10 Facts About Charlotte You Never Knew Were True
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Carolyn Mulvihill
Author
If you live in Charlotte, you are probably aware that our city has so much to offer and is one of the coolest places to live in the South… but did you know these little known facts about our town? Take a look at these fun facts and test your knowledge of of the QC. We’ll be impressed if you already know them all!
The Carolina Gold Rush began in 1799 after the nation's first golden nugget was found in Cabarrus County by a 12-year old boy. A second nugget was found in 1803, which led to Carolina farmers checking their land for gold and mining in local stream beds until the 1830s.
Today, Reed Gold Mine, the location where the first nugget was found, is a historic landmark in Cabarrus County where tourists can visit and mine for their own gems!
Today, Reed Gold Mine, the location where the first nugget was found, is a historic landmark in Cabarrus County where tourists can visit and mine for their own gems!
The QC is not only an attractive spot to live for most Charlotteans, but it's also caught the eye of some major film and television producers over the years. Famous movies that have filmed in Charlotte include Shallow Hal, The Hunger Games, Sully, Talladega Nights, and Days of Thunder. Some awesome TV shows have been filmed here too! Homeland is one locals loved to see being shot around town from 2011 - 2013, Banshee and The Bachelorette are all TV shows that have made Charlotte famous on the small screen.
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Did you know the United States' 11th president was born right down the road in Pineville? His cabin still stands today and is open to the public to visit, tour, and learn about the President's childhood in North Carolina.
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Did you know our beloved Hornets got their name from British General Charles Cornwallis. During the Revolutionary War, General Cornwallis marched through Charlotte where he met opposing troops. As a result Cornwallis nicknamed Charlotte as "a Hornets Nest of Rebellion," and the name definitely stuck! Centuries later, Charlotte is still referred to as the "Hornets Nest" and our favorite basketball team is named after it.
In 1953, a family-owned kitchen on Wilkinson Blvd. began mass producing and selling pimento cheese to local grocers. Ruth's Salads is now the top pimento cheese producer in the country, and makes 45,000 pounds per week of the tasty Southern spread! Perhaps this is why almost every restaurant in Charlotte features some sort of variation of the dish, from pimento cheese fries to pimento cheese topped burgers.
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This is why Charlotte is fondly nicknamed the Queen City!
North Carolina's oldest Dairy Queen is located on Wilkinson Blvd., and has actually been named a historic landmark in Charlotte. A unique logo featuring an Eskimo holding an ice cream cone makes the shop hard to miss, so next time you're driving by make a stop here and taste the sweetness of history!
We love our pets. So much so that there are three dog bars in Charlotte and endless doggie day cares! There is even a new cat cafe where people can go enjoy a cup of coffee while petting some friendly felines. Is there any place better?
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Don't worry though, we DO have the Lazy 5 Ranch, where you can feed giraffes out of the palm of your hand. We'll take that any day!
...and it is the third fastest growing major city in the United States!
How’d you score on this trivia test? Do you know of any other fun facts about Charlotte? We always love learning more about our wonderful city!
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