Have you ever wondered about what Charlotte looked like almost 100 years ago? Our city has changed dramatically, but there are still some historic elements that are familiar today. Take a look at these historic images of the Queen City and get a glimpse into how people lived at the time!
Take a look at the skyline view of Charlotte in the 1920s.
The longer flat building in the center is Charlotte's Cotton Platform. Farmers would bring their cotton crop to be weighed and prepared for shipment.
This image of North Tryon Street shows a bustling downtown area even back then.
People traveled via horse drawn carriage, by buggy, or by walking. The downtown was a popular place for business, shopping and socializing.
In the mid-1920s, the city began using a trolley system for travel.
This image of a trolley headed down East Trade Street is a great representation of what travel looked like more than 90 years ago.
Dilworth neighborhood was Charlotte's first street car suburb.
The neighborhood was established in the 1890s by Edward Dilworth Latta and was initially planned to be the Eighth Ward of Uptown.
Charlotte has been the banking capital of the South since the early 20th Century.
The Charlotte National Bank was built in 1918 and 1919 and was located on the northwest corner of Tryon and 4th streets.
The Citizens Saving and Loan was also a major bank in Charlotte in the 1920s.
You'll notice back then many of the banks were built with a Greek style architecture. This style was meant to convey stability, strength, and solidarity.
The City Hall was located on E. Trade St. downtown.
This location was selected because it was one of the prettiest areas in the city.
This photo is of the Charlotte Fire Department in 1916.
As the city grew, the Fire Department, Police Force, and Medics grew quickly to accommodate the growing city.
The Good Samaritan Hospital was the first private hospital built in North Carolina.
It was built exclusively for the treatment of African Americans in the city and was a historic landmark until 1990, when it was demolished to build Ericsson Stadium (now the Bank of America Stadium).
Presbyterian Hospital was built in 1903 on N. Church Street.
Originally a 20-bed hospital, the organization still exists today on a 20-acre campus on Hawthorne Lane.
Mercy Hospital was established in 1906 by the Sisters of Mercy and was the first Catholic hospital ever built in North Carolina.
The hospital still exists today as part of the Carolinas Medical Center health system and is located in Elizabeth neighborhood.
You can find tons of other amazing historic photos like these from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission here.
How long have you been in Charlotte? Share your memories with us in the comments!
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