Let us see how people dressed in Charlotte over one hundred years ago. Notice how much fabric went into each garment. By this time, factories made most clothing in mass production, making clothing more affordable. However, some women still sewed at home and mended any tears or holes. Hats are still made by hand by experienced milliners. Think about how fashions have changed since then.
The Thaddeus Tate residence once stood at 504 East 7th Street and was typical of the style of homes prevalent in Charlotte in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Some houses mixed various architectural styles because of renovations and personal taste. Most are two stories. Although air conditioning comes along in 1906, most families did not enjoy the benefits until after World War II.
At the turn-of-the-century, very few women work outside the home. The traditional jobs for professional women are teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. The majority of working class women in Charlotte work in a laundry or in textile mills. Click to see the different kinds of occupations women had according to the 1908 Charlotte City Directory followed by the number of Charlotte women in that profession and a brief definition.
“The Square” is the oldest intersection in the city. It’s at Trade & Tryon Streets. This is how it looks around 1900.
Beautiful homes, such as the Robert Miller Home, seen here, once lined the streets of Uptown Charlotte. This is where the elite classes resided before moving out into the suburbs. The vast majority of people live in more smaller homes. Working class people in the mills lived in villages often owned by the owner of the mill. This is a scene from the Hoskins Mill Village.
American Federation of Labor Central Labor Union
Bartender’s League No. 211
Bricklayers & Masons Lodge, No. 3
Brotherhood of Painters, Paperhangers and Decorators Union, No. 329
Carpenters and Joiners Union, No. 558
Charlotte Printing Pressmen & Assistants Union, No. 41
Charlotte Typographical, Union No. 338
3 Car Dealerships
6 Stables
41 Secret and Benevolent Societies
15 Saloons
20 Drugstores
14 Restaurants
34 Boarding Houses and 8 Hotels
34 Fire Alarm Boxes
7 Dairies
13 Newspapers
Many, many hours went into making a hat such as the one this lady is wearing. At this time, hat makers or milliners decorated their creations with feathers, fake and real flowers, berries, leaves, and even stuffed birds. Ladies would purchase a basic hat and the more accessories requested for the hat, the higher the price.
There are over 150 grocers, bakers, and butchers listed in The Charlotte City Directory in the early 1900s. Every neighborhood in the city has its own corner grocer.
The Berryhill Grocery Store in Fourth Ward (Today, the building is the Alexander Michael's Restaurant at 401 W 9th St.)
