Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte has a number of sister cities, including:. Some even later destroy remainders of such items to cause forced scarcity. Amtrak's Crescent and Carolinian and Piedmont trains connect Charlotte with New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, and Raleigh. These objects are referred to as collector's items due to their rarity, and these objects have occasionally been valuable enough to be sold for substantial amounts of money. Plans for the light rail and commuter rail network will link uptown Charlotte with its immediate suburbs along four additional key corridors. Occasionally, a series of circumstances will take place that result in an item from a collectible series becoming exceptionally valuable. CATS has begun work on the $426.8 million south corridor light rail project, running from downtown to suburban Pineville with service scheduled to begin in 2007. In a mature market, collectibles rarely prove to be a spectacular investment.

The 2025 Corridor System Plan looks to upgrade Charlotte's public transportation by supplementing its established bus service with a light rail and commuter rail network along five key corridors at a total cost of over $1.7 billion. The early versions of a product, manufactured in smaller quantities before its popularity as a collectible developed, sometimes command exorbitant premiums on the secondary market. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the local mass transit agency that operates historical trolleys, express shuttles and bus service that serve Charlotte and its immediate suburbs in both North and South Carolina. Enthusiasts will often try to assemble a complete set of the available variations. Upon completion, the Outerbelt will have a total circumference of approximately 67 miles (108 km). Examples include sports cards depicting individual players, or different designs of beanie baby. Charlotte's beltway, designated I-485 and nicknamed the "Outerbelt", is nearly complete and slated for completion by 2013. To encourage collecting, manufacturers often create an entire series of a given collectible, with each item differentiated in some fashion.

Charlotte's central location between the population centers of the northeast and southeast has made it a transportation focal point and primary distribution center, with two major interstate highways, I-85 and I-77, intersecting near the city's center. Eventually many collectible items came to be sold separately, instead of being used as marketing tools to increase the appeal of other products. Nonstop flights are available to many destinations across the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America and Canada. Popular items developed a secondary market and sometimes became the subject of "collectible crazes". American Airlines, Air Canada, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, AirTran and Lufthansa are some of the major carriers that serve the airport. The earliest collectibles were included as incentives with other products, such as cigarette cards in packs of cigarettes. It is served by many international and domestic airlines, and is the largest hub of US Airways. Star Wars action figures are a good example of this phenomenon.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the 17th busiest airport in the US. However, sometimes objects designed for other purposes, such as toys, become so popular among collectors that they are later marketed specifically to that audience. The average for cities in this category was 927 violent crimes per 100,000 population and 5968 property crimes per 100,000 population.
. In this respect, they are distinguishable from other subjects of collections, which may also include natural objects (e.g., butterflies) and objects manufactured for purposes other than collecting (e.g., stamps). Compared to other cities with population from 500,000 to 999,999 for 2004 (the first year that data was broken down by the FBI for the Uniform Crime Report in this manner), Charlotte's crime is a bit higher than average. Collectibles are specifically created for the purpose of collecting. Direct comparisons to national crime rates are difficult as many different urbanization levels are present across the country. A collectible (or collectable) is a manufactured item designed for people to collect.

However, since then the rate has risen to 7090 occurences per 100,000 population as of 2004, a trend not seen in the national statistics. Early computer equipment. From 1997 to 2002 property crime dropped from 7,779 occurences per 100,000 population to 6,340 occurences per 100,000 population. Vintage radio and television receivers. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, violent crimes have dropped from a rate of 1630 occurences per 100,000 population in 1997 to 1099 occurences per 100,00 population in 2004 The violent crime rate has decreased steadily from 1997 to 2004, though the 2004 rate was slightly higher than the 2003 rate (1099 compared to 1077). Old Corvettes (among other cars). In general, the occurence of crime in Charlotte has been decreasing in recent years, as has crime nationally. Vintage Coke Machines.

Lawrence Homes Home Ice at the new Charlotte Bobcats Arena.


. Scale models. The Charlotte Checkers now play in St. Music boxes. Via the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL are a farm team for the NHL's New York Rangers. Figurines. Charlotte is on the list of cities that the Florida Marlins are considering for relocation; team officials are expected to visit the city in late February or early March 2006 to discuss a move with city leaders and consider a plan to build a privately-funded stadium downtown. Plates.

The Triple-A Charlotte Knights, the top minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, currently call the Charlotte area home (the team's stadium is located in nearby Fort Mill, South Carolina). Dolls. Baseball has a long, rich history in the Queen City, dating back to 1901 when the Charlotte Hornets were formed. Cigarette Cards. Seventy-three percent of American motorsports employees are based within two hours of downtown Charlotte. Animal Figurines. A vast majority of NASCAR teams and race shops are located within an hour's drive of Charlotte, and most NASCAR drivers maintain a residence in or near the city.

Charlotte is a hub of stock car racing, with major races being held at nearby Lowe's Motor Speedway. Charlotte is home to the Charlotte Eagles of the United Soccer Leagues and plays host to the annual Wachovia Championship, an increasingly prestigious stop on the PGA Tour. The WNBA Charlotte Sting have played in Charlotte since 1997. The franchise relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2002 after bitter animosity between the team's fans and principal owner George Shinn led to slumping attendance and ill feelings towards the Hornets.

From 1988 to 2002, Charlotte hosted an NBA franchise named the Charlotte Hornets. The team plays in the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, which opened in fall 2005 in downtown Charlotte. In 2004, Charlotte was awarded its second NBA expansion team named the Charlotte Bobcats. The NCAA football Meineke Car Care Bowl is played annually in December at Bank of America Stadium.

The city has also been home to two Arena Football League teams, the Charlotte Rage and Carolina Cobras. Charlotte was home to the World Football League's Charlotte Hornets during 1974 and 1975. They have been in two other NFC Championship games: in 1996 (their second year) and 2006. 1, 2004, the Panthers were defeated, 32-29, by the New England Patriots.

In Super Bowl XXXVIII on Feb. The team won the NFC Championship of the 2003-2004 NFL season when it beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3, in Philadelphia. The Panthers play in Bank of America Stadium, located in Uptown. Charlotte is home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers, which debuted in the league in 1995.

SouthPark has over 125 stores, many of which are unique to the Carolinas, including Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Neiman Marcus, and Kate Spade. SouthPark Mall, the region's most upscale shopping center, is located about 5 miles south of uptown. Northlake features a variety of both upscale and conventional retailers. Northlake was built to serve the population of rapidly growing north Charlotte and University City, as well as the nearby suburbs of Davidson and Huntersville.

Northlake Mall opened in September 2005 and is located 8 miles north of uptown. Efforts to reinvigorate the mall and surrounding area are currently being discussed. But while SouthPark has flourished and transformed itself into the region's source for high-end merchandise, Eastland has experienced a general decline over the years with many stores vacating the mall. Eastland Mall was constructed in the mid-1970s as an alternative to then five-year-old SouthPark Mall; its claim to fame being an indoor skating rink in its central atrium.

Concord Mills has over 200 outlet stores and a 24 screen theater within its nearly one-mile interior radius and is North Carolina's largest tourist attraction. Concord Mills is a sprawling retail and entertainment outlet mall about 10 miles northeast of uptown. Carolina Place offers over 1.1 million square feet of retail, and its proximity to the South Carolina border draws many shoppers from the Palmetto state. Carolina Place Mall opened in the early 1990s and is located about 12 miles south of uptown in suburban Pineville, North Carolina.

The metro area is also served by a 24-hour cable news channel, News 14 Carolina, available on Time Warner Cable. Television stations serving the market include:. The Charlotte television market is the 27th largest in 2005, according to Nielsen Media Research. The dominant newspaper in the region is The Charlotte Observer.

There are also several alternative religious institutions in the Charlotte area, with the Unitarian Universalist Church perhaps being the most prominent and popular. Hindus meet at the Hindu Center or the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple. The Charlotte area has five mosques: The Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte, Islamic Center of Charlotte, Masjid Ash-Shaheed, South Musallah, and the Islamic Society of Gastonia. Jewish synagogues (Temple Beth El, Reform, Temple Israel, Conservative, and an Orthodox congregation) are located in Shalom Park on Providence Road.

The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America is headquartered in Charlotte, and both Reformed Theological Seminary and Gordon Conwell Seminary have campuses there. Catholic congregations continue to expand with the growth of Latino immigration. Charlotte's Catholic and Jewish population surged during the 1980s when a series of corporate relocations brought thousands of northeasterners into the area. In total, Charlotte lays claim to more than 700 places of worship.

The birthplace of Billy Graham, Charlotte was once known as the "City of Churches." Of those who practice a religion, most Charlotteans are Christian of various Protestant denominations, with (principally Southern) Presbyterians and Methodists being the two dominant denominations in the region. Out of the total population, 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. 10.6% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. The per capita income for the city is $26,823.

Males have a median income of $38,767 versus $29,218 for females. The median income for a household in the city is $46,975, and the median income for a family is $56,517. The city's breakdown by race is as follows:. Charlotte's population is ethnically diverse.

There are 230,434 housing units at an average density of 367.2/km² (951.2/mi²). Figures from the more comprehensive 2000 census show Charlotte's population density to be 861.9/km² (2,232.4/mi²). The county's population is projected to reach 1 million in 2010. As of 2004, census estimates show there are 594,359 people living within Charlotte's city limits, and 801,137 in Mecklenburg County.

Other major companies based in Charlotte include Belk, Meineke Autocare, Carlisle Companies, Compass Group USA, and Royal+SunAlliance. The following Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Charlotte metropolitan area:. At 871 feet (265 m), the 60-story post-modern gothic tower is the 23rd tallest building in the United States, and the tallest skyscraper between Philadelphia and Atlanta. Thanks to the continued expansion of the city's banking industry, the Charlotte skyline has mushroomed in recent years and boasts the Bank of America Corporate Center, designed by César Pelli.

Their headquarters, along with other regional banking and financial services companies, are located primarily in the uptown financial district. financial center, and both the nation's second largest (Bank of America) and fourth largest banks (Wachovia) call the city home. Charlotte has become a major U.S. South Carolina.

North Carolina. The Charlotte metropolitan area, formerly known as the Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury CSA (combined statistical area), extends across 2 states (North Carolina and South Carolina), and includes the following counties:. Due to recent annexations, however, the city's population has grown to 651,101. The population of the City of Charlotte is 594,359 according to the US Census 2004 Estimate.

The Metropolitan Combined Statistical Area of Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC, has a population, as of the 2005 census estimate, of 2,067,810. See also: Charlotte metropolitan area. A list of all Charlotte neighborhoods. Many residents were without power for several weeks and cleanup took months to complete.

Passing through Charlotte with wind gusts nearing 100 mph, Hugo caused massive property damage and knocked out power to ninety eight percent of the population. In 1989, the city took a direct hit from Hurricane Hugo. of precipitation annually, including some winter snow. On average, Charlotte receives 43.51 in.

In July, lows average 71 °F (22 °C) and highs average 90 °F (32 °C). In January, morning lows average around 32 °F (0 °C) and afternoon highs average 51 °F (11 °C). The city has mild winters and hot, humid summers. Charlotte is located in North America's humid subtropical climate zone.

Catherine's and Rudisill gold mines. Uptown Charlotte, so named because it sits atop a long rise between two creeks, was built on the gunnies of the St. Charlotte constitutes most of Mecklenburg County in the Carolina Piedmont. The total area is 0.25% water.

km.) of it is water. (1.6 sq. mi. km.) of it is land and 0.6 sq.

(627.5 sq. mi. Out of that, 242.3 sq. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 242.9 square miles (629 square kilometers).

Novelist Carson McCullers wrote her best-known work, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, while a resident of the city. Polk(Pineville), independent filmmaker Ross McElwee, humorist Rich Hall, artist Romare Bearden, actress Berlinda Tolbert (of The Jeffersons) and Emmy-nominated actress Sharon Lawrence ("NYPD Blue"). president James K. Famous natives of Charlotte include evangelist Billy Graham, pop music stars K-Ci and JoJo of Jodeci, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, R&B singer Sunshine Anderson, pro wrestling legend Ric Flair, actor Randolph Scott, U.S.

Most traces of antebellum Charlotte are long gone, and preservationists often struggle to maintain landmarks in the face of modern-minded boosters, a key reason Charlotte is often regarded as a "new" American city despite the fact that it is actually one of the oldest of the nation's larger cities. Charlotte's penchant for looking ahead—a drive for economic development that kicked into particularly high gear during the mid-20th century—has created something of a historical apathy in the city. Today, Charlotte is the second largest banking center in the country after New York City. Another hometown bank, First Union, experienced similar growth, and is now known as Wachovia.

McColl transformed North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) into a formidable national player that, through a series of aggressive acquisitions, would eventually become Bank of America. The city's modern-day banking industry achieved prominence in the 1970s, largely under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl. The mint was not reopened at the end of the war, but the building survives today, albeit in a different location, and now houses the Mint Museum of Art. The Charlotte mint was active until 1861, when Confederate forces seized the mint facility at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Congress established a branch United States Mint here because of the gold deposits found in the area. In 1837 the U.S. Charlotte's history as a financial center is extensive. Uptown Charlotte is literally and figuratively built on gold mines.

The Reed Gold Mine was the nation's first, and it operated until 1912. The nation's original gold rush was on, and many veins of gold were subsequently found in the area. It was the first verified find of gold in the fledgling United States. In 1799, 12-year-old Conrad Reed went fishing one spring morning and brought home a rock weighing about 17 pounds, which the family used as a doorstop for three years before it was recognized by a jeweller as gold.

Charlotte was an ideological hotbed of revolutionary sentiment, a legacy that endures today in the nomenclature of such landmarks as Independence Boulevard, Independence High School, Freedom Park and Freedom Drive. It was a site of encampment for both the American and British main armies, and during a series of skirmishes between British troops and feisty Charlotteans the village earned the lasting nickname "Hornets Nest" from a frustrated Lord General Cornwallis. Charlotte played a critical role during the Revolutionary War. Eleven days later the same 27 townsmen met to create and endorse the Mecklenburg Resolves, a set of laws to govern the newly independent town.

Though Thomas Jefferson would deny having borrowed content from the Mecklenburg declaration, his 1776 Declaration of Independence featured language similar to the Charlotte document (today there is no generally accepted historic proof of the so-called Meck-Dec, and many doubt it ever existed, yet the date of the Declaration appears on the North Carolina state flag). A copy was sent, though never officially presented, to the Continental Congress a year later. On May 20, 1775, townsmen allegedly signed a proclamation that later became known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The loyalty to King George and his consort was short-lived, however.

Polk, was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the German wife of British King George III. The village established by Polk, uncle of United States President James K. The intersection of Trade and Tryon is known as The Square. The trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road was named Tryon Street, in honor of William Tryon, a royal governor of colonial North Carolina.

The crossroads, perched atop a long rise in the piedmont landscape, is the heart of modern Uptown Charlotte. In 1755, early settler Thomas Polk built a home at the crossroads of an Indian trading path and the Great Wagon Road, which became the village of Charlotte Town, incorporated in 1768. In the early part of the 18th century, the Great Wagon Road led settlers of Scots-Irish and German descent from Pennsylvania into the Carolina foothills. Route 21, and a second that ran east-west along what is now modern-day Trade Street.

Charlotte was founded in the mid-18th century at the intersection of two Indian trading paths, one of which ran north-south Great Wagon Road, and is followed closely today by U.S. . A resident of Charlotte is referred to as a Charlottean (shar-la-TEE-uhn). Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation and is also the second-largest banking center in the country, trailing only New York City in terms of headquartered assets.

As it is a center of finance, transportation, wholesale distribution, and manufacturing, Charlotte is the metropolis of the Carolinas. It is located in the south-central part of North Carolina, near the South Carolina border. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte is the county seat of Mecklenburg County^GR6. Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and the 20th most populous in the United States.

35°14' N
80°50' W. Latitude
Longitude
.
595,101
2,067,810
861.9/km².  - City Proper
 - Metropolitan
 - Density.

Wrocław, Poland (as of 1993). Voronezh, Russia (as of 1991). Limoges, France (as of 1992). Kumasi, Ghana (as of 1995).

Krefeld, Germany (as of 1985). Baoding, People's Republic of China (as of 1987). Arequipa, Peru (as of 1962). National Whitewater Center, state of the art facility scheduled to open in Spring 2006.

U.S. Reed Gold Mine, site of the first gold find in the United States. Paramount's Carowinds, regional amusement park located on the border of North and South Carolina. The Mint Museums, two separate facilities, one dedicated to fine art and the other to craft and design.

Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Levine Museum of the New South. Kings Mountain National Military Park, the site of a decisive Revolutionary War battle, located approximately 30 miles (50 km) west of Charlotte. ImaginOn, cutting-edge educational children's library and theater.

Historic Rosedale Plantation. Historic Latta Plantation, a cotton plantation turned living history farm. Discovery Place, a science museum and IMAX Dome theater. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, a 111 acre (0.5 km²) botanical garden located just west of Charlotte in Belmont.

The Charlotte Museum of History. Carolina Raptor Center, dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of birds of prey. WAXN-TV, Channel 64 (Independent). WUNG-TV, Channel 58 (PBS/UNCTV affiliate).

WWWB-TV, Channel 55 (WB affiliate). WJZY-TV, Channel 46 (UPN affiliate). WTVI, Channel 42 (PBS affiliate). WCNC-TV, Channel 36 (NBC affiliate).

WNSC-TV, Channel 30 (PBS/SCETV affiliate). WCCB-TV, Channel 18 (FOX affiliate). WUNE-TV, Channel 17 (PBS/UNCTV affiliate). WHKY-TV, Channel 14 (Independent).

WSOC-TV, Channel 9 (ABC affiliate). WBTV, Channel 3 (CBS affiliate). 1.66% from two or more races. 3.56% from other races.

0.05% Pacific Islander. 0.34% Native American. 3.41% Asian (including Indians (largely Gujarati), Chinese, and Vietnamese). 7.36% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

32.72% black. 58.26% white. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Providence Day School.

Northside Christian. Charlotte Latin. Charlotte Country Day School. Charlotte Christian.

Charlotte Catholic. Al-Huda Islamic Academy. Charlotte Preparatory School. University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Queens University of Charlotte. Pfeiffer University at Charlotte. Kings College. Smith University.

Johnson C. Johnson and Wales University. Central Piedmont Community College. Wachovia.

SPX Corporation. Sonic Automotive. Nucor Steel. Lowe's.

Goodrich Corporation. Family Dollar. Duke Energy. Bank of America.

Chester County. Lancaster County. York County. Stanly County.

Rowan County. Anson County. Cleveland County. Iredell County.

Union County. Cabarrus County. Lincoln County. Gaston County.

Mecklenburg County. Biddleville came about in the 1870s as result of its proximity to the college, distinctly separate from Charlotte. Smith University, a historically black college, once called the Biddle Institute, where blacks were trained to be preachers and teachers. At the heart of Biddleville is Johnson C.

Biddleville is a neighborhood just west of Downtown. The outer edges of University City stretch into Cabarrus County and it is also home to Lowe's Motor Speedway and the state's largest tourist attraction, Concord Mills. University City is also home to University Research Park, a 3,200 acre (13 km²) industrial park. The primarily suburban University City is the home of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

If autonomous, "University", as it is commonly known, would be one of North Carolina's largest cities with nearly 200,000 residents. University City comprises the northeastern part of Charlotte. Formerly an area of textile manufacturing and mill workers' residences, the area has seen a rebirth as a center for arts and entertainment. NoDa is the city's "arts district" on and around NOrth DAvidson Street, located just north of Downtown.

The area also is home to Providence Plantation and the country club community of Raintree. The Arboretum is situated a few miles southeast of Uptown and developed primarily around the Arboretum Shopping Center. Like SouthPark, Ballantyne has a high concentration of both impressive homes and commercial development. Ballantyne, another upscale area, is a planned mixed-use development that has grown exponentially in recent years and lies in the southernmost part of Charlotte, along the North and South Carolina border.

Demographics have changed much over the years and currently Eastland is home to one of Charlotte's largest Latino communities. Eastland, a neighborhood that developed primarily during the 1960s and 70s, comprises a majority of the east side of the city proper, including the namesake Eastland Mall. can be found here, as well as upscale restaurants The Palm, Morton's, Ruth's Chris, and McCormick & Schmicks. Luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Nordstrom, and Tiffany & Co.

The area's name derives from the fashionable SouthPark Mall, located at the intersection of Sharon and Fairview Roads. SouthPark, located in south central Charlotte, is both an upscale residential and commercial neighborhood. By the 1970s and 80s, it was considered an "at-risk" neighborhood, and has only recently enjoyed a revival that has made it a sought-after, more bohemian alternative to other higher-priced city neighborhoods. Plaza Midwood, conceived as a complement to nearby Myers Park, never quite matured in the same way that Dilworth, Elizabeth or Myers Park did.

Myers Park is largely a product of the building boom of the 1920s. Nolen discarded the original grid street pattern of Uptown and Dilworth and instead planned curving avenues following the area’s topography. Like most early American suburbs, Myers Park was initially a "streetcar suburb" whose residents commuted to town on the electric trolley car. Filled with some of Charlotte's oldest grand houses and streets lined with towering oaks, Myers Park was designed by John Nolen of Boston in 1911.

Myers Park is home to some of the city's most desirable zip codes. Independence Park, the first public park in the city, was created in the neighborhood, and Elizabeth became one of the most fashionable residential areas in Charlotte. Elizabeth was annexed by Charlotte in 1907. Elizabeth began to develop rapidly after 1902, when a trolley line was completed.

Elizabeth takes its name from Elizabeth College, a small Lutheran women’s college founded in 1897 on the present-day site of Presbyterian Hosptial. Centered on East Boulevard, today Dilworth is popular with Charlotte's young professionals drawn to its historic turn of the century architecture and traditional neighborhood feel. Planned largely with a grid pattern similar to the city's original four wards, it was initially designated the Eighth Ward. Dilworth, Charlotte's first streetcar suburb, was developed in the 1890s on 250 acres (1 km²) southwest of the original city limits.

Charlotte's historic trolley also originates in the neighborhood. An area of light industry and cotton mills for much of its history, today its former industrial buildings and mills are loft condominiums, restaurants, breweries, shops, and offices. South End takes its name from South Boulevard, its main thoroughfare, as well as its location just south of Uptown. Johnson & Wales University, the Museum of the New South, and the Mint Museum of Craft and Design are also located Uptown, along with the government district for both Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte.

Uptown is home to the majority of the city's skyscrapers, as well as Bank of America Stadium (home of the Carolina Panthers) and the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. At the center of Uptown is the Square, the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets and the point at which all four wards converge. Today the First and Fourth Wards are largely residential, with Fourth Ward housing the majority of Charlotte's remaining 19th century Queen Anne architecture. Uptown The center of Charlotte is known as Uptown. In the 19th century, Uptown was divided into four political wards.