Charlotte, named after King George III’s wife, sits in Mecklenburg County along the Catawba River in south-central North Carolina. Known as the “Queen City,” it grew rapidly after the arrival of the railroads in the 1850s, cementing its role as a key commercial hub in the Carolinas. By the late 19th century, the city’s cotton mills, hardware stores, hotels, and civic buildings reflected a thriving urban center firmly connected to the national economy. The photos below offer a rare look at Charlotte’s streets, landmarks, and people during that era.
Samuel Wittkowsky operated a dry goods store at 8-10 W. Trade Street (now the Marriott Hotel). A resident of Charlotte in 1860, he had several partners, among them Jacob Rintels and Herman Baruch. Wittkowsky was the first elected president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1879, and one of the founders of the Charlotte Country Club. In this photo you can also see the pillars of the Court House at Trade and Church Streets and the spire of First Presbyterian Church.
The Louise Cotton Mill was built at 1101 Hawthorne Lane in Charlotte. At the time of its completion in 1897, it was the largest mill in Charlotte. In 1901, a large addition was completed. Herbert Smith Chadwick (1856-1899) was the owner. He also built 60 mill houses nearby in rows of five with twelve houses to a row. Chadwick came to an untimely end after being honorably discharged from the Army during the Spanish-American War. One year later, he committed suicide in 1899 while in Boston for business.
The John S. and Mary Myers home at 804 East Avenue.
The Charles W. Tillett House was located at 801 North Tryon Street in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Hezekiah Alexander House was built in 1774. This rock house is located on Shamrock Drive. It is the oldest house in Mecklenburg County. Today it is part of the Charlotte History Museum.
Interior shot of the Southern Manufacturing Club Lounge. This popular men’s club was located on the northwest corner of Poplar and Trade Streets.
Charlotte City Hall in the 1890s was located in the 200 block of N. Tryon Street. This building housed city government offices, the police station, and the fire department.
Located at Trade and Church Streets, First Presbyterian Church is the site of one of the first churches built in the city of Charlotte. The original church was completed in 1823. The current church was built in 1895. It became known as First Presbyterian Church in 1873 with the organization of Second Presbyterian Church.
The Central Hotel was one of the longest operating hotels in Charlotte (1849-1930s). Originally known as the Mansion House, the name was changed in the 1870s. The owners of the hotel boasted of its large, elegant ballroom. It was reportedly the largest hotel between Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA.
The Brown and Weddington Hardware Store was located on Trade Street between College and Tryon Streets. It first appeared in the Charlotte City Directory in 1884.
This is Charlotte’s first real City Hall. Built in 1891, on the corner of Fifth and North Tryon Streets.
This building was the temporary location of Charlotte’s City Hall during a transition period. It was located on the northwest corner of Tryon and Sixth Streets.
The Third Courthouse was located at Church and Trade Streets. Each of the tall, white columns was made from a single pine tree, then stuccoed after being milled. It gave the appearance of marble. When the courthouse was torn down, no one recalled this fact, and the workers were surprised to discover perfectly preserved trees beneath the stucco. It was torn down in 1898.
The Wallis or Wallace house was built around 1756. It was located on Albemarle Road. The house collapsed during an attempt to move it to another site in the 1960s.
This image of farm workers in Charlotte, North Carolina was copied from a brochure entitled “One of Mecklenburg’s Good Roads.” These men are on their way to a ginnery to sell their cotton.
Late nineteenth century image of the northwest corner of the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets (The Square). Notice the covered wagon.
This photograph was taken during an ice storm on December 14, 1890 at the northwest corner of Trade and Tryon Streets. Visible are Samuel Wittkowsky’s Dry Goods Store and the A.B. Reese Company, a pharmacy.
Looking east on Trade Street from the middle of the first block, one can see the R.M. White Ind. Co., a wholesale and retail grocer at 39 East Trade Street. The individual in the street is unknown.
The Third Courthouse was located at Church and Trade Streets. Each of the tall, white columns was made from a single pine tree, then stuccoed after being milled. It gives the appearance of marble. When the courthouse was torn down, no one recalled this fact, and the workers were surprised to discover perfectly preserved trees beneath the stucco. It was torn down in 1898.
The Central Hotel was one of the longest operating hotels in Charlotte (1849-1930s). Originally known as the Mansion House, the name was changed in the 1870s. The owners of the hotel boasted of its large, elegant ballroom. It was reportedly the largest hotel between Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA.
Charlotte City Hall in the 1890s was located in the 200 block of N. Tryon Street. This building housed city government offices, the police station, and the fire department.
