try to see the intersection of two dusty Indian trading paths, traveled by foot or mule or horse.
Spratt opened a trading post here in 1753. Small farms already dotted the area, farms that would coalesce into townships mostly remembered now by street names: Providence, Sharon, Berryhill, Mallard Creek. Charlotte has been growing since the very beginning, and growing aggressively. As one longtime resident has said, “Charlotte’s always been a chamber-of-commerce town.” The colonial-era city fathers built a courthouse and jail before their community was named the county seat, then used the finished construction as proof that Charlotte deserved to be the county seat.
The new county—Mecklenburg—and Charlotte itself took their names from the German queen of King George of England, a rather blatant attempt to curry favor. This proved ironic, since Mecklenburg County was one of the earliest places to call for independence from Great Britain, and since guerrilla opposition was so fierce when Cornwallis came through that he called Charlotte “a damned hornet’s nest of rebellion,” inadvertently naming the city’s original NBA basketball team.
The boom really began when the railroad came through in 1852. Suddenly, the cotton grown in all those surrounding townships no longer needed to be hauled in wagons all the way to Cheraw or Camden in South Carolina for boats to take it to market in Charleston. Now, farmers could have their crops weighed, graded, and loaded onto rail cars right in Charlotte. Business prospects and population growth took flight in the county seat.
The Civil War left Charlotte safely tucked away in the back country, surprisingly intact. The town subsequently experienced another boom in wealth and population. Country boys and newly freed blacks rushed in to take advantage of the opportunities created first by the railroads and then by that emblem and icon of the New South: the textile mill.
Charlotte and the rest of the South built mills during the 1880s. The first local operation, Robert Oates’s Charlotte Cotton Mill, opened in 1880 just a block off West Trade Street in the Fourth Ward. Three more mills—the Alpha, the Ada, and the Victor—opened within the city limits by the end of the decade. As the railroads had done a generation earlier, the mills lured thousands to Charlotte, some seeking opportunity, some just a steady paycheck.
Textile mills were trumpeted by men like Charlotte’s D. A. Tompkins as the means by which the New South would rise. Looking at Charlotte, which is more of a New South city than even Atlanta, one would have to agree. By 1930, mills and the industries they brought with them made Charlotte once and for all the largest city in the Carolinas, laying the groundwork for the prosperity Charlotteans enjoy today.
But they also indirectly hardened barriers of race and class. Read the letters to the editor in the Charlotte Observer today, with their concerns over busing, unequal opportunity, and Uptown versus the suburbs, and you find the long-term effects of sudden industrialization.
Economically, the cotton mills carried Charlotte through the onset of the 20th century, World War I, and World War II. The spun and woven cotton from the mills had to be transported. Luckily, Charlotte sat astride “the Main Street of the South”—J. P. Morgan’s Southern Railway line from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans. By the second decade of the 20th century, three more major railroads ran through Charlotte, making the Queen City the center of the Piedmont’s vast network of textile mills. Rather than simply shipping Mecklenburg’s own cotton crop, Charlotte brought crops in by rail from as far away as Mississippi and Alabama. The railroads continued to grow until after World War II, when new highways and then the Eisenhower Interstate System—specifically, Interstates 77 and 85—brought the trucking industry up to speed.
The opening of the 20th century saw tobacco magnate James B. Duke ready to experiment with the newfangled science of harnessing electrical power. Charlotte, having a strong industrial base and having the Catawba River nearby, seemed the logical place for the project’s headquarters. In 1904, Duke sent engineer Bill Lee to Charlotte to form the Catawba Power Company, the forerunner of Duke Energy.
In contrast to their counterparts in other areas of the South, Charlotte’s business leaders did a remarkable job of diversifying industry while riding the crest of the cotton wave. Everything from cars to crackers was made here. Historian Thomas Hanchett, in his book Sorting Out the New South City, said that by the 1920s, “if you went to a movie or wrote a check or bought a bottle of cough syrup anywhere from Charleston to Raleigh, you were probably doing business indirectly with some resident of the Queen City.”
Which was a good thing, because the mills were slowly dying by the postwar years, vulnerable as they were to foreign production. But although no one knew it at the time, the mills had left Charlotte in position for another economic and population boom, one greater and richer and grander than even D. A. Tompkins, much less Thomas Spratt, could have imagined.
All the money that the mills generated, you see, had to be managed, had to be kept and nurtured and used wisely. Banks sprang up around town to receive the deposits of mill owners and mill hands alike. The Federal Reserve opened a regional master bank in Charlotte. In the 1890s, textile men from the North joined with local magnates and formed Charlotte National Bank, which in time became North Carolina National Bank, which in time became NationsBank, which in 1999 became Bank of America, the first coast-to-coast bank.
It should be mentioned that Charlotte, ranked second after New York City among the nation’s banking centers, has been hit hard by the current financial crisis. Ironically, a decade after Hugh McColl masterminded the takeover of San Francisco–based Bank of America, rival Wachovia was purchased by the City by the Bay’s giant Wells Fargo corporation. No one yet knows how many jobs might be lost to consolidation, but as the Queen City’s mayor put it, “Charlotte does have very strong resilience, and I anticipate that a lot of the talent that’s moving out of the banks will stay.”
Charlotte’s current leaders are different from their predecessors in looking beyond the bottom line. Having built their companies, they are now working to build their community into all that the word city implies. Charlotte has seen not only an economic boom, but a cultural one as well. The downtown area, which most Charlotteans call “Uptown” because they like the sound better, has undergone an extensive revitalization that has brought in restaurants, nightclubs, and facilities such as Spirit Square, the McColl Center for the Visual Arts, Discovery Place, the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, and, most recently, The EpiCentre. Charlotte has even recognized and mostly stopped what was once its most pernicious habit—tearing down anything old, regardless of its historic value, to make way for the new. Finally interested in more than doing well, Charlotte concentrates today on doing good.
JUST THE FACTS
Charlotte sits just this side of the North Carolina–South Carolina border in the Piedmont region. It has more than 700,000 people within its city limits, 1.5 million within its metro area, and 6 million within a 100-mile radius.
Having experienced most of its growth in the late 20th century, Charlotte is easy to get to and around by car. Interstates 85 and 77, which intersect in northern Charlotte, are major thoroughfares through the west side of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. U.S. 74 runs east and west to connect Charlotte to the coast and the mountains, while N.C. 16 runs north and south through the city along the Catawba River Valley. Interstate 485 provides an inner loop connecting Uptown to the surrounding areas.
Charlotte is served by Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains. The bus station is at 601 West Trade Street (28202); call 704-372-0456 for information. The train station is at 1914 North Tryon Street (28202); call 800-USA-RAIL or 704-376-4416 or visit www.amtrak.com.
The new LYNX Blue Line Light Rail is the first rapid transit system in North Carolina. So far, it connects only a 10-mile stretch from southern Charlotte to Uptown, but more connections are in the planning stages. Call 704-336-RIDE or visit www.charmeck.org/deparments/CATS/LYNX. The free Gold Rush trolley-like buses offer jaunts up and down Tryon and Trade streets from 7 A.M. until 10 P.M. Call 704-336-RIDE or visit www.charmeck.org/deparments/CATS.
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport sees more than 500 flights daily and offers nonstop service to 160 cities; visit www.charlotteairport.com for information or call 704-359-4910.
Please note that you must include the area code when making local calls in Charlotte. Currently, the area code for Charlotte is 704, with the exception of its public schools, which use the 980 area code.
For more facts on Charlotte, contact the Visit Charlotte Visitor Information Center, run by the Charlotte Convention and Visitors Bureau. The bureau is located at 330 South Tryon Street (28202) in the city’s center. Call 800-231-4636 or visit www.charlottecvb.org.
Things to Do
Historic Places, Gardens, and Tours
The Charlotte Convention and Visitors Bureau publishes a brochure for the Center City Walking Tour, which leads visitors to many of the sites listed below, plus places for shopping, Thomas Polk Park, Settlers Cemetery, the Victorian Fourth Ward neighborhood, and Ericsson Stadium, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Go to www.charlottesgotalot.com to download a PDF of the tour or call the bureau at 800-231-4636 for more information.
The Arts and Science Council offers the Public Art Walking Tour; to learn about it, see the “Seen on the Streets of Charlotte” sidebar.
For those who prefer to ride, the Charlotte Trolley provides visitors the opportunity to step back in time as they step into one of the renovated vintage trolley cars that run from historic South End to Uptown. Along the way, conductors entertain riders with stories of old Charlotte. The trolley is headquartered at the Powerhouse Museum, located at 1507 Camden Road (28203). Tokens for one-way, round trip, and one-day unlimited rides are available. A fee is charged. Call 704-375-0850 or visit www.charlottetrolley.org for more information.
The Charlotte Museum of History and the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite, both at 3500 Shamrock Drive (28215), together tell Charlotte’s story from its earliest pioneers to its boom as a manufacturing center to its current heyday as a banking powerhouse.
The Charlotte Museum of History is housed in a handsome, four-wing, multi-gallery structure that replaced the cramped quarters it had occupied since 1976. Its displays include artifacts from pre-colonial times, historic flags, a re-created gold mine, a replica of the original Mecklenburg County Courthouse, and household items from throughout Charlotte’s history that were either found by historians or donated by Mecklenburg families. The museum also houses a research library and an archive.
Located atop a small hill behind the museum, the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite is Mecklenburg County’s oldest surviving structure. A member of one of the area’s earliest and most prominent families, Hezekiah Alexander supposedly signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence; he also co-founded Queens College and helped frame North Carolina’s first state constitution. His rock house is three miles from what was then the hilltop village of Charlotte; the area in between was so wild that Alexander’s brother always carried two loaded pistols whenever he came to visit. A re-created log kitchen sits behind the house, and a reconstructed stone springhouse is alongside the creek at the bottom of the hill, which makes for a cool spot to picnic.
The Charlotte Museum of History and the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. Admission is charged. Try to plan a visit to coincide with the guided tours scheduled at 1:15 P.M. and 3:15 P.M. daily. Visit www.charlottemuseum.org or call 704-568-1774 for more information.
Historic Latta Plantation, at 5225 Sample Road in neighboring Huntersville (28078), is the 1800 Catawba River plantation home of merchant and planter James Latta. The house and immediate grounds are now a living-history farm owned and run by the Mecklenburg County Department of Parks and Recreation. The house is furnished with antiques dating from 1790 to 1840, roughly the period when the Latta family occupied the property. The grounds contain 13 outbuildings used as interpretive centers to tell about work on the site and the lives of the plantation’s slaves and the area’s yeoman farmers. The fields are planted with crops appropriate to the period and place, and farm animals roam the barnyard. Volunteer docents dressed in period costumes assist with the self-guided tours through the house, fields, and grounds. The house and grounds are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M., with guided tours offered on the hour. They are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Admission is charged. For information, call 704-875-2312 or visit www.lattaplantation.org.
Historic Rosedale Plantation, at 3427 North Tryon Street (28206), is one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in North Carolina. Built in 1815 by merchant Archibald Frew, it was referred to as “Frew’s Folly” by neighbors, who possibly took issue with its chrome yellow trim. Rosedale was the plantation home of Dr. D. T. Caldwell and his family in the 1830s. Located three miles from what is now Uptown Charlotte, Rosedale was part of the farming community known as Sugaw Creek, from which present-day Sugar Creek Road gets its name.
Rosedale hosts special events including lectures and exhibits. Along with the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite, it is one of the last places in Charlotte to celebrate Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (“Meck Dec”) Day. Guided tours of the home, gardens, and grounds are given at 1:30 P.M. and 3 P.M. Thursday through Sunday. Groups of 12 or more need to call in advance. Rosedale also offers specially scheduled tours that examine the lives of children and slaves on antebellum plantations. Admission is charged for anyone over eight. Call 704-335-0325 or visit www.historicrosedale.org for more information.
The James K. Polk Memorial, at 308 South Polk Street in nearby Pineville (28134), marks the birthplace of the United States’ 11th president. Born in 1795, Polk spent most of his childhood in Mecklenburg County before moving with his family to Tennessee. He later returned to North Carolina to study at the university in Chapel Hill. Polk accomplished more in his single term as president than many others have in two. His tenure saw the creation of an independent treasury, the creation of the Department of the Interior, the settlement of the Oregon boundary, the annexation of Texas, and the acquisition of California, which provoked the unpopular Mexican War. Polk had promised not to seek a second term, and he kept his word. He died in 1849 three months after leaving the presidency.
The farm where he was born is now a state historic site. The log cabin and farm buildings and their furnishings are not Polk family originals, but period pieces from the early 1800s that create an impression of what life must have been like for the young Polk. Mecklenburg County was still the back country in those days, and the memorial accurately depicts the work required to succeed on the frontier.
The James K. Polk Memorial is currently open year-round from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday except for major holidays. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information, visit www.nchistoricsites.org/polk/polk.htm or call 704-889-7145.
The UNCC Botanical Gardens, on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, offer a green respite from the traffic and development of the surrounding University City area. The property is comprised of three main attractions: the McMillan Greenhouse, which features orchids, cacti, carnivorous plants, and a small rain forest; the three-acre Susie Harwood Garden; and Van Landingham Glen, a woodland retreat filled with native plants and the most diverse collection of rhododendrons in the state. The gardens are open daily; the greenhouse is open Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Call 704-687-2364 or visit http://gardens.uncc.edu for more information.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte was founded in 1947 to handle the sudden increase in college applicants created by the GI Bill. UNCC has since grown into a premier regional university. It has a nationally recognized faculty and students from all over the country. The university is located at 9201 University City Boulevard (28223).
Wing Haven Gardens and Bird Sanctuary is one of Charlotte’s very own love stories, written in birds, bushes, and bricks. Before Eddie Clarkson brought his new bride, Elizabeth, to Charlotte in 1927, he built a house to the specifications she had outlined in her many letters from Texas. Included was a raised brick terrace where her piano could be relocated from the living room through French doors. The couple entertained near the reflecting pond, where Elizabeth would attach hummingbird feeders to the backs of guests’ chairs.
Located at 248 Ridgewood Avenue (28209), Wing Haven offers four acres of woodlands and formal gardens in Myers Park, one of Charlotte’s most genteel neighborhoods. Pools, fountains, and baths are available for birds and classes, special events, and an upscale gift shop for humans. The sanctuary is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 P.M. to 5 P.M. and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Admission is charged. Call 704-331-0664 or visit www.winghavengardens.com for more information.
Museums and Science Centers
If you’re going to make a day of visiting Charlotte’s Uptown museums, look into an Uptown Museum Pass, which offers discounted admission to the Levine Museum of the New South, Discovery Place, and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design. Call or visit any of the participating museums for information.
The Levine Museum of the New South, at 200 East Seventh Street (28202), is the only museum in the country that concentrates on the New South period (1865 to the present). It features hands-on activities and displays that not only tell the history of the New South but also put it in the context of national and world history. The concentration, of course, is on Charlotte and the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. The permanent exhibit called “Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers” allows visitors to step inside replicas of a sharecropper’s cabin, a textile mill, a mill-village house, an early Belk department store, a civil-rights-era lunch counter, and a 21st-century Latino bakery. The museum also houses several lecture halls and galleries for changing exhibits. It is open from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 P.M. on Sunday. Admission is charged except for children under six. For more information, call 704-333-1887 or visit www.museumofthenewsouth.org. It is worth noting that visitors to the museum can park free for up to 90 minutes at the adjacent Seventh Street Station, the only parking deck in Charlotte that laughs (at you or with you, depending on your self-esteem). It also lights up as pedestrians pass.
Discovery Place, at 301 North Tryon Street (28202), is a must-see if you have children or even if you don’t. Its permanent exhibits include a range of interactive science and natural-history displays where kids can experience everything from touching a simulated tornado to broadcasting their own weather reports. Young children will enjoy the fish, snakes, and birds throughout the aquarium and rainforest exhibits, whereas older kids will get a charge out of orbiting the International Space Station in a motion simulator. Discovery Place also has a planetarium and the Charlotte Observer OMNIMAX theater for IMAX films.
Discovery Place is currently undergoing a $31.6 million transformation, which is anticipated to be completed in June 2010. The museum will remain open during the process, but certain displays will be closed while new ones appear in their place. In the words of the museum’s literature, the intent is to “re-invent the visitor experience at Discovery Place, filling the Museum with all new science and technology exhibits and interactive displays that present science in a topical and contemporary way.”
Discovery Place operates daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The exhibit halls are open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Friday, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. on Saturday, and from noon to 5 P.M. on Sunday. Admission is charged except for children under two. Times and ticket prices for the planetarium and OMNIMAX shows vary. For more information, call 704-372-6261 or visit www.discoveryplace.org.
A component of Discovery Place is the Charlotte Nature Museum, at 1658 Sterling Road (28209). This small nature center is located adjacent to Freedom Park. Recently expanded and refurbished, it features a live-animal room, a butterfly pavilion, a nature trail, and a puppet theater. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., and Sunday from noon to 5 P.M. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter. An admission fee is charged for those over age three. Call 704-372-6261 or visit www.discoveryplace.org/naturemuseum.asp for more information.
The Mint Museum of Craft + Design is currently located at 220 North Tryon Street (28202) in the old Montaldo’s department store building; however, in February 2010, it will close to the public in anticipation of its metamorphosis into the Mint Museum Uptown, scheduled to open in October 2010. In addition to its focus on international studio craft and design, including a spectacular Dale Chihuly chandelier and countless other outstanding contemporary works in metal, clay, wood, and other media, the Mint Museum Uptown will spotlight collections of contemporary, American, and European art.
The Mint Museum of Craft + Design is open from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday; on the third Thursday of the month, the hours are from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. Admission is charged except for Tuesday from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. and the third Thursday of the month from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. Children under five are admitted free. If used on the same day, one ticket covers admission to both the Mint Museum of Craft + Design and the Mint Museum of Art, unless otherwise noted. The new facility will be located in the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus, located at First Street and South Tryon. For more information, visit www.mintmuseum.org or call 704337-2000.
The Mint Museum of Art, at 2730 Randolph Road (28207), is the oldest art museum in North Carolina. The story of how it came to be is an unusual one. In 1799, a 12-year-old found a shiny rock on his father’s farm 25 miles east of Charlotte. Gold miners from as far as Europe flocked to the area. To take advantage of the ready gold supply, the United States Mint built a Charlotte branch in 1837. The mint thrived until Charlotte’s gold rush was overshadowed by California’s in 1849. The mint closed in 1913. By 1933, the building was slated for demolition. Instead, it was merely dismantled and moved brick by brick to its present location in the Eastover neighborhood. In 1936, the Mint Museum of Art opened.
The museum’s permanent collection focuses on American art from pre-Columbian to contemporary. It includes not only works by masters such as Andrew Wyeth and Thomas Eakins, but also pottery from nearby Seagrove, ceramics, and even some of the gold coins made during the building’s former life. Also in the permanent collection are works from Europe and Africa, including ceremonial masks. The museum hosts impressive traveling exhibits year-round.
It is open Tuesday from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. and Wednesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Admission is charged except on Tuesday from 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. Children under four are admitted free. For more information, call 704-337-2000 or visit www.mintmuseum.org.
The Carolina Raptor Center, located on the grounds of Latta Plantation Park and Nature Preserve at 6000 Sample Road in Huntersville (28078), is dedicated to environmental education and the conservation of birds of prey through public education, the rehabilitation of injured raptors, and research. The only eagle aviary in the Carolinas, it has a nature trail on which visitors can view the eagles, falcons, owls, vultures, and hawks that the facility has treated but cannot release into the wild. Try to time your visit to catch one of the volunteer presentations, which are both informative and fun. You’ll be every bit as enraptured (sorry) as your kids by being in the proximity of peregrine falcons, barn owls, and even vultures. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from noon to 5 P.M. Presentations are offered on Saturday at 11 A.M., 1 P.M., and 3 P.M. and on Sunday at 1 P.M. and 3 P.M. Admission is charged except for children four and under. The center is closed on major holidays. For more information, call 704-875-6521 or visit www.carolinaraptorcenter.org.
The Carolinas Aviation Museum is located at 4108 Airport Drive (28208) near Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, a World War II training field that has become one of the busiest hubs in the country. Housed in an old hangar, the museum offers guided tours and aviation “artifacts” from the early days of flight. Most people come for the aircraft, including a “Top Gun” F-14D Super Tomcat, an F-102 Delta Dart, an A-7E Corsair, and a DC-3 built in 1942 and restored to flight-ready condition in 1987. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. Tuesdays and Thursdays are work days, so plan to visit then if you want to meet or see people restoring old aircraft. Admission is charged except for children under six. For more information, call 704-359-8442 or visit www.carolinasaviation.org.
Cultural Offerings
ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center, at 300 East Seventh Street (28202), is a wonderful, whimsical building that encompasses an entire city block in the heart of Uptown. The facility includes the Spangler Children’s Library and the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. There is no charge to use the library, to explore the building and use its StoryLab, or to participate in drop-in programming. The Children’s Theatre, now in its 62nd season, has received numerous accolades through the years and prompted the Charlotte Observer’s theater critic to refer to it as “the city’s leading professional troupe.” Make sure to stop by Reid’s Grocery next door for lunch or a quick snack; eat outside so the kids (of all ages) can play with the giant chimes set into the building. For box-office and ticket information, call 704-793-2828 or visit www.imaginon.org.
The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, at 130 North Tryon Street (28202), opened in 1992 adjacent to the Bank of America Corporate Center and Founders Hall. The Blumenthal Center is now the umbrella organization that oversees the Belk Theater and Booth Playhouse, both of which are located here, as well as the Duke Energy Theatre, Knight Theater, the McGlohon Theater, Ovens Auditorium, and Stage Door Theater, located elsewhere in the city. National touring productions of Broadway shows and performances by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Opera Carolina, and the North Carolina Dance Theatre are all staged at the Belk Theater, while the other venues showcase a sweeping variety of music, dance, and contemporary theater. For information on ticket prices and upcoming performances, visit www.blumenthalcenter.org or call 704-372-1000.
Adjoining the Blumenthal Center is the massive Bank of America Corporate Center, the tallest skyscraper in the Carolinas, at 100 North Tryon Street (28255). Designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli (who also designed the Blumenthal Center), the tower is a welcome break from the glass-and-steel boxes that dominated the Charlotte skyline for decades. In its lobby are three frescoes by world-famous artist and North Carolina native Ben Long.
Finishing up the city block is Founders Hall, also at 100 North Tryon Street, a two-story indoor plaza offering upscale shopping and dining and a box office for the Blumenthal Center.
Spirit Square Center for Arts and Education, at 345 North College Street (28202), came under the auspices of the Blumenthal Center in 1997. It was built in 1909 as First Baptist Church; the facade facing Tryon Street still features the church’s Byzantine design and stained-glass windows. The church moved in the 1970s, at which time the property was turned into a community arts center. The former sanctuary is now the McGlohon Theatre, named after Charlotte native and jazz composer and pianist Loonis McGlohon. Spirit Square also houses the Duke Energy Theatre and five galleries devoted to visual arts. The focus, however, is education; Spirit Square hosts numerous workshops and programs sponsored by Charlotte’s cultural institutions. For more information, call 704-372-1000 or visit www.performingartsctr.org.
The McColl Center for Visual Art, at 721 North Tryon Street (28202), is housed in a former Associate Reformed Presbyterian church built in 1926. Vacated in the 1950s when its congregation dissolved, the church was heavily damaged by fire in 1985 and stood as a charred remnant of urban flight until it was purchased by Bank of America in 1995. In 1999, the McColl Center opened its doors to the public and to its artists-in-residence and affiliated artists, all of whom enjoy the lovely, airy studio space. The Dickson Gallery and Gallery 115 are located on the first floor, but visitors are encouraged to explore all three floors and to interact with artists in their studios. Gallery hours are from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. Call 704-332-5535 or visit www.mccollcenter.org for more information.
Like Spirit Square and the McColl Center, the Afro-American Cultural Center, at 401 North Myers Street (28202), is housed in a former church. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to education and programming, hosting art exhibits, film series, and performances of music, drama, and dance to preserve Charlotte’s rich African-American heritage. It maintains a visual-arts gallery, an outdoor amphitheater, a 200-seat indoor theater, and classroom space. As with the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, the center is scheduled to relocate to the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus in fall 2010. For more information, call 704-374-1565 or visit www.aacc-charlotte.org.
Slated for completion in fall 2010, the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus, at First Street and South Tryon, will exemplify the ongoing commitment to the arts in Charlotte. The new facility will house the Mint Museum Uptown (currently the Mint Museum of Craft + Design), the Knight Theater, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture (currently the Afro-American Cultural Center), and, last but not least, the new Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.
Named for the family of Andreas Bechtler, a Charlotte resident and native of Switzerland who assembled and inherited a collection of more than 1,400 artworks by major figures of 20th-century modernism, the Bechtler Museum will showcase artworks by seminal figures such as Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miro, Jean Tinguely, Max Ernst, Andy Warhol, Le Corbusier, Sol Lewitt, Edgar Degas, Nicolas de Stael, Barbara Hepworth, and Picasso. Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, the museum will further Charlotte’s transition from a regional to a national powerhouse. Its hours of operation are yet to be determined. The museum will be located at 420 South Tryon Street. For information, visit www.bechtler.org.
Special Shopping
As artists are wont to do, Ruth Ava Lyons and J. Paul Sires quietly started a revolution in Charlotte when they opened their now-famous Center of the Earth Gallery at 3204 North Davidson Street (28205) in 1985. Thus began the transformation of a former mill village into Charlotte’s historic arts district, commonly referred to as NoDa. Home to numerous galleries and performance outlets, NoDa offers gallery crawls twice a month. Check out www.noda.org for more information. The Center of the Earth Gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 P.M. to 5 P.M. and Saturday from noon to 7 P.M. Call 704-375-5756 or visit www.centeroftheearth.com for more information.
Concord Mills, at 8111 Concord Mills Boulevard in Concord (28027), is located at Exit 49 off Interstate 85 north of Charlotte. This place has managed to turn itself into a tourist destination as well as a shopping mall. Boasting over 200 retail and manufacturer’s outlets, it offers a store for every taste, as well as a massive food court featuring a carousel. When their shopping is done, visitors can play at the NASCAR Speed Park or see a movie at the 24-screen AMC theater, which will soon sport an IMAX screen. Be sure to stop by the Bass Pro Shops’ enormous fish tank, which is big enough for fishing demonstrations. Hours of operation are from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 7 P.M. on Sunday. Concord Mills is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Visit www.concordmills.com or call 704-979-3000 for more information.
SouthPark, located at 4400 Sharon Road (28211), is both geographically and economically far removed from Concord Mills. Here, you’ll find Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co., Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, and more. Call 704-364-4411 for information. The mall is open Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. and Sunday from noon to 6 P.M. Visit www.southpark.com for more information.
Charlotte’s newest mall, Northlake, is located at 6801 Northlake Mall Drive (28216), just north of the city at Exit 18 off Interstate 77. Its vibe is between those of Concord Mills and SouthPark. Northlake offers a nice variety of department stores, specialty stores, and restaurants, as well as a movie theater. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. and Sunday from noon to 6 P.M. Call 704-599-6665 or visit www.shopnorthlake.com for more information.
Birkdale Village is located at 8712 Lindholm Drive in Huntersville (28078), just north of Charlotte at Exit 25 off Interstate 77. It offers open-air, upscale shopping in a village atmosphere. Shoppers can browse their favorite specialty shops and quirky gift shops and try a wide range of restaurants. Anchoring the center is Birkdale Theaters, where visitors can catch popular as well as indie films. A fountain in the middle of Birkdale Village invites kids of all ages to cool off in the summer. That area also serves as one of Santa’s stops during the Christmas season; snow is scheduled (yes, scheduled) various evenings. The stores are open Monday through Thursday from 10 A.M. to 7 P.M., Friday and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M., and Sunday from noon to 6 P.M. For more information, visit www.birkdalevillage.net.
EpiCentre, at 210 East Trade Street (28202) in Uptown, defies easy definition. It is an outdoor mall with shops, restaurants, and a movie theater. It is an entertainment complex with a bowling alley and nightclubs. It also offers accommodations at its hotel, Aloft. Going to a movie here is an experience. The theater offers plush, intimate seating and little tables where viewers can place their truffle fries and glass of wine or mixed drink. Movie tickets can be ordered in advance at www.epicentretheaters.com. And leave it to EpiCentre to take bowling to another level. StrikeCity encompasses bowling alleys, a first-class restaurant menu, a full bar featuring an extensive martini menu, over 75 super-large high-definition video screens, a 60-foot TV wall, and a dance floor. Strike City is open daily from 11 A.M. to 2 A.M. Visit www.strikecity.clickcom.com or call 704-716-9300 for more information.
Recreation
The property beyond the immediate grounds of Historic Latta Plantation is Lat-ta Plantation Nature Center and Preserve. Picnic tables and shelters, nature trails, bridle paths, canoe rentals, and fishing on Mountain Island Lake are all available to visitors. The nature center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. The preserve is open daily from 7 A.M. until sunset. Admission is free except during special events and at certain facilities within the preserve. For more information about the house and grounds, see Historic Latta Plantation under “Historic Places, Gardens, and Tours.”
McDowell Nature Center and Preserve, at 15222 York Road (28278), is located on Lake Wylie south of town off N.C. 49. Visitors can camp, hike, fish, picnic, and boat on the facility’s 1,000 acres. Lake Wylie, one of a series of lakes formed by the damming of the Catawba River, is the last before the river leaves North Carolina. The nature center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. The preserve is open daily from 7 A.M. until sunset. An admission fee is charged. Call 704-588-5224 for the nature center or 704-583-1284 for the campground or visit www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Inside+The+Department/Divisions/Stewardship+Services/Nature+Preserves/McDowell.htm.
Located at 1900 East Boulevard (28277) across a wooden footbridge from the Charlotte Nature Museum is Freedom Park, the largest public park within the city limits. Tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball sand pits, baseball fields, soccer fields, playgrounds, picnic tables and shelters, an old locomotive for kids to play on, a pond, and a band shell for outdoor concerts are all located at the park. You might even discover a little solitude here, five minutes from Uptown. The outdoor facilities are open daily from dawn to dusk, while the indoor facilities are open from 7 A.M. to 11 P.M. unless otherwise specified.
Straddling the border between North and South Carolina, Carowinds is the largest theme park in the Carolinas. It has evolved far beyond the wooden Thunder Road roller coaster. Thrill seekers will adore the Borg Assimilator and Carolina Cyclone coasters. The more family-friendly attractions include Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion and the new Boomerang Bay water park. Musical revues and concerts are held at the park. Visiting Carowinds can easily take an entire day; be sure to wear sunscreen. The park is located at 14523 Carowinds Boulevard (28273); take Exit 90 off Interstate 77. It is open from early spring to early fall. Boomerang Bay is open June 1 through Labor Day. For hours and admission prices, call 800-888-4386 or visit www.carowinds.com.
Ray’s Splash Planet Waterpark, at 215 North Sycamore Street (28202), is a joint venture between the Mecklenburg County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Opened in 2002, the facility includes an indoor water park with a three-story water slide, a fitness center, an aerobics and dance room, a cardiovascular theater, a playground, and concessions. An admission fee is charged. The park is open from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. Monday through Friday, from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Saturday, and from 1 P.M. to 7 P.M. on Sunday. It is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call 704-432-4RAY or visit http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Aquatics/Rays+Splash+Planet/Home.htm for additional information.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center, located at 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway (28214), is a much-heralded outdoor recreation and environmental education center just 10 minutes from Uptown. The park’s best-known feature is its multichannel customized whitewater river, where rafters, canoeists, and kayakers of all abilities are welcome. For those who want to stay dry, the park offers mountain biking and running trails and a climbing center and challenge course. And when you’re ready to come inside, you can relax at the 300-seat River’s Edge Bar & Grill. The main gate and trails are open 365 days a year from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M., weather permitting. If you want to ride the river—and who doesn’t?—you have “family-style” and “adventure-style” options, depending on the water flow. Both are offered daily; mornings are usually designated for the family-style option. The schedule fluctuates, so call or visit the website before going. Likewise, the park urges visitors to check weather conditions in advance. Admission is charged; a variety of passes are available. Call 704-391-3900 or visit www.usnwc.org for more information.
Seasonal Events
The Carolinas’ Carrousel Parade is a lot like an old small-town Christmas parade, only bigger. So much of Charlotte’s history has been lost to development that holdovers like the Carrousel Parade have become more attractive through sheer nostalgia. Held on Thanksgiving Day, the parade proceeds down Tryon Street through Uptown. Onlookers enjoy the floats, the marching bands, and, of course, Santa and his sleigh bringing up the rear. For information, call 704-525-0250 or visit www.carrouselparade.org.
Festival in the Park has been bringing arts, crafts, music, food, and crowds together in Freedom Park since 1964. More than 200 artists and craftsmen from across the region and the nation display their work in tents set up around the pond. Nearly 1,000 entertainers perform in the band shell and at sites across the park. Workers string lights so activities can continue after dark. The festival is held over a weekend in September. For information, call 704-338-1060 or visit www.festivalinthepark.org.
The Novello Festival of Reading, sponsored by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, brings in some of the most renowned authors in the world for lectures, readings, discussions, and signings. More than 20 authors and illustrators participate in events held throughout the city; a downtown street festival is also offered for families. Past guests have included the late Pulitzer Prize winner Frank McCourt and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison. Novello is held throughout October; call 704-336-2020 or visit www.plcmc.org/novello for more information.
The Taste of Charlotte Festival, held in Uptown every June, showcases the city’s exciting variety of restaurants. Since its inception in 1999, the festival has expanded to offer kids’ interactive activities, open-air shopping, and “Tavern at the Taste,” which gives visitors the chance to try microbrews and wines while listening to live music. Admission is free, but festival coins must be purchased to sample food and beverages. For more information, call 704-947-6590 or visit www.tasteofcharlotte.com.
The Southern Christmas Show, the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show, the Southern Ideal Home Show, and the Southern Women’s Show are held at various times during the year at The Park (formerly the Charlotte Merchandise Mart) at 2500 East Independence Boulevard (28205). Each features fashions, crafts, and tips on design and decorating appropriate to its theme and season. For exact dates and ticket prices, contact Southern Shows, Inc., by calling 704-376-6594 or visiting www.southernshows.com.
The Loch Norman Highland Games, sponsored by the Catawba Valley Scottish Society, are held each April at Rural Hill Farm, the former Davidson family plantation overlooking the Catawba River at 4431 Neck Road in Huntersville (28078). The site is rolling, grassy, and partially wooded. Given all the kilted lads strolling about, the more imaginative (or drunk) members of the crowd might come to believe they’re actually in old Caledonia. Sanctioned competitions in Highland dancing, fife-and-drumming, and, of course, Scottish athletics like caber tossing are held. You’ll also find dart throwing, archery, and demonstrations of Scottish crafts and artwork. The clans erect tents around the main competition field, so visitors can check to see if they’re related to William Wallace or Robert the Bruce. A food-and-drink area is on the grounds. Yes, you can get haggis, but why would you want to? Admission is charged, as is a parking fee. For more information, call 704-875-3113 or visit www.ruralhillscottishfestivals.net.
Only at the Carolina Renaissance Festival can one attend a jousting tournament, see a sword swallower, belly dancers, and the occasional Klingon, and feast on a turkey leg—all in the same place. Located just north of Charlotte at 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville (28078), “RenFest” is held at a 20-acre medieval theme park open for seven weekends in October and November. As visitors pass through the gates, they are transported to a 16th-century village populated by artisans, circus performers, musicians, and a royal court. RenFest offers food, crafts, music and comedy shows, people-powered rides, games of skill, and costumed characters who entertain visitors with songs, tales, and tricks. The daily jousts by dashing knights at the King’s Tournament Arena are the favorite events. Admission is charged, but parking is free. Visit www.royalfaires.com/carolina for more information.
Despite naming their political subdivisions for King George III’s queen, the people of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County were among the earliest supporters of the Continental Congress’s effort to break free of Great Britain.
Exactly how early this support came has been a cause for debate for more than two centuries.
The crux of the debate is the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Since seemingly everything in Charlotte has to have a perky nickname, this document has long been known as the “Meck Dec.” The story goes that on May 20, 1775, the leading citizens of Mecklenburg County met at the county courthouse, just east of the Trade and Tryon intersection, to decide on a course of action in response to the British occupation of Boston Harbor. According to Meck Dec believers, this meeting ended with the writing and signing of a declaration of independence announcing that British law no longer held effect in Mecklenburg County, and that Mecklenburg’s citizens would thenceforth be responsible for their own governance.
A copy of the document was given to someone recorded in history as “Captain Jack,” the son of a local tavern keeper. Captain Jack was supposed to carry the Meck Dec to Philadelphia to present it to the Continental Congress. Records show that he stopped in Salisbury and Salem, but he never arrived in Philadelphia. What the good citizens of Mecklenburg learned from this was that a man called Captain Jack may be absolutely trusted to make popcorn shrimp, but that he should not be trusted with history-making political documents.
The original was kept in the home of one of the signers and was destroyed in a house fire. No other copies existed.
Many outside the Carolinas soon began to question the authenticity of the Meck Dec. One of these was Thomas Jefferson, who found the version of the Meck Dec pieced together from the signers’ memories to be remarkably similar to his Declaration of Independence. Meck Dec supporters retorted that the similarities in language resulted from the strong influence of John Locke on both statements.
Regardless of whether or not the Meck Dec existed, or existed in the form its supporters claim, Mecklenburg County deserves recognition for being quick to take up the cause of liberty. Three weeks after the meeting that produced the Meck Dec, another such meeting indisputably produced the Mecklenburg Resolves, a less strongly worded denunciation of British injustices in America. And Mecklenburg men were present in April 1776 when North Carolina issued the Halifax Resolves, the first official recommendation by a colonial government that the colonies declare their independence from Great Britain.
Many in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County continue to insist on the authenticity of the Meck Dec. May 20, “Meck Dec Day,” was an official county holiday until the 1960s, celebrated with parades and speeches by local and even national leaders. Some sites in Charlotte, such as the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite and Rosedale Plantation, still celebrate Meck Dec Day, though it draws much less attention than in times past.
Resorts, Hotels, and Motels
While most of Charlotte’s accommodations are national chains, almost all occasionally offer midweek, seasonal, and other types of promotions that make a stay pretty affordable.
Ballantyne Resort Hotel. Deluxe. 10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, 28277 (866-248-4824 or 704-248-4000; www.ballantyneresort.com). The area’s first resort, Ballantyne completely reshaped southern Charlotte when it opened, causing new roads to be built and old roads to be renamed, rerouted, or closed. The resort offers 200 hotel rooms, each with 10-foot ceilings, custom furnishings, and original artwork; a 36-room lodge; and a four-bedroom cottage. It also has 20 suites, including two Presidential Suites for those who want to feel like the leader of the free world. Guests enjoy the 24-hour in-room dining menu. The hotel overlooks the 18th fairway of a golf course that is home to the Dana Rader Golf School; Rader, the author of Rock Solid Golf, has been ranked one of America’s premier golf instructors by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. Ballantyne also offers accommodations at The Lodge at Ballantyne Resort, Staybridge Suites, and a Courtyard by Marriott location.
The Dunhill Hotel. Deluxe/Expensive. 237 North Tryon Street, 28202 (704-3324141; www.dunhillhotel.com). Nestled among the towers of North Tryon Street, The Dunhill, built in 1929, offers elegant charm in the manner of a European hotel. The richly and traditionally decorated rooms include well-stocked refrigerators tucked into armoires. In the lobby are a comfortable seating area and the Monticello restaurant, which comes highly recommended.
Charlotte Marriott City Center. Expensive. 100 West Trade Street, 28202 (704-3339000; www.marriott.com/property/propertypage/CLTCC). The Marriott boasts a heated indoor pool, an exercise room, valet parking, airport transportation, two restaurants, a wine bar, a cigar bar, a gift shop with Starbucks coffee, one of the biggest ballrooms in town, and an exceptional staff. It also lives up to the “City Center” in its name; guests are only steps from the intersection of Trade and Tryon.
Hilton at University Place. Expensive. 8629 J. M. Keynes Drive, 28262 (704-547-7444; www.charlotteuniversity.hilton.com). This 12-story hotel is the most visible landmark of the University City area, off Interstate 85 at Harris Boulevard. The service here is exceptional. University Place offers distinctive shops and fine restaurants clustered around a picturesque lake.
Hilton Charlotte Center City. Expensive. 222 East Third Street, 28202 (704-3771500; www.hilton.com). The Uptown location of the Hilton offers 407 rooms, each with two telephones and a refreshment center. The hotel completed a $30 million renovation in June 2008, resulting in a fresh, cosmopolitan feel to its rooms, suites, meeting spaces, restaurant, and lounge. Guests have access to the Uptown YMCA, an unusually large fitness center.
The Westin Charlotte. Expensive. 601 South College Street, 28202 (704-3752600; www.westin.com/charlotte). Charlotte’s new convention hotel boasts startling architecture, a fantastic location, outstanding service, and, lest anyone forget, the Westin chain’s famous Heavenly Bed in each of its 700 guest rooms. It also has 32,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 16,000-square-foot grand ballroom. Guests have access to the hotel’s spa, the Bar 10 outdoor café, and the Ember Grille gourmet restaurant. Located across the street from the convention center, The Westin is a stop on the trolley route running from the South End through the city’s center.
Aloft Charlotte Uptown at the EpiCentre. Expensive/Moderate. 210 East Trade Street, 28202 (704-333-1919; www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels). Situated at Charlotte’s hip new entertainment mecca, the EpiCentre, Aloft offers custom amenities by Bliss Spa. Guests can enjoy wireless Internet and the large TVs in their rooms, then venture to the bar or lounge for a night out. Plus, the EpiCentre is right outside for nonstop shopping, dining, moviegoing, and dancing.
Charlotte Marriott SouthPark. Expensive/Moderate. 2200 Rexford Road, 28211 (704364-8220; http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cltph-charlotte-marriott-southpark). Located adjacent to the tony SouthPark shopping mall, this boutique hotel has 194 of Charlotte’s most well-appointed rooms. Amenities include an outdoor pool, a health club, the Charles Grayson Day Spa, a putting green, and an ever-helpful concierge.
Great Wolf Lodge. Expensive/Moderate. 10175 Weddington Road in Concord, 28027 (704-549-8206; www.greatwolf.com). Just like the new EpiCentre, Great Wolf Lodge refuses to be categorized. The lodge features thematic, family-friendly suites like “KidKamp” and “Wolf Den,” where guests can relax after a full day at the lodge’s water parks, which include the six-story “Howlin’ Tornado,” “Fort MacKenzie,” and more. Age-appropriate programming (including story time for toddlers) is offered, as are miniature golf and arcade games for older kids. Adults will enjoy the fitness center and full-service spa; Great Wolf even has a spa for the 12-and-under set.
Inns and Bed-and-Breakfasts
The Duke Mansion. Deluxe. 400 Hermitage Road, 28207 (888-202-1009 or 704-714-4400; www.dukemansion.com). Built in 1915, this inn is James B. Duke’s former estate in the tree-lined Myers Park neighborhood. Guests in its 20 rooms enjoy private baths, newspaper delivery, gourmet bedside treats, and all the modern conveniences. Breakfast is served daily, and other meals can be arranged with advance notice. The Duke Mansion offers an elegant, tranquil stay and also serves as a meeting and retreat facility.
Ms. Elsie’s Caribbean Bed-and-Breakfast. Deluxe. 334 North Sharon Amity Road, 28211 (704-365-5189; www.mselsies.com). Ms. Elsie’s offers authentic Caribbean charm in the Cotswold neighborhood, convenient to SouthPark and the Mint Museum of Art. It features four guest rooms and a three-course breakfast with fresh fruit and seafood.
The Morehead Inn. Deluxe/Expensive. 1122 East Morehead Street, 28204 (704376-3357; www.moreheadinn.com). The 1917 Morehead Inn is located in the historic Dilworth neighborhood just minutes from Uptown. Updated in 1995, this popular spot for nuptials offers a full Southern breakfast, private baths, fluffy bathrobes, and loads of amenities such as privileges at the nearby Central YMCA. Meeting rooms are available.
Seen on the Streets of Charlotte
Southbound on Interstate 77, you’ll see the Charlotte skyline rise slowly. Starting with the crown of the Bank of America Corporate Center, one skyscraper after another comes into view on the horizon. Like the new commerce seeping up the interstate—the car lots and hotels, the chain restaurants and fast-food joints—the skyscrapers are a boast of Charlotte’s abundance. But a closer look shows that they are also a symbol of something more.
Charlotte is the only city in the Carolinas to make Skyscraper.com’s list of the top 100 skylines in the world. More than just an outgrowth of economic boom times—for other Carolina metropolises have enjoyed similar fortunes—the appearance of Charlotte’s Uptown is a visible sign of the commitment of business leaders to leavening the commercial with the cultural.
Long before “world-class city” became Charlotte’s number-one cliché, ambition, or joke, depending on your point of view, the bankers and businessmen who built the most recent boom had made it clear that transforming Charlotte into a true city, with the variety of experiences the word implies, was a high priority. They had turned what was once a backwoods town into the second-largest financial center in America. Executives from New York City and San Francisco now answered to them, and they didn’t want those big-city executives snickering or moaning about getting their marching orders from some burg out in the boondocks.
Rather than just reflexively associating bigger with better in the traditional American way, Charlotte’s leaders sought to build with an eye for the eyes, a dedication to aesthetics that would make the city’s core as alive and pleasing as the Carolina countryside.
The axis around which the skyline turns is North Tryon Street’s Bank of America Corporate Center, the tallest building between Philadelphia and Atlanta. Designed by Cesar Pelli and opened in 1992, this postmodern tower is capped by concentric rings of spires that, particularly when lit at night, bear more than a passing resemblance to a crown. (Pelli reportedly swears he was not thinking of Charlotte’s “Queen City” tag when he conceived his design.) Flanked by the performance halls of the Blumenthal Center and the upscale shopping and dining of Founders Hall, the Bank of America Corporate Center single-handedly began the transformation of urban Charlotte into something more cosmopolitan.
Charlotte’s skyline grew with the economy of the 1990s. Bank of America funded two other skyscrapers on North Tryon Street, 1997’s IJL Financial Center and 2002’s Hearst Tower. The architect for both—Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates—designed the towers to complement the Bank of America Corporate Center. All three use similar materials. The IJL Financial Center has a crescent shape except on its sharp-angled west facade, which looks as if it is clinging to the hump of the semicircle. The Hearst Tower created a stir when its design became apparent. In contrast to the Bank of America tower, whose facade recedes as it rises—fulfilling the popular expectation of how a skyscraper should look—the Hearst Tower’s facade expands as it nears its cowl-shaped top. Thanks to the Art Deco flourishes on the exterior (which are continued inside) and the fact that the tower’s top is lit at night, the overall impression is that of an Olympic torch (or perhaps a scepter for the Queen City?).
Most of Charlotte’s other skyscrapers have their own distinctive architectural offerings that add to the beauty of the whole. One Wachovia Center on College Street has glass spines running through its east and west facades that make the tower glow at sunrise and sunset. The Interstate Tower and the Carillon Tower, both on Trade Street, have imaginative and contrasting tops best seen when approaching Charlotte from the west. The Interstate Tower is capped by a postmodern cone straight out of the Space Age, while the Carillon Tower takes its central spire from the Neo-Gothic First Presbyterian Church across the street.
The Carillon Tower is also home to two of the finest examples of downtown Charlotte’s public works of art, Cascade by Jean Tinguely and The Garden by Jerry Peart. The Arts and Science Council, whose offices are in the Carillon Tower, offers the Public Art Walking Tour in the city’s center. The tour includes art by internationally renowned artists such as Peart, Tinguely, Romare Bearden, Ben Long, and Arnaldo Pomodoro. Visit www.artsandscience.org/index.asp?fuseaction=publicArt.WalkingTour for information.
Places to Eat
Since the 2005 arrival of Johnson & Wales University, a culinary-arts school, Charlotte’s already-thriving restaurant scene has only improved. The following list is an effort to showcase a mixture of cheap eats, elegant fare, ethnic restaurants, traditional home-style cooking, and Charlotte institutions. Likewise, it aims to guide you to some of Charlotte’s most interesting neighborhoods.
Blue. Expensive. 214 North Tryon Street, 28202 (www.bluerestaurantandbar.com; 704-927-2583). Blue serves innovative Mediterranean cuisine that sparkles like the Aegean Sea. Guests can choose from a variety of appetizers such as prosciutto-wrapped scallops and crab-stuffed calamari or dive right into the delicious “Moroccan Lamb Tagine” or the pan-seared sea bass. Dinner is served Monday through Saturday; a late-night menu is offered Wednesday through Saturday.
Carpe Diem. Expensive. 1535 Elizabeth Avenue, 28204 (704-377-7976; www.carpediemrestaurant.com). Now in its third location in 15 years, Carpe Diem has staying power. Its elegant Art Nouveau setting is perfect for enjoying the amazingly light buttermilk-fried chicken breast or the spinach-and-cheese dumplings. And don’t forget to follow your meal with the mango-pineapple sorbet. Dinner is served Monday through Saturday; brunch is offered on Sunday.
Cantina 1511. Expensive/Moderate. 1511 East Boulevard, 28203 (704-331-9222; www.cantina1511restaurant.com). A great way to begin your meal here is the “Top Shelf Guacamole,” made fresh table-side, and a cool margarita. You can follow that with one of the fresh seafood appetizers or, if you’re really hungry, the “Barbacoa de Puerco.” Outdoor dining is available. Cantina 1511 is open for lunch Monday through Friday, for dinner nightly, and for brunch on Sunday.
Copper. Expensive/Moderate. 311 East Boulevard, 28203 (704-333-0063; www.copperrestaurant.com). Located in the historic Mayer House, where Carson Mc-Cullers began writing The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, this lovely restaurant serves classic Indian cuisine with a modern twist. Traditionalists will appreciate the rich curries and tandoori-cooked meats, while more adventurous eaters may want to try the “Paneer Napoleon,” a cheese-and-roasted-vegetable pie. Lunch is served weekdays and dinner Monday through Saturday.
Dolce Ristorante. Expensive/Moderate. 1710 Kenilworth Avenue, 28203 (704332-7525; www.dolceristorante.net). Dolce is a charming Italian spot tucked into the Kenilworth Commons Shopping Center off East Boulevard. Originally a gelateria, this full-fledged trattoria now serves delicious traditional pastas and secondi such as “Linguini ai Frutti di Mare” and “Saltimbocca Trastevere.” Be sure to leave room for a scrumptious gelato. Lunch is served weekdays and dinner Monday through Saturday.
Greek Isles, Expensive/Moderate. 200 East Bland Street, 28203 (704-444-9000; www.greekislesrestaurant.com). This is the real deal, folks—and as an ancient Greek major, your humble author has spent some time in Hellas. Here, you can get gorgeous fresh fish, grilled octopus, flaming saganaki, luscious pastitsio, dolmades, and baklava. Opa! Lunch is served Sunday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday.
Pewter Rose Bistro. Expensive/Moderate. 1820 South Boulevard, 28203 (704332-8149; www.pewterrose.com). The Pewter Rose has long been one of the most exciting restaurants in Charlotte, offering a menu as imaginative as the decor. The entrées are outstanding, the wine list is expansive, and the adjacent Tutto Mondo nightclub accentuates the slightly eccentric ambiance. This is one of the best places in Charlotte to take a first date. The Pewter Rose is open daily for lunch and dinner and serves an enormously popular Sunday brunch.
Cabo Fish Taco Baja Seagrill. Moderate. 3201 North Davidson Street, 28205 (704-332-8868; www.cabofishtaco.com). Located in the heart of the artsy NoDa district, this casual place combines coastal Mexican cuisine with California flair. What this means, dude, is that it serves myriad wraps, tacos, and burritos stuffed with seafood, chicken, and other healthy things. You can also get a mean margarita. Cabo is open daily for lunch, dinner, and “late evenings.”
Mert’s Heart and Soul. Moderate/Inexpensive. 214 North College Street, 28202 (704-342-4222; www.mertsuptown.com). One bite of its greens landed Mert’s an entry in this book, despite slow service due to a lost dining ticket. Stick with the fried chicken, porkchops, and Southern-style veggies and you can’t go wrong. This noisy, bustling place located in the heart of Uptown offers darn good down-home food at reasonable prices. Mert’s serves lunch daily and dinner Tuesday through Sunday; it also offers brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
NOFO on Liz. Moderate/Inexpensive.1609 Elizabeth Avenue, 28204 (704-4449003; www.nofo.com). “What is it?” you may ask when you see this place. The answer is that it’s a gift store and a food market and a café—a very lively café. NOFO serves an array of fresh salads, grilled “Pizzette,” sandwiches, and heartier entrées including walnut-and-spinach ravioli and bacon-wrapped grouper. It’s fun. It’s funky. And it’s on Elizabeth Avenue. Lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday; Sunday brunch is also offered.
Casablanca Café. Inexpensive. In the Terraces at University Place, 9609-I North Tryon Street, 28262 (704-503-4748; www.casablancacafecharlotte.com). Charlotte has become a veritable melting pot of international cuisines. The Casablanca Café offers Moroccan, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern food that’s as tasty as it is affordable. First-timers should try the “Casablanca Special,” a combo platter of hummus, babaghannouj, tabbouleh, saffron rice, and a kebab each of chicken and beef. It’s a bargain—and it can feed two people. The kids’ menu includes a hamburger made with beef ground in the kitchen and grilled chicken tenders served on a skewer. For those attracted to the new hookah fad, the restaurant offers a variety of flavored tobaccos and water pipes after 8:30 P.M. Lunch and dinner are served daily.
Lupie’s Café. Inexpensive. 2718 Monroe Road, 28205 (704-374-1232; www.lupiescafe.com). In a city full of bankers, Lupie’s is the most economical spot you’re likely to find. The quantity of food for the money is staggering. A different special is offered each night. The meat loaf on Monday is a favorite, but Lupie’s is just as famous for its chili. The side dishes run the gamut and are meals unto themselves. Even the children’s portions are huge. If physically possible, save room for the banana pudding. The atmosphere is loud but relaxed, and the wait staff is friendly and easygoing, making Lupie’s a great place to bring kids. The walls are decorated with work by local artists and photographers; a big poster of John Wayne is near the kitchen. Lupie’s does not take reservations, so be prepared to wait at lunchtime and on most weekend nights. Lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday. Lupie’s also has a location on Old Statesville Road in Huntersville.
The Penguin. Inexpensive. 1921 Commonwealth Avenue, 28202 (704-375-6959). What began as an ice-cream parlor became a drive-in. Then the drive-in became a retro diner and bar boasting the best jukebox in the Southeast. Tucked a block off Central Avenue near the corner of Thomas Avenue, The Penguin is typical of the neighborhood’s independent, offbeat feel. The kitchen closes at midnight, though the bar stays open later. Some advice: order your burger Southern-style, and ask for an appetizer of fried pickles. Lunch and dinner are served daily.
Price’s Chicken Coop. Inexpensive. 1614 Camden Road, 28203 (704-333-9866; www.priceschickencoop.com). Fried chicken and fish from Price’s Chicken Coop are as much a Charlotte tradition as bank takeovers. A little over a mile distant but a world away from the slick bistros of Uptown, Price’s is as Southern as it gets. Call for directions if you’re new to town. Otherwise, you’ll likely get lost, but the chicken is worth the search. Lunch and dinner are prepared Tuesday through Saturday for takeout only.
Waxhaw, a small town 13 miles south of Charlotte on N.C. 16, is known for its turn-of-the-20th-century architecture and its large number of antique outlets. Shopping here is leisurely; shopkeepers rarely keep to a set schedule. Each February, the Waxhaw Women’s Club hosts an antique show at the American Legion hut. Wax-haw is where Andrew Jackson spent his childhood.
The Reed Gold Mine, at 9621 Reed Mine Road in the Cabarrus County town of Midland (28107) northeast of Charlotte, saw the beginning of the short-lived Charlotte gold rush, one of the first in the United States. It is now a state historic site. The mine and the legacy of the gold rush are preserved through a museum, a film, a guided underground tour, a stamp mill, and walking trails. For a small fee, you can even learn to pan for gold—but don’t get your hopes up. The site is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., but be sure to inquire ahead. Call 704-721-4653 or visit www.nchistoricsites.org/reed.
Morrow Mountain State Park, at 49104 Morrow Mountain Road east of Albemarle (28001), is a beautiful and tranquil piece of the Uwharrie Mountains only 45 minutes from Charlotte. A swimming pool served by a bathhouse from the Civilian Conservation Corps era, vacation cabins, and tent and trailer campsites are available. Visitors can also fish, picnic, and rent canoes and boats. The Kron House is the reconstructed cabin of one of the area’s earliest doctors. The hiking trails here are challenging and scenic. A modest fee is charged to use the pool, as are rental fees for some activities. Hours vary by month; the park is closed Christmas. Call 704-982-4402 or visit http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/momo/home for more information.
Uwharrie National Forest lies just across the Pee Dee River from Morrow Mountain State Park at 789 N.C. 24/27 East near Troy (27371). Camping, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking are just some of the land-based activities at this 55,000-acre oasis, while canoeing, tubing, fishing, and swimming in popular Badin Lake help visitors cool off in summer. Call 910-576-6391 or visit www.cs.unca.edu/nf-snc/recreation/uwharrie for more information.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History, at 1500 East Garrison Boulevard in Gastonia (28054), is the area’s largest nature museum. The exhibition galleries showcase North American habitats and wildlife. The half-mile nature trail takes visitors through 16 acres of Piedmont forest to a re-created 18th-century backwoods farm and a Catawba Indian village. The Schiele Museum also houses a state-of-the-art planetarium. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. except on major holidays. Admission is charged. Call 704-866-6900 or visit www.schielemuseum.org for more information.
Crowders Mountain State Park lies just west of Gastonia near the South Carolina line and Kings Mountain National Military Park at 522 Park Office Lane in Kings Mountain (28086). In addition to hosting the normal state-park activities, Crowders Mountain is one of the best rock-climbing sites east of the Appalachians. An admission fee is charged. Call 704-853-5375 or visit www.crowdersmountain.com for information.
Davidson, a college town just off the banks of Lake Norman, is remarkable for its old-time Main Street, maintained in the face of Mecklenburg County’s astounding growth. Main Street runs alongside the campus of Davidson College, where future president Woodrow Wilson studied. It features a row of shops, coffee houses, and a soda shop, housed mainly in 19th-century buildings.
Lake Norman State Park, at 159 Inland Sea Lane in Troutman (28166), is on Lake Norman, the state’s largest manmade lake. The park lays claim to the only public swimming area on the lake. Boating access is available along the park’s 13 miles of shoreline. Out of the water, visitors can enjoy hiking trails, campgrounds, interpretive programs, and picnic areas. Fees are charged for canoe and paddleboat rentals and for the use of park facilities. Hours vary according to the season; the park is closed Christmas. For information, call 704-528-6350 or visit www.ncparks.gov/visit/lano.
The Heart of NASCAR: A Race Fan’s Tour of the Piedmont
“Racing was built here. Racing belongs here.” Charlotte used this slogan in its successful bid to become the location for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Like most slogans, this one is part truth and part hyperbole. Although stock-car racing has been a popular pastime all over the South for more than 50 years, and though its popularity stretches across the country today, Charlotte and the North Carolina Piedmont are home to some of the sport’s most famous drivers, legends, and races. Racing is big business in the Piedmont. Despite the economic downturn that has hit the sport in the past several years, numerous NASCAR teams still have their headquarters here, creating high-paying jobs and tourist attractions across the region.
Start your tour northwest of Winston-Salem in Wilkes County, home to the sport’s first great hero, Junior Johnson. Literary types can bone up on Junior’s legacy by reading Tom Wolfe’s famous profile of the driver, entitled “The Last American Hero.” Wilkes is a gorgeous, sprawling county with picturesque mountains and rolling farmland, making it a pleasure to spend some time on the same back roads where Junior honed his driving skills running moonshine in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. You can enjoy trout fishing, hiking, and camping at Stone Mountain State Park, located at 3042 Frank Parkway in Roaring Gap (28668); call 336-957-8185 or visit www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/stmo/main.php. Or you can spend the afternoon boating at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, located at 499 Reservoir Road in Wilkesboro (28697); call 336-921-3390 or visit www.saw.usace.armymil/WKScott. On your way south, be sure to drive by the North Wilkesboro Speedway, located on U.S. 421. Opened in 1947, the .625-mile oval quickly grew in prominence, eventually hosting two annual Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) races. But the sport outgrew the track. In 1996, it was purchased by a group including NASCAR mogul Bruton Smith for the purpose of moving those races to larger markets. Though the track is now permanently closed, travelers can get a good view of this one-time racing mecca from the highway.
Continue south on U.S. 421 to Winston-Salem, home of another historic track in NASCAR history, Bowman Gray Stadium, located at 1250 South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (27107). Bowman Gray has been hosting races for more than 50 years, making it the country’s longest-operating NASCAR short track. Between 1958 and 1971, the track hosted 29 Grand National races. Still featuring NASCAR-sanctioned racing on Saturday nights during summer, Bowman Gray is a great place to catch the kind of action that made stock-car racing such a popular pastime in the South. The drivers here race for love of the sport, not fame or fortune. Visit www.bowmangrayracing.com or call 336-723-1819 for information about upcoming events.
For a glimpse of another side of NASCAR, drive south on U.S. 52 to the intersection with U.S. 64, where Childress Vineyards sprawls across the Piedmont foothills at 1000 Childress Vineyards Road in Lexington (27295). Vineyard owner Richard Childress turned a moderately successful career as a NASCAR driver into a spectacularly successful career as a NASCAR team owner, winning six championships with driver Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s and 1990s. Thanks to NASCAR’s popularity, successful team owners and drivers now earn salaries that would astound those original bootleggers. To Childress’s credit, he has invested part of his fortune in his hometown of Lexington, an area hit hard by the demise of the furniture and textile industries. The wine at Childress Vineyards has won several awards since its opening in 2004, and the Tuscan-style winery has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists. For information, call 336-236-9463 or visit www.childressvineyards.com.
From Lexington, continue south on U.S. 52 and merge with Interstate 85 headed toward Kannapolis. Seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty is “the King” of North Carolina NASCAR drivers, but Dale Earnhardt, who died in the 2001 Daytona 500, is the state’s patron saint of racing. Earnhardt’s hard-charging style earned him the nickname “the Intimidator,” and his legendary number 3 still can be seen on bumper stickers across the Piedmont. Kannapolis is proud of its favorite son and has developed “The Dale Trail” to celebrate his history here. Sites on the trail include the neighborhood where he grew up; Dale Earnhardt Plaza in the center of town, featuring a nine-foot statue of the Intimidator himself; and many other racing-related sites. For a map of “The Dale Trail,” visit www.daletrail.com or stop by the Cabarrus County Visitor Center, located just north of Exit 60 off Interstate 85 on Dale Earnhardt Boulevard.
From Kannapolis, head south on U.S. 29 to Charlotte Motor Speedway, located at 5555 Concord Parkway South in Concord (28027). Currently home to three NASCAR Sprint Cup races—the Coca-Cola 600, the Bank of America 500, and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race—the speedway’s 1.5-mile quad-oval track seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more spectators in the infield. Constructed in 1959, it was the first speedway to host nighttime racing (in 1992) and to offer year-round residences (in 1984), with 52 condominiums. Many consider this track the epicenter of NASCAR, as 90 percent of all teams are based within 50 miles of the site. Tours of the facility are available on non-race days. To reach the ticket hot line, call 800-455-FANS. For information, call 704-455-3200.
Charlotte Motor Speedway is just a short drive from the sport’s newest mecca, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, scheduled to open in May 2010 in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. From the speedway, head north on Bruton Smith Boulevard to Interstate 85, then follow Interstate 85 South to Interstate 77 South. From Interstate 77 South, take the exit for Interstate 277 East (John Belk Freeway) around downtown Charlotte. Leave Interstate 277 at the Caldwell Street/South Boulevard exit. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, located at the intersection of Caldwell and Stonewall streets, is visible from the exit.
Boasting futuristic architecture that makes it resemble a racetrack, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is to be a 40,000-square-foot facility honoring all things NASCAR. It will include a Hall of Honor, where greats such as Richard Petty will be immortalized. Other attractions will include the Full Throttle Theater, where visitors can see a movie highlighting the sport’s past, present, and future; a state-of-the-art racing simulator; the “Week in the Life” exhibit, where visitors will gain a behind-the-scenes look at how a NASCAR team prepares for race day; the “NASCAR Vault,” featuring some of the sport’s most historic artifacts; the “Heritage Speedway” exhibit, where individual galleries will tell the story of NASCAR’s exciting 60-plus-year history; and much more. Admission prices and hours of operation were unavailable at the time of this writing. For the latest information, visit www.NASCARhall.com.
Looking to experience a little Charlotte nightlife NASCAR-style? Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Whisky River is located at 210 East Trade Street, seven blocks from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Thanks to its unique blend of rock and country music, VIP tables, mechanical bull riding, live music, and electrifying DJs, Whisky River is quickly becoming one of Uptown’s most popular nightspots. And there’s always a chance you might see Junior sipping a brew. For more information, call 704-749-1097 or visit www.whiskyrivercharlotte.com.
