Charlotte

Charlotte is located in south/central North Carolina. The city’s nickname ‘The Queen City’ is derived from Charlotte which was named for Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg, wife of King George III who was the king of England. Charlotte was first settled in 1755 by Thomas Polk. During the Revolutionary War, Charlotte was a major location for both American and British armies. There were so many battles in the area that Lord General Charles Cornwallis gave Charlotte the nickname Hornet’s Nest. Today’s NBA team is named Charlotte Hornets to commemorate the city’s history.

Gold was discovered throughout the area in the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, In 1837 the Charlotte Mint was founded in 1837.

Beginning in 1970 Hugh McColl, a banker, transformed the North Carolina National Bank into a major bank. It evolved into what is known today as Bank of America.

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Notable Events and Facts

• In 1799 Charlotte was home to the first verified gold-find in the United States.
• Charlotte is the birthplace of the National Association of Stockcar Automotive Racing or NASCAR. The first ever NASCAR race was held in Charlotte, NC. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947.
• Charlotte is the 2nd largest financial center in the United States with the nation’s largest bank, Bank of America.
• There are more than 750 foreign-owned companies in Charlotte representing 46 countries.
• On May 20, 1861, North Carolina seceded from the Union and was admitted to the Confederacy seven days later.

Historic sites, museums and Places of Interest

North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

The Blumenthal PAC is home to ten outstanding arts organizations including ArtsTeach, Carolina Voices, Carolinas Concert Association, Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Community School of the Arts, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Opera Carolina, and The Light Factory. You can also make your night at the theater a memorable evening with a Dinner Package or you can bring a group of friends and get a discount on tickets through Group Sales. (704)372-1000

The Fourth Ward neighborhood

Approximately 30 city blocks, this neighborhood borders Tryon Street business and entertainment district, and lively Trade Street. It is anchored by the beautiful Fourth Ward Park. You can find a blend of 100 plus year old Victorian homes, luxury condominiums, urban apartments, parks and businesses.

The Lowes Motor Speedway

Located north of Charlotte, it features a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) track that seats 115,000 people, with room for 50,000 more in the infield. Built in 1959, it was the first speedway to host nighttime super speedway racing.

Climate

Charlotte offers the benefits of both the mountains and the ocean. The climate for Charlotte is Moderate and sunny, the sub-tropical climate is characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers The driest month in Charlotte is April with 2.95 inches of precipitation, and with 4.39 inches March is the wettest month. Severe weather, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, is a rarity in Charlotte. The city is located outside principal tornado zones and the typical path of hurricanes along the east coast is such that storm centers are usually at sea by the time storms reach this latitude.

Geo

Latitude: 35.2269444 N
Longitude: -80.8433333 W
Elevation is 751 ft (229 m)
Average High Temperature (July): 89 °F (31 °C)
Average Low Temperature (January): 31 °F (-1 °C)

Bio

Charlotte‘s population according to the Census bureau estimate for 2008 is 687,456 and it is ranked as the 18th largest city in the United States.