Charlotte, North Carolina
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Charlotte (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census,<ref name="QuickFacts">Template:Cite web</ref> making Charlotte the 14th-most populous city in the United States, the seventh-most populous city in the South, and the second-most populous city in the Southeast behind Jacksonville, Florida. Charlotte is the cultural, economic, and transportation center of the Charlotte metropolitan area, whose estimated 2023 population of 2,805,115 ranked 22nd in the United States.<ref name="PopEstCBSA">Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an 18-county market region and combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3,387,115 as of 2023.<ref name="2023OMB">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="PopEstCBSA"/>
Between 2004 and 2014, Charlotte was among the country's fastest-growing metropolitan areas, with 888,000 new residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Based on U.S. census data from 2005 to 2015, Charlotte tops the U.S. in millennial population growth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Throughout the 2020s, it has remained one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters of Bank of America, Honeywell, Truist Financial, and the East Coast headquarters of Wells Fargo, which, when combined with other Charlotte-based financial institutions, makes the city the second-largest banking center in the nation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte's notable attractions include three professional sports teams, the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, and Charlotte FC of MLS. The city is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Opera Carolina, Charlotte Symphony, Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Billy Graham Library, Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History, Carowinds amusement park, and U.S. National Whitewater Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte has a humid subtropical climate. It is located several miles east of the Catawba River and southeast of Lake Norman, the largest human-made lake in North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller human-made lakes located near the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2024, 66% of the city's area is occupied by green spaces.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city ranks 1st in the United States and 29th in the world in the ranking of the greenest cities on the planet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
[edit]Early history
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The Catawba Indians were the first known historic tribe to settle Mecklenburg County in the Charlotte area and were first recorded around 1567, according to Spanish records.
18th century
[edit]By 1759, half the Catawba tribe had died from smallpox, an endemic disease among European colonists, which the Catawba had no natural immunity against. At the time of their largest population, the Catawba population was 10,000. But by 1826, the Catawba population dropped to 110.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The city of Charlotte was developed first by a wave of migration of Scots-Irish Presbyterians, or Ulster-Scot settlers from Ulster, who dominated the culture of the Southern Piedmont Region and made up the principal founding population in the backcountry. German immigrants also settled in the area before the American Revolutionary War, but in smaller numbers. They still contributed greatly to the early foundations of the region.
Mecklenburg County was initially part of Bath County (1696 to 1729) of the New Hanover Precinct, which became New Hanover County in 1729. The western portion of New Hanover split into Bladen County in 1734, and its western portion split into Anson County in 1750. Mecklenburg County was formed from Anson County in 1762. Further apportionment was made in 1792, after the American Revolutionary War, with Cabarrus County formed from Mecklenburg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
19th century
[edit]In 1842, Union County formed from Mecklenburg's southeastern portion and a western portion of Anson County. These areas were all part of one of the original six judicial/military districts of North Carolina known as the Salisbury District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The area that is now Charlotte was first settled by European colonists around 1755 when Thomas Spratt and his family settled near what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood. Thomas Polk (great-uncle of President James K. Polk), who later married Thomas Spratt's daughter, built his house by the intersection of two Native American trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers.<ref name="Story1">Template:Cite web</ref> One path ran north–south and was part of the Great Wagon Road; the second path ran east–west along what is now Trade Street.
Nicknamed the "Queen City",<ref name=caucus>Template:Cite web</ref> like its county a few years earlier, Charlotte was named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become the queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland in 1761, seven years before the town's incorporation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A second nickname derives from the American Revolutionary War, when British commander General Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis occupied the city but was driven out by hostile residents. He wrote that Charlotte was "a hornet's nest of rebellion", leading to the nickname "The Hornet's Nest".<ref>Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: A Welcome for Cornwallis (Retrieved on 07–25–19)</ref>
Within decades of Polk's settling, the area grew to become the Town of Charlotte, incorporated in 1768.<ref name="charter">Template:Cite web</ref> Though chartered as Charlotte, the name appears as a form of "Charlottesburgh" on many maps until around 1800.<ref name="burgh">Template:Cite web</ref> A form of "Charlottetown" also appears on maps of British origin depicting General Cornwallis' route of invasion.<ref name="town">Template:Cite web</ref> The crossroads in Piedmont became the heart of Uptown Charlotte. In 1770, surveyors marked the streets in a grid pattern for future development. The east–west trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street, in honor of William Tryon, a royal governor of colonial North Carolina.<ref name="Story2">Template:Cite web</ref> The intersection of Trade and Tryon is commonly known today as "Trade and Tryon", or simply "The Square",<ref name="Story1"/> and formally as "Independence Square".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
While surveying the boundary between the Carolinas in 1772, William Moultrie stopped in Charlotte, whose five or six houses were "very ordinary built of logs".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Local leaders came together in 1775 and signed the Mecklenburg Resolves, more popularly known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. While not a true declaration of independence from British rule, it is among the first such declarations that eventually led to the American Revolution. May 20, the traditional date of the signing of the declaration, is celebrated annually in Charlotte as "MecDec", with musket and cannon fire by reenactors in Independence Square. North Carolina's state flag and state seal also bear the date.
Charlotte is traditionally considered the home of Southern Presbyterianism, but in the 19th century, numerous churches, including Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic formed, eventually giving Charlotte the nickname, "The City of Churches".<ref name="Story40">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1799, in nearby Cabarrus County, 12-year-old Conrad Reed found a 17- pound rock, which his family used as a doorstop. Three years later, a jeweler determined it was nearly solid gold, paying the family a paltry $3.50.<ref>Blanchard Online: American Rarities (Retrieved on 05–22–07)</ref> The first documented gold find in the United States of any consequence set off the nation's first gold rush. Many veins of gold were found in the area throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the 1837 founding of the Charlotte Mint.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> North Carolina was the chief producer of gold in the United States, until the Sierra Nevada found in 1848,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although the volume mined in the Charlotte area was dwarfed by subsequent rushes.
20th century
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Some groups still pan for gold occasionally in local streams and creeks. The Reed Gold Mine operated until 1912.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte Mint was active until 1861 when Confederate forces seized it at the outbreak of the Civil War. The mint was not reopened at the war's end, but the building, albeit in a different location, now houses the Mint Museum of Art.
The city's first boom came after the Civil War, as Charlotte became a cotton processing center and railroad hub. By the 1880s, Charlotte sat astride the Southern Railway mainline from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. Farmers from miles around would bring cotton to the railroad platform in Uptown. Local promotors began building textile factories, starting with the 1881 Charlotte Cotton Mill that still stands at Graham and 5th streets.<ref>The History of Charlotte, NC. Retrieved May 2, 2022.</ref>
Charlotte's city population at the 1890 census grew to 11,557.<ref name="Story">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1910, Charlotte surpassed Wilmington to become North Carolina's largest city with 34,014 residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The population grew again during World War I, when the U.S. government established Camp Greene, north of present-day Wilkinson Boulevard. The camp supported 40,000 soldiers, with many troops and suppliers staying after the war, launching urbanization that eventually overtook older cities along the Piedmont Crescent. In the 1920 census, Charlotte fell to being the state's second largest city, Winston-Salem with 48,395 people, had two thousand more people than Charlotte. Charlotte would pass Winston-Salem in population by the 1930 census, and has remained North Carolina's largest city since.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Until 1958, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad operated a daily passenger train from its own station (which had opened in 1896) to Wilmington.<ref name="aboard">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The city's modern-day banking industry achieved prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, largely under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl. McColl transformed North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) into a formidable national bank that through aggressive acquisitions eventually merged with BankAmerica to become Bank of America. First Union, later Wachovia in 2001, experienced similar growth before it was acquired by San Francisco–based Wells Fargo in 2008. Measured by control of assets, Charlotte became the second largest banking headquarters in the United States after New York City.<ref name="Story13">Template:Cite web</ref>
On September 22, 1989, the city was hit by Hurricane Hugo. With sustained winds of Template:Convert and gusts of Template:Convert,<ref>Hurricanedisasterslive.com Template:Webarchive, Retrieved on July 30, 2009</ref> Hugo caused massive property damage, destroyed 80,000 trees, and knocked out electrical power to most of the population. Residents were without power for weeks, schools were closed for a week or more, and the cleanup took months. The city was caught unprepared; Charlotte is Template:Convert inland, and residents from coastal areas in both Carolinas often wait out hurricanes in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
21st century
[edit]In December 2002, Charlotte and much of central North Carolina were hit by an ice storm that resulted in more than 1.3 million people losing power.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During an abnormally cold December, many were without power for weeks. Many of the city's Bradford pear trees split apart under the weight of the ice.
In August 2015 and September 2016, the city experienced several days of protests related to the police shootings of Jonathan Ferrell and Keith Scott.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.63%) is water.<ref name="TigerWebMapServer"/> Charlotte is the twenty-sixth-most expansive city in the United States and lies at an elevation of Template:Convert. Charlotte constitutes most of Mecklenburg County in the Carolina Piedmont.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Uptown Charlotte sits atop a long rise between two creeks, Sugar Creek and Irwin Creek, and was built on the gunnies of the St. Catherine's and Rudisill gold mines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte is Template:Convert southwest of Concord;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Convert northeast of Rock Hill, South Carolina;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Convert southwest of Greensboro;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Convert west of Fayetteville;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Template:Convert southwest of Raleigh, the state capital.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Though the Catawba River and its lakes lie several miles west, there are no significant bodies of water or other geological features near the city center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Consequently, development has neither been constrained nor helped by waterways or ports that have contributed to many cities of similar size. The lack of these obstructions has contributed to Charlotte's growth as a highway, rail, and air transportation hub.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Neighborhoods
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Charlotte has 199 neighborhoods radiating in all directions from Uptown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Biddleville, the primary historic center of Charlotte's African American community, is west of Uptown, starting at the Johnson C. Smith University campus and extending to the airport.<ref name="Biddle">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> East of The Plaza and north of Central Avenue, Plaza-Midwood is known for its international population, including Eastern Europeans, Greeks, Middle-Easterners, and Hispanics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> North Tryon and the Sugar Creek area include several Asian American communities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> NoDa (North Davidson), north of Uptown, is an emerging center for arts and entertainment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Myers Park, Dilworth, and Eastover are home to some of Charlotte's most affluent, oldest and largest houses, on tree-lined boulevards, with Freedom Park nearby.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The SouthPark area offers shopping, dining, and multifamily housing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Far South Boulevard is home to a large Hispanic community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many students, researchers, and affiliated professionals live near UNC Charlotte in the northeast area known as University City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The large area known as Southeast Charlotte is home to many golf communities, luxury developments, churches, the Jewish community center, and private schools. As undeveloped land within Mecklenburg has become scarce, many of these communities have expanded into Weddington and Waxhaw in Union County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ballantyne, in the south of Charlotte, and nearly every area on the I‑485 perimeter, has experienced rapid growth over the past ten years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Steele Creek neighborhood which is primarily in Mecklenburg county is located within minutes near Uptown Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since the 1980s in particular, Uptown Charlotte has undergone massive construction of buildings, housing Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Hearst Corporation, and Duke Energy, several hotels, and multiple condominium developments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Parks and green space
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Latta Park was created in 1891 as an amusement park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Bryant Park was established in the 1930s and is one of the earliest small-scale public parks in Charlotte. It is the only green space remaining in West Morehead Street's industrial sector.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Template:Convert Park Road Park is a prominent landmark near the SouthPark area.<ref name="southpark">Template:Cite web</ref> Park Road Park features eight basketball courts, two horseshoe pits, six baseball fields, five picnic shelters, volleyball courts, playgrounds, trails, tennis courts, and an Template:Convert lake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation Department operates 36 tennis facilities and the 12 lighted tennis courts at the park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2013, the Template:Convert Romare Bearden Park opened to the public.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The urban section of Little Sugar Creek Greenway was completed in 2012. Inspired in part by the San Antonio River Walk, and integral to Charlotte's extensive urban park system, it is "a huge milestone" according to Gwen Cook, greenway planner for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the Little Sugar Creek Greenway bears no relation to the San Antonio River Walk. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is prone to flooding during thunderstorms and periods of heavy rain. Creation of Little Sugar Creek Greenway cost $43 million and was controversial because it required the forced acquisition of several established local businesses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County began purchasing flood-prone homes in the 1990s. Voluntary buyouts of 700 households have created around Template:Converts of open land that can flood safely, thereby saving an estimated $28 million in flood damage and emergency rescues.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
McAlpine Creek Park and integrated McAlpine Creek Greenway constructed in 1978 was the first greenway built in the western piedmont of North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
[edit]Like much of the Piedmont region of the southeastern United States, Charlotte has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. Charlotte is part of USDA hardiness zone 8a, transitioning to 7b in the suburbs in all directions except the south.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The following narrative reflects 1991–2020 climate data. Winters are short and fairly mild, with a normal January daily mean temperature of Template:Convert. On occasion the temperature can fall below Template:Convert but Charlotte also enjoys multiple warm winter days in excess of Template:Convert.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/> On average, there are 59 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 1.5 days that fail to rise above freezing.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/>
Precipitation is evenly distributed through the year. Only August stands out as a slightly wetter month, averaging 4.35 inches of rainfall. Summers are hot and humid, with a normal July daily mean temperature of Template:Convert.<ref name="NCDC txt KCLT"/> Hot and humid days can arrive as early as May and last to the end of September. There is an average of 44 days per year with highs at or above Template:Convert.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/> Official record temperatures range from Template:Convert recorded six times on 6 September 1954, 9–10 August 2007 and June 29 to July 1, 2012, down to Template:Convert recorded on December 30, 1880, February 14, 1899 and January 21, 1985.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The record cold daily maximum is Template:Convert on February 12 and 13, 1899.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/> The record warm daily minimum is Template:Convert on August 13, 1881.Template:Efn The average window for freezing temperatures is November 5 to March 30, allowing a growing season of 220 days.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/>
Charlotte is directly in the path of subtropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico as it heads up the eastern seaboard, thus the city receives ample precipitation throughout the year but also many clear, sunny days. Precipitation is generally less frequent in autumn than in spring.<ref name="NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/> On average, Charlotte receives Template:Convert of precipitation annually, evenly distributed throughout the year. Annual precipitation has historically ranged from Template:Convert in 2001 to Template:Convert in 1884.<ref name = "NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/>
There is an average of Template:Convert of snow, mainly in January and February and rarely December or March, with more frequent ice storms and sleet mixed in with rain. Seasonal snowfall has historically ranged from trace amounts in 2011–12 to Template:Convert in 1959–60.<ref name="NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP)"/> Snow and ice storms can have a major impact on the area, as they often pull tree limbs down onto power lines and make driving hazardous. Snow has been recorded a small number of times in April, most recently on April 2, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:As of, the Charlotte metropolitan area as a whole is noted for having one of the worst weather radar gaps among any major U.S. East Coast city, with little to no coverage in a roughly quadrilateral area spanning Concord, Salisbury and much of Statesville.<ref name="WaPo CLT radar">Template:Cite news</ref> As the nearest NWS-owned NEXRAD is located in Greer, South Carolina, more than Template:Convert to the west-southwest of Charlotte, this deficit is particularly problematic during severe thunderstorm or tornado episodes.<ref name="WaPo CLT radar"/> The current lowest angle of the radar, based in Greer, is quite far above the surface over Charlotte, so the velocities measurement for detecting rotations cannot be below mid-level in potential tornado-forming storms and thus cannot indicate whether said rotation extends closer to the ground (below Template:Convert).<ref name="WaPo CLT radar"/>
Demographics
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP008>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 2000 | % 2010 | Template:Partial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 297,845 | 329,545 | 347,363 | 55.07% | 45.06% | 39.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 175,661 | 252,007 | 284,206 | 32.48% | 34.45% | 32.50% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1,589 | 2,250 | 2,177 | 0.29% | 0.31% | 0.25% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 18,264 | 36,115 | 61,420 | 3.38% | 4.94% | 7.02% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 238 | 436 | 427 | 0.04% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 885 | 1,960 | 5,632 | 0.16% | 0.27% | 0.64% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 6,546 | 13,423 | 30,650 | 1.21% | 1.84% | 3.50% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 39,800 | 95,688 | 142,704 | 7.36% | 13.08% | 16.32% |
| Total | 540,828 | 731,424 | 874,579 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In the 2020 census, there were 874,579 people, 342,448 households, and 195,614 families living in the city. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates showed 885,708 residents living within Charlotte's city limits<ref name="PopEstCities">Template:Cite web</ref> and 1,093,901 in Mecklenburg County.<ref name="Bureau">Template:Cite web</ref> The combined statistical area, or trade area, of Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC had an estimated population of 3,387,115 in 2023.<ref name="PopEstCBSA"/> Figures from the more comprehensive 2010 census show Charlotte's population density was Template:Convert. There were 319,918 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="CharlotteCensusData">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Charlotte's population as 30.2% Black and 68.9% White.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, 39.72% of the population was non-Hispanic white, 32.5% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 7.02% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.15% other or mixed, and 16.32% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. This reflected the national demographic shift as Hispanic or Latinos and Asians increased in population.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2020, the median income for a household in Charlotte was $48,670. The median income for a family was $59,452. Males had a median income of $38,767 versus $29,218 for females. The per capita income for Charlotte was $29,825. The percentage of the population living at or below the poverty line was 10.6%, with 7.8% of families living at or below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Religion
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Charlotte has been historically Protestant and remains predominantly Protestant today. It is the birthplace of Billy Graham, and is also the historic seat of Southern Presbyterianism. The changing demographics of the city's increasing population have brought scores of new denominations and faiths.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Wycliffe Bible Translators' JAARS Center, SIM Missions Organization, and The Christian Research Institute make their homes in the Charlotte general area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, Charlotte proper had over 700 places of worship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Presbyterian Church (USA) is now the fourth largest denomination in Charlotte, with 68,000 members and 206 congregations. The second largest Presbyterian denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America has 43 churches and 12,000 members, followed by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with 63 churches and 9,500 members.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America is headquartered in Charlotte, and both Reformed Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary have campuses there; more recently, the religious studies academic departments of Charlotte's local colleges and universities have also grown considerably.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Advent Christian Church is headquartered in Charlotte. The Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is also headquartered in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The largest Protestant church in Charlotte, by attendance, is Elevation Church, a Southern Baptist church founded by lead pastor Steven Furtick. The church has over 15,000 congregants at nine Charlotte locations.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Charlotte's Cathedral of Saint Patrick is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, the head of which is Rev. Peter Joseph Jugis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> St. Matthew Parish, located in the Ballantyne neighborhood, is the largest Catholic parish with over 30,000 parishioners.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte is home to ~28,000 Catholic househilds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Greek Orthodox Church's cathedral for North Carolina, Holy Trinity Cathedral, is located in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Charlotte has the largest Jewish population in the Carolinas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shalom Park in south Charlotte is the hub of the Jewish community, featuring two synagogues, Temple Israel<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Temple Beth El, as well as a community center, the Charlotte Jewish Day School for grades K–5, and the headquarters of the Charlotte Jewish News.<ref>Foundation of Shalom Park – Charlotte. Shalomcharlotte.org. Retrieved on August 25, 2013.</ref>
Most African Americans in Charlotte are Baptists affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, the largest predominantly African American denomination in the United States. African American Methodists are largely affiliated with either the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, headquartered in Charlotte, or the African Methodist Episcopal Church. African American Pentecostals are represented by several organizations such as the United House of Prayer for All People, Church of God in Christ, and the United Holy Church of America.
Template:As of, 51.91% of people in Charlotte practice religion on a regular basis, making it the second most religious city in North Carolina after Winston-Salem. The largest religion in Charlotte is Christianity, with Baptists (13.26%) having the largest number of adherents. The second largest Christian group are the Roman Catholics (9.43%), followed by Methodists (8.02%) and Presbyterians (5.25%). Other Christian affiliates include Pentecostals (2.50%), Lutherans (1.30%), Episcopalians (1.20%), Latter-Day Saints (0.84%), and other Christian (8.87%) churches, including the Eastern Orthodox and non-denominational congregations. Judaism (0.57%) is the second largest religion after Christianity, followed by Eastern religions (0.34%) and Islam (0.32%).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
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Charlotte is the second-largest banking center in the United States, after New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="unc.edu">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Bank of America, the second-largest financial institution by total assets in the United States, is headquartered in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is also home to Truist Financial, the nation's sixth-largest financial institution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte also has become a large employment center for major banks not headquartered in Charlotte:
- Charlotte is the regional headquarters for East Coast operations of Wells Fargo, which is headquartered in San Francisco, California.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte also serves as the headquarters for Wells Fargo's capital markets activities.
- Bank of America's headquarters, along with other regional banking and financial services companies, are located primarily in the Uptown central business district.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- In May 2021, Ally Financial moved to Ally Charlotte Center, which houses its 2,100 Charlotte-based employees and contractors across Template:Convert of the building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- U.S. Bancorp leases Template:Convert in Truist Center to house 850 employees<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- USAA occupies Template:Convert in The Square which is located in South End to house 500 employees.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In September 2022, TD Bank announced its plan to expand its retail in Charlotte with 15 new branches.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- In August 2022 UK based The Bank of London announced it will be leasing Template:Convert in 101 Independence Center to house the 350 jobs they are creating in Charlotte by 2026.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Other large companies, such as Microsoft and Centene Corporation, operate their East Coast headquarters in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2018, Honeywell moved its corporate headquarters to Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In June 2019, Lowe's announced it will be building its Lowe's Global Technology Center worth $153 million, which is set to be complete in 2021 and will be headquartered in South End neighborhood in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, Dole Food Company relocated its headquarters to Charlotte from California, and expanded its presence in Charlotte with its merger with Ireland-based Total Produce in February 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On May 25, 2021, it was announced that Charlotte would become the East Coast headquarters of Credit Karma.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Cedar Fair's corporate office is located in southwest Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 20, 2022, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) announced it will be relocating its headquarters from nearby Greensboro to Charlotte in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 12, 2023, railcar company TTX announced it will move its corporate headquarters to Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
As of 2019, Charlotte has seven Fortune 500 companies in its metropolitan area, including, in order of their rank: Bank of America, Honeywell, Nucor, Lowe's, Duke Energy, Sonic Automotive, and Brighthouse Financial.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte area includes a diverse range of businesses, including foodstuffs such as Harris Teeter,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Snyder's-Lance,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dentsply Sirona, Carolina Foods Inc.,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bojangles,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Food Lion,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Compass Group USA,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Krispy Kreme, Inc.,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. (Charlotte being the nation's second largest Coca-Cola bottler);<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> packaging company Sealed Air,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> financial services company Dixon Hughes Goodman,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> online leading marketplace LendingTree, chemical company Albemarle Corporation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lawn and garden equipment maker WORX, door and window maker JELD-WEN,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> motor and transportation companies such as RSC Brands, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Meineke Car Care Centers, retail companies Belk,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cato Corporation and Rack Room Shoes, along with a wide array of other businesses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is the major center of the U.S. motorsports industry, housing the US's only Formula One team, Haas F1,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> multiple teams and offices of NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately 75% of the NASCAR industry's race teams, employees and drivers are based nearby.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The large presence of the racing technology industry and the newly built NHRA dragstrip, zMAX Dragway at Concord, are influencing other top professional drag racers to move their shops to Charlotte as well.
Located in the western part of Mecklenburg County is the U.S. National Whitewater Center, which consists of human-made rapids of varying degrees, and is open to the public year-round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Charlotte Region has a major base of energy-oriented organizations and has become known as "Charlotte USA – The New Energy Capital".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the region there are more than 240 companies directly tied to the energy sector, collectively employing more than 26,400. Since 2007 more than 4,000 energy sector jobs have been announced. Major energy players in Charlotte include AREVA, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedmont Natural Gas, Albemarle Corp, Siemens Energy, Shaw Group, Toshiba, URS Corp., and Westinghouse.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a reputation in energy education and research, and its Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) trains energy engineers and conducts research.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Over the last couple of years, Charlotte has become a hub in the Information technology industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The area is an increasingly growing trucking and freight transportation hub for the East Coast. There are a couple of reasons for this growth. First, Charlotte's close proximity to major Interstates 40, 85, 77 or 95. Second, geographically it is also positioned within a 650-mile drive to 53% of the US population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A number of Charlotte-based logistics companies have experienced a lot of recent growth. There are few notable expansions in the last ten years that have helped to create Charlotte as a logistics hub. In December 2015 FedEx announced plans to build a number of warehouse buildings in a Concord, North Carolina business park to locate 800 jobs there.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2016 Red Classic, Coke Consolidated transportation subsidiary, announced they would be hiring for an additional 300 jobs between August 2016 and the end of 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The company as of August 2022 has 357 local employees.<ref name="Sharpio">Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2022 XPO, Inc. has spun off RXO into a separate company that is a truckload brokerage. The new company has 750 local employees and $4.7 billion in annual revenue<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in October 2022 Armstrong Transport Group formerly located in the University area after relocating to South End would be adding 100 jobs to its current local headcount of 125.<ref name="Sharpio"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Others logistics companies that have are large Charlotte presence are Maersk North America with 800 employees, Zenith Global Logisitics with 720 employees, Cargo Transporters with 650 employees,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Southeastern Freight Lines Inc. with 517 employees,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Distribution Technology with 400 employees, and Transportation Insight LLC with 375 local employees.<ref name="Sharpio"/>
Charlotte has seen a major construction boom in recent years. Zillow identified the city as the "hottest housing market" in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Numerous residential units continue to be built uptown, including over 20 skyscrapers under construction, recently completed, or in the planning stage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many new restaurants, bars and clubs now operate in the Uptown area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Several projects are transforming the Midtown Charlotte/Elizabeth area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Population increases has also brought about gentrification in the city, particularly in predominantly African-American neighborhoods such as Biddleville and Cherry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2013, Forbes named Charlotte among its list of Best Places for Business and Careers.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Charlotte was listed as the 20th largest city in the US, and the 60th fastest growing city in the US between 2000 and 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| # | Name | Industry | Number of employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atrium Health | Health Care and Social Assistance | 35,700 |
| 2 | Wells Fargo | Finance and Insurance | 24,000 |
| 3 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Educational Services | 18,495 |
| 4 | Wal-Mart | Retail Trade | 17,100 |
| 5 | Bank of America | Finance and Insurance | 15,000 |
| 6 | Novant Health | Health Care | 11,698 |
| 7 | American Airlines | Transportation | 11,000 |
| 8 | Food Lion | Retail Trade | 7,900 |
| 9 | Harris Teeter | Retail Trade | 8,239 |
| 10 | Duke Energy | Utilities | 7,900 |
| 11 | Lowe's | Retail Trade | 7,801 |
| 12 | North Carolina State Government | Public Administration | 7,600 |
| 13 | Daimler Trucks North America | Manufacturing | 6,800 |
| 14 | City of Charlotte | Public Administration | 6,800 |
| 15 | Mecklenburg County | Public Administration | 5,512 |
| 16 | Union County Public Schools | Educational Services | 5,427 |
| 17 | US Government | Public Administration | 5,300 |
| 18 | YMCA of Greater Charlotte | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 4,436 |
| 19 | Adecco Staffing, USA | Administration and Support Services | 4,200 |
| 20 | Carowinds | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 4,100 |
Arts and culture
[edit]Museums
[edit]
- ArtPop Street Gallery<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Bechtler Museum of Modern Art<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Billy Graham Library<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire Education Center and Museum<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Charlotte Museum of History<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Charlotte Nature Museum in Freedom Park<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Charlotte Trolley Museum in Historic South End<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Discovery Place<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Historic Rosedale Plantation<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Levine Museum of the New South<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- The Light Factory Photo Arts Center<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- McColl Center for Art + Innovation<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Mint Museum<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Museum of Illusions Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- NASCAR Hall of Fame<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Second Ward Alumni House Museum<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Sullenberger Aviation Museum<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Performing arts
[edit]- Amos' Southend Music Hall<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Blumenthal Performing Arts Center<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Charlotte Ballet<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Charlotte Symphony Orchestra<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Carolina Theatre<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- ConCarolinas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- ImaginOn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- AvidxChange Music Factory<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- PNC Music Pavilion<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Opera Carolina<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- The Robot Johnson Show<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Citizens of the Universe<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Children's Theatre of Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Theatre Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- JazzArts Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Festivals and events
[edit]The Charlotte region is home to many annual festivals and special events. The Carolina Renaissance Festival operates on Saturdays and Sundays each October and November. Located near the intersection of NC 73 and Poplar Tent Road, the Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the largest renaissance themed events in the country. It features 11 stages of outdoor variety entertainment, a 22-acre village marketplace, an interactive circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament, and a feast, all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Yiasou Greek Festival is a Greek Festival. It began in 1978 and since then has become one of Charlotte's largest cultural events.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Yiasou (the Greek word for Hello, Goodbye and Cheers) Greek Festival features Hellenic cultural exhibits, authentic Greek cuisine and homemade pastries, entertainment, live music and dancing, wine tastings, art, shopping and more.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Taste of Charlotte is a three-day festival offering samples from area restaurants, live entertainment and children's activities. Located on Tryon Street, Taste of Charlotte spans six city blocks from Stonewall to 5th Street.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Moo and Brew Fest is an annual craft beer and burger festival that is the largest in North Carolina, held each April and includes various national musical acts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Breakaway Music Festival is a music festival which takes place at the NC Music Factory and consists of hip hop and electronic music artists and DJs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Heroes Convention is an annual comic book convention held in June at the Charlotte Convention Center. Founded in 1982, it is one of the oldest and largest independent comic book conventions in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte Pride is an annual LGBT event held in August. In 2019, the event attracted 200,000 people to Uptown Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The event's parade became Charlotte's largest annual parade in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte Turkey Trot is an annual 5k & 8k running marathon hosted every Thanksgiving, it is also the largest running event in the state of North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte also has the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market where local farmers sell their produce.<ref name="Daniel 2011 p. 101">Template:Cite book</ref>
Three annual arts and cultural festivals celebrating visual and performing arts are hosted throughout the Charlotte region: BOOM Charlotte<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> hosted in the Camp North End area, the Charlotte International Arts Festival<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> hosted in Ballantyne, and Charlotte SHOUT!<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> hosted in Uptown.
Zoos and aquariums
[edit]Charlotte is "... the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a zoo".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte Zoo initiative is a proposal to allocate Template:Convert of natural North Carolina land to be dedicated to the zoological foundation, which was incorporated in 2008. On August 18, 2012, Channel 14 News says that the initiative is "... still a few years away" and the plot of land is "... just seven miles from the center of uptown". According to the news channel, "... the zoo will cost roughly $300 million, and will be completely Template:Sicfunded."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Charlotte Observer references two other zoos, the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and the North Carolina Zoological Park as two "great zoos" that are accessible from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, both roughly more than 70 miles away.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is also served by the Sea Life Charlotte-Concord Aquarium in the nearby city of Concord. The aquarium is 30,000 square feet in size, and is part of the Concord Mills mall. The aquarium opened on February 20, 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Libraries
[edit]
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library serves the Charlotte area with a large collection (more than 1.5 million) of books, CDs and DVDs at 15 locations in the city of Charlotte, with branches in the surrounding towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson. All locations provide free access to Internet-enabled computers and WiFi, and a library card from one location is accepted at all 20 locations.<ref name="Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Info">Template:Cite news</ref>
Although the library's roots go back to the Charlotte Literary and Library Association, founded on January 16, 1891,<ref name="cmstory.org Web Site">Template:Cite web</ref> the state-chartered Carnegie Library, which opened on the current North Tryon site of the Main Library, was the first non-subscription library opened to members of the public in the city of Charlotte. The philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $25,000 for a library building, on the condition that the city of Charlotte donate a site and $2,500 per year for books and salaries,<ref name="Public Library of Charlotte and Mec">Template:Cite web</ref> and that the state grant a charter for the library. All conditions were met, and the Charlotte Carnegie Library opened in an imposing classical building on July 2, 1903.
The 1903 state charter also required that a library be opened for the disenfranchised African-American population of Charlotte. This was completed in 1905 with the opening of the Brevard Street Library for Negroes, an independent library in Brooklyn, a historically black area of Charlotte, on the corner of Brevard and East Second Streets (now Martin Luther King Boulevard).<ref name="cmstory.org">Template:Cite web</ref> The Brevard Street Library was the first library for African Americans in the state of North Carolina,<ref name="cmstory.org"/> and some sources say in the southeast.<ref name="charmeck.org Web Site">Template:Cite web</ref> The library was closed in 1961 when the Brooklyn neighborhood in Second Ward was redeveloped, but its role as a cultural center for African-Americans in Charlotte is continued by the Beatties Ford and West Boulevard branches of the library system, as well as by Charlotte's African-American Cultural Center.
Sports
[edit]
Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer (MLS).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Panthers have been located in Charlotte since the team's creation in 1995, and the current Hornets franchise has been located in Charlotte since its creation in 1988 (with the exception of the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Panthers and Charlotte FC play their home games in Bank of America Stadium, while the Hornets play in the Spectrum Center.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Panthers have won six division titles from (1996, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015) and two NFC championships in 2003 and 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Carolina has reached the Super Bowl twice but has been unsuccessful in both losing to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 and against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The original Hornets NBA franchise was established in 1988 as an expansion team,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but it relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2002 after animosity grew between the team's fans and principal owner George Shinn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The NBA quickly granted Charlotte an expansion franchise following the departure of the Hornets and the new franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, began to play in 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team retook the Hornets name when the New Orleans–based team renamed itself the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013.<ref>NBA owners give Bobcats OK to change name to Charlotte Hornets, The Charlotte Observer, July 19, 2013</ref> The name change became official on May 20, 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On the same day, the franchise reclaimed the history and records of the original 1988–2002 Hornets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> MLS awarded its expansion team to Charlotte in 2019, which began play as Charlotte FC in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is represented in professional ice hockey by the Charlotte Checkers and in professional baseball at the Triple-A level by the Charlotte Knights.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since 1999, the Knights has been the Triple-A Affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Charlotte Independence are a minor professional soccer club who play in USL League One the third tier of US professional soccer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Independence play their home matches at American Legion Memorial Stadium
The city is also the home of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) headquarters. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 43 states.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Big South Conference is also headquartered in Charlotte. Founded in 1983, the Big South Conference has 11 member institutions with over 19 different sports and completes in the NCAA's Division I.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) also has its headquarters in Charlotte. Founded in 1954, the ACC has 15 member institutions 4 of whom are located in the state of North Carolina with over 28 different sports and competes in NCAA's Division I.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Over the years, Charlotte has hosted many international, collegiate, and professional sporting events. In professional basketball, the city hosted the NBA All-Star Game twice in 1991 at the old Charlotte Coliseum and most recently in 2019 at Spectrum Center.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In collegiate sports, Charlotte hosts the ACC Championship Game and Duke's Mayo Bowl.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city has also been the host many ACC men's basketball tournaments most recently in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2021, Charlotte hosted the ACC baseball tournament.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, Charlotte hosted the PGA Championship at the Quail Hollow Club and is set to host again by 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte will also host the 2022 Presidents Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1994, Charlotte hosted the Final Four.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 1931, Jim Crockett Promotions has been a full-fledged professional wrestling performer, based in the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia states, and has been called Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, WWE has big matches, and many pay-per-view event. Many professional wrestlers living.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Currently, the city is home to two universities that participate in NCAA Division I Athletics: the Charlotte 49ers of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, as well as the Queens Royals of Queens University of Charlotte, who announced their transition from NCAA Division II to Division I on May 7, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Charlotte has participated in 11 NCAA men's basketball tournaments, 14 NCAA men's soccer tournaments, and the football team participated in their first bowl game in 2019 just six years after starting their program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Johnson C. Smith University participates at the NCAA Division II level. Johnson and Wales University participate in the USCAA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Government
[edit]Charlotte has a council–manager form of government. The mayor and Charlotte City Council are elected every two years, with no term limits. The mayor is ex officio chair of the City Council, and only votes in case of a tie. Unlike other mayors in council–manager systems, Charlotte's mayor has the power to veto ordinances passed by the council; the council can override a mayoral veto by a vote of seven of its ten members.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Council appoints a city manager to serve as chief administrative officer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Unlike some other cities and towns in North Carolina, elections are held on a partisan basis. Vi Lyles, a Democrat elected in 2017, became the 59th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was elected to her third term in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Patrick Cannon, a Democrat, was sworn in as mayor on December 2, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 26, 2014, Cannon was arrested on public corruption charges. Later the same day, he resigned as mayor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mayor Pro Tem Michael Barnes served as Acting Mayor until April 7, when the City Council selected State Senator Dan Clodfelter, also a Democrat, to serve the remainder of Cannon's term.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Former Mecklenburg County Commission chairwoman Jennifer Roberts defeated Clodfelter in the 2015 Democratic primary and went on to win the general election, becoming the first Democratic woman to be elected to the post.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was ousted in the 2017 Democratic primary by Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles, who later defeated Republican City Councilman Kenny Smith in the general election to become Mayor of Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Historically, voters have been friendly to moderates of both parties. However, in recent years, Charlotte has swung heavily to the Democrats. Republican strength is concentrated in the southeastern portion of the city, while Democratic strength is concentrated in the south-central, eastern, and northern areas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The city had a Republican mayor from 1987 to 2009.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Charlotte City Council has 11 members (7 from districts and 4 at-large). Democrats control the council with a 9-to-2 advantage, winning all 4 of the at-large seats in the November 2013, 2015, and 2017 municipal elections. While the City Council is responsible for passing ordinances, the city's budget, and other policies, all decisions can be overridden by the North Carolina General Assembly, since North Carolina municipalities do not have home rule. While municipal powers have been broadly construed since the 1960s, the General Assembly still retains considerable authority over local matters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is split between two congressional districts on the federal level. The northern half of the city is in the 12th district, represented by Democrat Alma Adams. The southern half is in the 14th district, represented by Democrat Jeff Jackson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte is represented by ten members of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Mary Gardner Belk (D-88th), Terry M. Brown Jr. (D-92nd), Nasif Majeed (D-99th), John Autry (D-100th), Carolyn Logan (D-101st), Becky Carney (D-102nd), Brandon Lofton (D-104th), Wesley Harris (D-105th), Carla Cunningham (D-106th), and Kelly Alexander (D-107th), and six members of the North Carolina Senate, Mujtaba A. Mohammed (D-38th), DeAndrea Salvador (D-39th), Joyce Waddell (D-40th), Rachel Hunt (D-42nd), Vickie Sawyer (R-37th), and Natasha Marcus (D-41st).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte was selected in 2011 to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention, which was held at the Spectrum Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It began September 4, 2012, and ended on September 6, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, Charlotte was chosen to host the Republican National Convention in August 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States most events were not held in Charlotte.<ref name="brokenpromises">Template:Cite news</ref>
Education
[edit]School system
[edit]The city's public school system, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, is the second largest in North Carolina and 17th largest in the nation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2009, it won the NAEP Awards, the Nation's Report Card for urban school systems with top honors among 18 city systems for fourth grade math, second place among eighth graders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An estimated 144,000 students are taught in 164 separate elementary, middle, and high schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte is also home to many private and independent schools, including British School of Charlotte,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte Catholic High School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte Christian School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte Country Day School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte Islamic Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte Latin School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Grace Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Providence Day School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hickory Grove Christian School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Northside Christian Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Southlake Christian Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and United Faith Christian Academy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Colleges and universities
[edit]
Charlotte is home to a number of universities and colleges such as Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University, Queens University of Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Several notable colleges are located in the metropolitan suburbs. Located in nearby Davidson, North Carolina is Davidson College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additional colleges in the area include Belmont Abbey College in the suburb of Belmont, North Carolina, Gaston College with its main campus in the suburb of Dallas, North Carolina and Wingate University in the suburb of Wingate, North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also nearby are Winthrop University, Clinton Junior College, York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina in the westernmost part of the Charlotte area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
UNC Charlotte is the city's largest university. It is located in University City, the northeastern portion of Charlotte, which is also home to University Research Park, a Template:Convert research and corporate park. With more than 30,000 students, UNC Charlotte is the second largest university in the state system.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in the Carolinas, with more than 70,000 students each year and 6 campuses throughout the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> CPCC is part of the statewide North Carolina Community College System.
The Charlotte School of Law opened its doors in Charlotte in 2006 and was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in 2011. The law school offered the Juris Doctor degree but the Bar association rescinded the accreditation in 2017. Charlotte School of Law, once the largest law school in the Carolinas, has ceased to operate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Pfeiffer University has a satellite campus in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wake Forest University, with its main campus in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, also operates a satellite campus of its Babcock Graduate School of Management in the Uptown area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 24, 2021, it was announced Wake Forest School of Medicine would expand a 20-acre campus in Charlotte by 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Connecticut School of Broadcasting, DeVry University, and ECPI University all have branches in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Universal Technical Institute has the NASCAR Technical Institute in nearby Mooresville, serving the Charlotte area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Montreat College (Charlotte) maintains a School of Professional and Adult Studies in the city. Additionally, Union Presbyterian Seminary has a non-residential campus offering the Master of Arts in Christian Education, and the Master of Divinity in Charlotte near the Beverley Woods area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The North Carolina Research Campus, a 350-acre biotechnology hub located northeast of Charlotte in the city of Kannapolis, is a public-private venture including eight universities, one community college, the David H. Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and corporate entities that collaborate to advance the fields of human health, nutrition and agriculture. Partnering educational organizations include UNC Charlotte and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, from the Charlotte region, as well as Appalachian State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, Shaw University, North Carolina Central University and North Carolina State University.<ref name="N.C. Research Campus Partners and Research">Template:Cite web</ref> The research campus is part of a larger effort by leaders in the Charlotte area to attract energy, health, and other knowledge-based industries that contribute to North Carolina's strength in biotechnology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Media
[edit]Newspaper
[edit]Charlotte has one major daily newspaper, The Charlotte Observer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It boasts the largest circulation in North Carolina<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and South Carolina.
Radio
[edit]Charlotte is the 24th largest radio market in the nation, according to Nielsen Audio. While major groups like iHeartMedia and Urban One have stations serving Charlotte, several smaller groups also own and operate stations in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The local National Public Radio news affiliate is WFAE News, which sponsors a number of podcasts and radio shows.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Television
[edit]According to Nielsen Media Research, Charlotte is the 22nd largest television market in the nation (as of the 2016–2017 season) and the largest in the state of North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Major television stations located in Charlotte include CBS affiliate WBTV 3 (the oldest television station in the Carolinas),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ABC affiliate WSOC-TV 9,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> NBC affiliate WCNC-TV 36,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> CW affiliate WCCB 18,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and PBS member station WTVI 42.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One cable sports network is headquartered in Charlotte: the ESPN-controlled SEC Network.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Raycom Sports is also headquartered in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Other stations serving the Charlotte market include Fox affiliate WJZY 46 in Belmont,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> UNC-TV/PBS member station WUNG-TV 58 in Concord, independent station WAXN-TV 64 (a sister to WSOC-TV) in Kannapolis, and two stations in Rock Hill, South Carolina: MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYT-TV 55 (a sister to WJZY)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and PBS member station WNSC-TV 30. Additionally, INSP is headquartered in nearby Indian Land, South Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2020, CNN established a Charlotte bureau spearheaded by national correspondent Dianne Gallagher.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Cable television customers are served by Spectrum, which offers a localized feed of Raleigh-based Spectrum News North Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Infrastructure
[edit]City services
[edit]Emergency medical services
[edit]Emergency medical services for the city of Charlotte are provided by Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC). MEDIC received over 160,000 calls in 2022 and transported over 107,000 patients in Mecklenburg County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The agency employs over 600 paramedics, EMTs, EMDs and admin staff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In addition to dispatching MEDIC's EMS calls, the agency also dispatches all county fire calls outside of the city of Charlotte.<ref name="medic911.com">Template:Cite web</ref>
Hospitals
[edit]
Hospitals in Charlotte include Atrium Health Mercy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Atrium Health Pineville,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Atrium Health University City,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Carolinas ContinueCare Pineville,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> / Levine Children's, Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority is the public hospital authority of Mecklenburg County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fire department
[edit]The Charlotte Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, public education, hazardous materials (HAZMAT) mitigation, technical rescues, and fire prevention and inspection with 1,164 personnel. Forty-three fire stations are strategically scattered throughout Charlotte to provide a reasonable response time to emergencies in the city limits.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Law enforcement and crime
[edit]Template:See also The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is a combined jurisdiction agency. The CMPD has law enforcement jurisdiction in both the city of Charlotte and the few unincorporated areas left in Mecklenburg County. The other small towns maintain their own law enforcement agencies for their own jurisdictions. The department consists of approximately 1,700 sworn law enforcement officers, 550 civilian personnel, and more than 400 volunteers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
An average of 4,939 vehicles are stolen every year in Charlotte.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
According to the Congressional Quarterly Press; '2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America,' Charlotte, North Carolina ranks as the 62nd most dangerous city larger than 75,000 inhabitants.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the entire Charlotte-Gastonia Metropolitan Statistical Area ranked as 27th most dangerous out of 338 metro areas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Waste treatment
[edit]Charlotte has a municipal waste system consisting of trash pickup, water distribution, and waste treatment. There are five waste water treatment plants operated by Charlotte Water (previously Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte has a biosolids program.<ref name="Charlotte Water">Template:Cite web</ref> Some Chester residents spoke out against the program on February 26, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte's sludge is handled, transported, and spread on farm fields in Chester by a company called Synagro, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Carlyle Group<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Charlotte's sludge is of the "CLASS B" variety, which means it still contains detectable levels of pathogens.<ref name="Charlotte Water"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transportation
[edit]The city of Charlotte has a lower than average percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 7.4 percent of Charlotte households lacked a car, and decreased to 6 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Charlotte averaged 1.65 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mass transit
[edit]
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the agency responsible for operating mass transit in the Charlotte metropolitan area, carrying over 16 million riders annually. Established in 1999 and administered as a department of the city of Charlotte, CATS operates light rail transit, streetcar, express buses, local buses, and special bus services serving Charlotte and the surrounding area in addition to other programs such as vanpool.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
CATS' rail arm, LYNX Rapid Transit Services, comprises two lines as of fall 2020. The Blue Line is an 18.9‑mile line north–south light rail line running through South End, Center City, NoDa, and University City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar, Phase 1 of which opened in 2015, is under Phase 2 construction as of fall 2020. When completed, the Gold Line will link the Beatties Ford neighborhood through Uptown and then south and east to the Elizabeth neighborhood.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The LYNX Silver Line, a light rail line in the pre-project development phase as of fall 2020, will link the southeastern suburbs of Matthews, Stallings, and Indian Trail with Uptown Charlotte and the future Charlotte Gateway Station before extending west to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and across the Catawba River to Belmont in Gaston County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The bulk of CATS ridership is derived from its extensive bus network, which has its main hub at the Charlotte Transportation Center in Uptown, which also connects to the Blue and Gold lines. Other bus hubs are located at community transit centers in SouthPark, Eastland, and at Rosa Parks Place. CATS operates express buses to outlying parts of the city and some commuter bus to the northern suburbs in the Lake Norman area under the MetroRAPID umbrella.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Walkability
[edit]A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Charlotte the 49th most walkable of the 50 largest cities in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Roads and highways
[edit]
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. The latter highway also connects to the population centers of the Rust Belt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte's beltway, designated I-485 and simply called "485" by local residents, was under construction for over 20 years, but funding problems slowed its progress.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The final segment was finished in mid-2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> I-485 has a total circumference of approximately Template:Convert. Within the city, the I-277 loop freeway encircles Charlotte's uptown (usually referred to by its two separate sections, the John Belk Freeway and the Brookshire Freeway) while Charlotte Route 4 links major roads in a loop between I-277 and I-485. Independence Freeway, which carries U.S. 74 and links downtown with the Matthews area, is undergoing an expansion and widening in the eastern part of the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Air
[edit]
In 2011, Charlotte Douglas International Airport was the sixth-busiest airport in both the U.S. and the world overall as measured by traffic (aircraft movements).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The airport handled just over 50 million travellers in 2019, as well as many domestic and international carriers including Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Volaris. It is a major hub for American Airlines, having historically been a hub for its predecessors US Airways and Piedmont Airlines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nonstop flights are available to many destinations across the United States, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, and South America.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 145th Airlift Wing of North Carolina Air National Guard is also located east of the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Intercity transportation
[edit]Template:See also Charlotte is served daily by three Amtrak routes with ten daily trips from a station on North Tryon Street, just outside downtown.
- The Crescent connects Charlotte with New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C.; Charlottesville, and Greensboro to the north, and Greenville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Meridian and New Orleans to the south. It arrives overnight once in each direction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Carolinian connects Charlotte with New York; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Richmond; Raleigh; Durham; and Greensboro. Charlotte is the southern terminus, with the northbound train leaving just before the morning rush and the southbound train arriving in the evening.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Piedmont, a regional companion of the Carolinian, connects Charlotte with Greensboro, Durham and Raleigh with four daily round trips. Charlotte is the southern terminus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charlotte is also served by both Greyhound and low-cost curbside carrier Megabus. Charlotte is a service stop for Greyhound routes running to Atlanta, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York and Philadelphia. It is also a stop for buses running out of Megabus' hub in Atlanta, with connections to Megabus' northeastern routes out of New York.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The city is planning a new centralized downtown multimodal station called Gateway Station. It is expected to house Amtrak, Greyhound and the future LYNX Red Line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is under construction at the former site of the Greyhound station; Greyhound is currently operating from a temporary station nearby.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Sister cities
[edit]Charlotte's sister cities are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Arequipa, Peru (1962)
- Template:Flagicon Krefeld, Germany (1985)
- Template:Flagicon Baoding, China (1987)
- Template:Flagicon Limoges, France (1992)
- Template:Flagicon Wrocław, Poland (1993)
- Template:Flagicon Kumasi, Ghana (1995)
Former
[edit]- Template:Flagicon Voronezh, Russia (1991–2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
[edit]- List of municipalities in North Carolina
- List of Charlotte neighborhoods
- List of tourist attractions in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Urban League of Central Carolinas
- USS Charlotte, 4 ships
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- Graves, William, and Heather A. Smith, eds. Charlotte, NC: The Global Evolution of a New South City (University of Georgia Press; 2010) 320 pages. Essays that use Charlotte to explore how globalization and local forces combine to transform Southern cities. Template:ISBN
- Hanchett, Thomas W. Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte, 1875–1975. 380 pages. University of North Carolina Press. August 1, 1998. Template:ISBN.
- Kratt, Mary Norton. Charlotte: Spirit of the New South. 293 pages. John F. Blair, Publisher. September 1, 1992. Template:ISBN.
- Kratt, Mary Norton and Mary Manning Boyer. Remembering Charlotte: Postcards from a New South City, 1905–1950. 176 pages. University of North Carolina Press. October 1, 2000. Template:ISBN.
- Kratt, Mary Norton. New South Women: Twentieth Century Women of Charlotte, North Carolina. Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in Association with John F. Blair, Publisher. August 1, 2001. Template:ISBN.
- Sanford, Ken. Charlotte and UNC Charlotte: Growing Up Together (2021) summary
External links
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