Charlotte, North Carolina

Ever wonder what Charlotte was like when streetcars ruled the roads? You're about to drive through a living postcard from that era: Wesley Heights. Developed after 1911, Wesley Heights was one of Charlotte's first…

Ever wonder how Charlotte grew beyond its original four wards? This neighborhood, Dilworth, holds a big part of that story. Back in the 1890s, Edward Dilworth Latta bought up 250 acres just southwest of the city limits.…

Listen closely, because this isn't just another building; it's Biddle Memorial Hall, the heart of Johnson C. Smith University. Built in 1883, Biddle Hall is a striking Romanesque-style building. It's known for its…

This unassuming brick building is more than just an old factory; it's a window into Charlotte's booming cotton mill era. Back in 1897, the Louise Cotton Mill was built, a two-story, 27-bay long structure. Then, in 1901,…

This unassuming brick building tells a story of Charlotte's rise as a manufacturing hub. Built between 1904 and 1905, this was the Daniel A. Tompkins Company Machine Shop. They made textile machinery, supplies, and…

Before you, the Savona Mill stands as a testament to Charlotte's evolving industrial landscape. This wasn't just one business; it was a chameleon, adapting to the needs of the times. Originally constructed between 1915…

Step back in time to the former home of a titan of industry, James Buchanan Duke. Here, at Lynnwood, later known as White Oaks, Duke spent his final years, a period that capped a remarkable career. This grand Colonial…

Right here, where you're driving, stood a symbol of Charlotte's transformation: Highland Park Manufacturing Company Mill No. 3. Built between 1903 and 1904, this mill was a major player in the textile industry,…

That unassuming brick building right there holds a secret ingredient to American kitchens for decades: vinegar! The Speas Vinegar Company building is a piece of Charlotte's industrial past. Founded in 1888, the Speas…

Pull over here for a minute; you're about to see Frew's Folly, also known as Rosedale, a reminder of Charlotte's plantation past.Built around 1815, Rosedale was a plantation home showcasing the Federal style of…

Imagine life in Mecklenburg County before the Revolutionary War, because right here stands a silent witness to those times: the 1774 Alexander Rock House. Built by the Alexander family, construction finished in 1774.…

These unassuming buildings whisper tales of a time when textiles reigned supreme in the Carolinas. This is the former Thrift Mill, a crucial piece of Mecklenburg County's industrial past. Built around 1912, the Thrift…

Charlotte Christian School (7301 Sardis Rd., Charlotte, NC) is where a skinny Stephen Curry grew into a shooter. As a senior he averaged about 18 points and led the Knights deep into the state playoffs, but the legend…

This unassuming building offers a rare peek into the daily life of a rural community at the turn of the century. Around 1890, the Hayes-Byrum Store opened its doors, a brick building where locals could buy everything…

Ever wonder what small-town life was like a century ago? This is a perfect example. The Croft Historic District, centered around the crossroads community, gives us a peek into rural life here in Mecklenburg County. At…

This unassuming farmhouse whispers tales of early life in Mecklenburg County. The Grier-Rea House, originally built around 1815, offers a tangible link to the past. The house began as a two-story main block. Around…

This unassuming brick house whispers tales of Mecklenburg County's agricultural past. Built sometime between 1820 and 1830, the William T. Alexander House was once the heart of a working plantation. The house itself is…

Welcome to Pineville, North Carolina, the birthplace of James K. Polk, the eleventh president of the United States. Here's something they do not put on the state historic site plaque. When Polk was sixteen years old, he…

Ever wonder where everyday pottery came from? Right here, at the R.F. Outen Pottery, you're standing near a place that once churned out functional folk pottery for the community. Rufus Outen, trained by his father at…

Pull over here for a minute. This land whispers stories of a bygone era, a time when plantations dotted the Carolina landscape. We're near Latta Place, a window into the lives, both free and enslaved, who shaped this…

These unassuming houses whisper tales of hard work and community, a legacy woven into the fabric of Pineville. After 1894, Dover Yarn Mills began building this village to house its workers. Later, the Chadwick-Hoskins…

This unassuming brick building tells a story of industry and innovation that helped shape Mount Holly. Built in 1875, the Mount Holly Cotton Mill, later known as Alsace Manufacturing Co., was a major player in the…

Pull over here for a second; you're looking at a pioneering piece of North Carolina history: St. Joseph's Catholic Church. It was the first Catholic church built west of Raleigh. It all started in the mid-1840s, when…

Imagine a life tied to the land, a life of both privilege and responsibility. That was the reality for James G. Torrance, whose home stood right here at Cedar Grove Plantation. Built between 1831 and 1833, Cedar Grove…

Legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway that helped make Charlotte the capital of NASCAR.

This unassuming farm tells a story of Mecklenburg County's deep agricultural roots. The John F. Ewart Farm, built in 1898, was more than just a house; it was the center of a working farm. The Ewart family cultivated the…

Pull over here for a minute; this unassuming house was the site of one of the last Confederate cabinet meetings. In late April of 1865, with the Confederacy crumbling, several members of Jefferson Davis's cabinet met…

Get ready to be transported back in time as we approach McAdenville, a place deeply rooted in North Carolina's textile history and now famously known as Christmas Town USA. In 1881, the state legislature chartered…

Imagine living on a farm that's also hiding a gold mine! That's the story of the Robert Harvey Morrison Farm, also known as Cedarvale, right here in Cabarrus County.The main house, built around 1846, is a beautiful…

Step back in time at Beaver Dam Plantation House, a glimpse into North Carolina's antebellum era. This unassuming house played a pivotal role in deciding the future of a local college. Built in 1829, Beaver Dam…

Pull over for a minute; this unassuming spot holds stories of a family, their home, and the enslaved people who built their wealth. Potts Plantation, as it became known, centered around a house built in 1811. The…

Ever wonder who held the purse strings of North Carolina during the tumultuous Reconstruction era? This area was once home to David A. Jenkins, the state's treasurer for eight years. Jenkins, born in 1822, was a…

Pull over here for a second. This unassuming building, Eumenean Hall, was once the heart of intellectual life at Davidson College. Built in 1849, Eumenean Hall was the meeting place for the Eumenean Society. This was a…

Concord sits where it does thanks to a fortunate confluence of factors. It wasn't just the elevation, high enough to avoid the worst of coastal weather, but also its position on the old stagecoach road, a vital artery…

Imagine standing on the banks of the Catawba River centuries ago, watching skilled fishermen at work. Nation Ford Fish Weir offers a tangible link to the Native Americans who thrived here long before European settlers…

Right here, where you're driving, stands a testament to North Carolina's early industrial boom: the Odell-Locke-Randolph Cotton Mill. Originally built in 1839, it was first known as the McDonald Cotton Mills. It was…

These buildings whisper tales of Concord's booming commercial past. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, this area along Union Street and Cabarrus Avenue became the heart of Concord's business district. Local…

Gastonia, North Carolina, nestled in the Piedmont, has been grappling with a surge in growth that's shifted the city's demographics and raised questions about its future. For years, Gastonia was seen as a smaller, more…

Take a step back in time as you explore the York-Chester Historic District, a treasure trove of Gastonia's architectural heritage. This district, largely residential, showcases Gastonia's growth from the mid-1850s…