The following is a timeline of the history of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States.
Prior to 19th century
1763 – Mecklenburg County established. 1768 – Charlotte Town incorporated. 1770 – Queen's Museum chartered. 1774 – Charlotte becomes capital of county. 1775 – Mecklenburg Resolves signed. 1777 – Liberty Hall Academy incorporated. 1780 – Battle of Charlotte fought.
19th century 1835 – Charlotte Journal newspaper begins publication. 1837 – Charlotte Mint opens. 1850 – William F. Davidson becomes mayor. 1852 Railway begins operating. Western Democrat newspaper begins publication. 1857 Charlotte Female Institute established. YMCA becomes active. Gas lighting in use. 1858 – Charlotte Military Academy established. 1867 – Biddle Memorial Institute founded. 1875 – Charlotte public schools established.Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina. 1898 1880 – Population: 7,084. 1886 – Charlotte Chronicle newspaper begins publication. 1887 Electric lighting in use. Charlotte Fire Department founded. 1888 – The Charlotte News begins publication. 1890 – Charlotte Post newspaper begins publication. 1891 City hall built. Charlotte Literary and Library Association organized.Laws and resolutions of the State of North Carolina. 1891 Latta Park established 1897 – Elizabeth College established.American College and Private School Directory. 1914
20th century 1903 – Charlotte Carnegie Public Library opens. 1905 Brevard Street Library for Negroes opens. Southern Power Company incorporated. 1908 – Union National Bank founded. 1915 – Temple Israel built. 1921 – WBT radio begins broadcasting. 1924 Hotel Charlotte opens. Radiator Specialty Company founded. 1930 Population: 82,675 Work started to create Bryant Park 1932 – Charlotte Symphony Orchestra formed. 1933 – WSOC radio begins broadcasting. 1935 – Charlotte Municipal Airport established. 1936 – Mint Museum opens. 1940 – Population: 100,899. 1946 – Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina opens. 1947 – The Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte founded. 1949 – WBTV (television) begins broadcasting. 1950 – Population: 134,042. 1955 – Ovens Auditorium opens. 1957 WSOC-TV (television) begins broadcasting. American Commercial Bank formed. 1960 – Population: 201,564. 1961 – Stan Brookshire becomes mayor. 1966 – Charlotte Botanical Gardens established. 1967 – WCNC-TV begins broadcasting. 1968 – Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories Arboretum established. 1970 SouthPark Mall opens. Population: 241,178. 1971 – U.S. Supreme Court decides Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, approving racial desegregation busing. 1973 – Carowinds Monorail begins operating. 1974 – Airplane accident. 1976 – Afro-American Cultural Center established. 1980 – Population: 314,447. 1982 – Heroes Convention (comic books) begins. 1983 – Harvey Gantt becomes mayor. 1985 – Metrolina Theatre Association established. 1986 Opera Carolina formed. Airplane accident. 1987 – WJZY begins broadcasting. 1988 Charlotte Hornets begins play. Charlotte Knights franchise established. 1989 – Hurricane Hugo. 1990 — Population: 395,934. 1991 Blockbuster Pavilion opens. Museum of the New South incorporated. 1992 North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center opens. Carolina Actors Studio Theatre and Carolinas Aviation Museum founded. 1993 City government computer network begins operating. Mel Watt becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 12th congressional district. 1994 WMYT-TV begins broadcasting. Airplane accident. Charlotte's Web Community Network online. 1995 Pat McCrory becomes mayor. Charlotte Convention Center and Tremont Music Hall open. City website online. Carolina Panthers began play as first NFL team in the Carolinas 1997 – Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery. 1998 – Bank of America formed. 1999 – Federal court ends mandated racial integration in schools via busing.
21st century
2000s 2000 – Population: 540,828. 2002 – ConCarolinas begins. 2003 – Airplane accident. 2004 Slow Food Charlotte founded. Street Soccer USA headquartered in city. 2005 – Charlotte Bobcats Arena and ImaginOn open. 2007 Lynx Blue Line light rail begins operating. Billy Graham Library opens. 2009 – Anthony Foxx becomes mayor.
2010s 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art open. Population: 731,424. 2011 – Occupy Charlotte begins. 2012 Little Sugar Creek Greenway built. Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte. 2013 Robert Pittenger becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Population: 792,862. 2014 – Alma Adams becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 12th congressional district. 2015 – Population: 827,121 (estimate). 2016 – September: Protests and unrest following the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott leave several police officers wounded, and a civilian shot.
See also History of Charlotte Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina (list) List of Charlotte neighborhoods Mecklenburg County history National Register of Historic Places listings in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina List of tallest buildings in Charlotte Timelines of other cities in North Carolina: Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Wilmington, Winston-Salem
References
Bibliography
Published in 19th century
Published in 20th century
+ Chronology
Janette Thomas Greenwood. "Bittersweet legacy: The black and white 'better classes' in Charlotte, North Carolina, 1850-1910" (PhD dissertation, U of Virginia; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 1991. 9219286). online at academic libraries.
(fulltext via Open Library)
Published in 21st century
External links
Items related to Charlotte, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)