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	The Charlotte Skyline

Incorporated in 1768 and named for the wife of King George III, Charlotte has constantly redeveloped itself, growing into the largest city in North Carolina. The Queen City, as it is nicknamed, has changed from an agrarian township to a gold town, textile center and banking giant. Now, Charlotte is the second largest banking center in the United States of America behind New York City, New York.

Visitors to the city are treated to historical attractions as well as a vast and varied range of events and recreational activities. Charlotte is ideally located to take in the wonders of North Carolina, as it is a three-hour drive from the Atlantic beaches and only two hours from the Blue Mountains.

ORIENTATION

Charlotte is located in the Piedmont region (a plateau that lies between the coastal plains and the Appalachian Mountains) of North Carolina, along the state's southern border with South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina, is 140 mi (225 km) south of Charlotte via Interstate Highway 77. The triangle cities of Winston-Salem, High Point and Greensboro are approximately 85 mi (137 km) north of the city along Interstate Highway 85.

HISTORY

Pioneers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, settled east of the Catawba River and, by 1768, the township of Charlotte was incorporated and the population slowly grew. The town, Charlotte, and the county, Mecklenburg, were named for the wife of King George III.

By 1775, the love and respect that had led to naming the area after the King's wife had dissolved. Due to a series of tax acts and King George's revoking of many rights previously granted to the colonists, the people of Charlotte and the rest of the American colony pushed for independence. On May 20, 1775, the Committee of Mecklenburg met in Charlotte. Citizens of Charlotte allege that the Committee wrote the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (also known as the Meck Dec). While an original copy has never been found, if the Meck Dec had been written and survived, this declaration to shed the shackles of British rule would have preceded the Declaration of Independence by over a year. Although no proof exists that the Meck Dec was written in 1775, there is proof that, on May 31, 1775, the Committee did write the Mecklenburg Resolves, which implied independence without declaring it. Whatever documents were written or were alleged to have been written, Charlotte was on the forefront of the movement towards independence from Britain. From 1776 to 1783 the Revolutionary War raged across the American colonies, ending with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, Great Britain's recognition of the United States of America as a sovereign and free nation.

Charlotte to ... Distance* Time** Chattanooga, TN 350 mi (563 km) 6 hr 45 min Columbia, SC 140 mi (225 km) 3 hr Durham, NC 145 mi (233 km) 2 hr 55 min Fayetteville, NC 140 mi (225 km) 3 hr 30 min Florence, SC 130 mi (209 km) 3 hr 15 min Greensboro, NC 95 mi (153 km) 2 hr 10 min Greenville, SC 105 mi (169 km) 2 hr Hickory, NC 60 mi (97 km) 1 hr 15 min High Point, NC 80 mi (129 km) 1 hr 45 min Knoxville, TN 245 mi (394 km) 5 hr Raleigh, NC 170 mi (274 km) 3 hr 15 min Wilmington, NC 200 mi (322 km) 4 hr 55 min Winston-Salem, NC 80 mi (129 km) 1 hr 45 min

Charlotte Distance Table (*Est. driving distance,**Est. driving time)

From 1799, until the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, gold fever gripped prospectors in Charlotte after a 17-pound gold nugget was discovered. By 1837, the city was such an important financial center that the United States Mint established a branch in the city. For almost 50 years, Charlotte was the center of gold production in the United States.

In 1861, North Carolina seceded from the United States of America and joined the Confederate States of America. Over the Civil War years, Charlotte was spared from battle but contributed by making uniforms and ordnance for the war effort.

Following the Civil War, the next wave of prosperity for Charlotte came from the partnership of the cotton and transportation industries. The cotton produced in North Carolina was shipped to the rest of the world via steam railway. Charlotte boomed again as a major rail center between Atlanta, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia. The growth brought diversification with a range of companies setting up in the city. By 1880, textile mills began to arrive, allowing raw cotton to be refined locally instead of being shipped to factories in the north. And, by 1891, the city gained improvements such as an electric trolley system, hydro-electric power, and suburbs. All worked together to encourage Charlotte's growth.

By 1913, rail lines spread from Charlotte in eight directions, signaling the city's start as a transportation hub.

Prior to the U.S. Civil War, segregation of races was common practice, and generally law, throughout the United States. Separate washrooms, eating facilities, and neighborhoods enforced discrimination of African-American society by Caucasians. In Charlotte, life was no different. That is, until the mid-1960s when President Lyndon B. Johnson attempted to deal with demands for equal rights between races. With the signing of a comprehensive civil rights act, it was illegal to discriminate in voting, the use of public facilities and education. It was in education where Charlotte made historical headway. Following a landmark case—Swann vs. the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education—busing was used as a tool to help integrate schools. By the early 1970s, Charlotte became known as the "city that made integration work."

Month Average daily temperature Average Rainfall Max Min Jan 30°F (-1°C) 49°F (9°C) 94 mm Feb 32°F (0°C) 53°F (12°C) 98 mm Mar 40°F (4°C) 62°F (17°C) 113 mm Apr 48°F (9°C) 71°F (22°C) 68 mm May 57°F (14°C) 78°F (26°C) 97 mm Jun 66°F (19°C) 86°F (30°C) 86 mm Jul 70°F (21°C) 89°F (32°C) 100 mm Aug 69°F (21°C) 88°F (31°C) 95 mm Sep 63°F (17°C) 82°F (28°C) 89 mm Oct 51°F (10°C) 72°F (22°C) 85 mm Nov 42°F (5°C) 63°F (17°C) 82 mm Dec 33°F (0°C) 52°F (11°C) 88 mm

Mean Temperature and Rainfall in Charlotte, NC

Since then, Charlotte has continued to change and prosper. This growth and success was signaled when the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL) awarded professional sports franchises to Charlotte, the Charlotte Hornets and the Carolina Panthers. The Hornets left Charlotte for New Orleans following the 2001-02 season but the Panthers remain a competitive team within the NFL.

CLIMATE

A moderate climate of warm summers and cool winters makes Charlotte a comfortable place to visit year-round. Summers in Charlotte are long and when winter does arrive, very little snow accumulates, if any. Generally, the first snowfall does not come to Charlotte until late November or early December. The city's location on North Carolina's Piedmont and its distance from the Atlantic Ocean also encourage this moderate climate.

Hurricanes occasionally affect the coastal region of North Carolina; however, Charlotte is rarely affected by more than heavy rain during these occasions. During the remainder of the year, rainfall is fairly consistent except for some dry spells during the fall.

TRANSPORTATION

With Interstate highways 77 and 85 intersecting at Charlotte, reaching the city by road is an easy option. Greyhound provides motorcoach connections to cities throughout the United States, with daily departures to all major centers.

Charlotte can also be reached by rail service provided by Amtrak. The Carolinian and Piedmont line connects Charlotte to New York City.

One of three hubs for US Airways, Charlotte Douglas International Airport connects Charlotte to the world by air.

CHARLOTTE FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

The Mint Museum
During the U.S. Civil War, the Charlotte Mint was taken over by confederate soldiers. Once the war was over, the Mint no longer manufactured money but was used instead as an assay office, analyzing and certifying gold. In following years, the building was also used as a home for the Charlotte's Women's Club and the Red Cross. By 1933, the building was threatened by surrounding construction, so preservationists bought the building and moved it to its current location where, in 1936, the Mint Museum opened to the public showcasing fine art.

Visitors to the museum can see arts of the Americas, complete with exhibits on American art influences such as the art of Africa, ancient America, and the Spanish colonies. The Mint Museum also has a sister museum in Charlotte, the Mint Museum of Craft and Design, which highlights contemporary studio craft in ceramics, metal, wood, glass and fiber.

Hezekiah Alexander Historic Homesite at the Charlotte Museum of History

Museums of the South
To gain a greater perspective of the South, visitors to Charlotte can visit two museums that preserve the region's history—the Charlotte Museum of History and the Levine Museum of the New South. The Charlotte Museum of History explores the issues and events that influenced the development of the South from the 18th through the 20th centuries. Permanent exhibits include the American Freedom Bell, an 18th-century barn reconstruction and the Hezekiah Alexander Historic Homesite. The home is the oldest in Charlotte, constructed in 1774 and restored to represent life in early Charlotte. Costumed docents help to make this leap of imagination possible.

The Levine Museum of the New South concentrates on the South after the Civil War. The centerpiece of this museum is an exhibit detailing the development from cotton fields to metropolitan centers. This museum also features a 1960s-era lunch counter in an exhibit about segregation.

Other Charlotte museums include the Carolinas Aviation Museum and the Nature Museum.

Historic Rosedale Plantation
The Historic Rosedale Plantation provides a unique look into life on an antebellum (pre-Civil War) estate. The house on the plantation is one of the finest examples of Federal Period architecture in North Carolina, still furnished with mahogany faux-grained paneling, hand-carved mantels and some original, French wallpaper from the 1800s. As well, the grounds and gardens of the plantation offer guests a pleasant walk among a variety of ancient trees, some planted as early as 1855. Regular tours of the plantation are conducted during the afternoon and special interpretive tours can be arranged for larger groups.

For another example of plantation life on the Piedmont, visit the Historic Latta Plantation, which is located 12 mi (19 km) northwest of Charlotte in Huntersville.

Charlotte Events & Activities
Other than museums and historical attractions, Charlotte is home to a host of entertaining events and activities. Each September, Festival in the Park celebrates the products of local artisans and musicians. Freedom Park and the lakefront are colored with the tents and lights of this four-day, family-oriented festival.

Lowe's Motor Speedway is home of auto racing in Charlotte, providing fans with regular Winston Cup and NASCAR races such as the Coca-Cola 600, a long and grueling race. Annually, the Carolina Panthers of the NFL play regular season home games at Ericsson Stadium. And, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center offers performing arts presentations at five different venues throughout the year.

In North Carolina, golf is a favorite pastime, with many courses open year-round. Dozens of public, resort, semi-private and private golf courses are within an easy drive from Charlotte. Even more are available for those in the mood for a road trip.