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Turn of the 20th Century: Life in Charlotte 1900 - 1910

Religious Denominations in Charlotte in 1900

Religious life plays an important role in the daily lives of most Charlotteans. Below is an estimate of the number of churches, both black and white, by denomination. Baptist Churches - 14 Catholic Church - 1 Congregational Church - 1 Episcopal Churches - 6 Jewish Synagogue - 1 Lutheran Churches - 3 Methodist Churches - 14 Presbyterian Churches - 13

Churches in Uptown Charlotte - note that the postcard mistakenly identifies the Tryon St. Methodist church as an "A. M. E." church

Work

There are all kinds of different jobs at the turn of the century, many of which no longer exist. Learn about the different kinds of work that men and women did then and compare that to the job market today. One thing you will learn is many jobs require hard, physical labor. Some people work for ten to twelve hours a day, six days a week just to provide the very basics for themselves and their families.

Performing Arts Centers

Long before television, most Americans relied on traveling theatrical companies to come through their city and perform for two weeks or more. The Trust Building housed the Academy of Arts on its second floor.  Designed by Hook and Rogers, the building itself opened in 1902 at 210-212 South Tryon Street.  It featured a beautiful, ornamental pediment on top which was typical of  the Beaux Art style which was popular at that time.

Presbyterian Hospital

Presbyterian Hospital dates back to 1898. Initially located at the corner of Trade and Mint Streets, in 1903, the facilities occupied the top floor of the North Carolina Medical College, which stills stands on North Church Street. By 1917, the hospital moved into  the buildings of the former Elizabeth College for Women on Elizabeth and Hawthorne Avenues, where it stands today.  The faculty then presented the hospital to the Presbyterian Churches in the area, hence its name.

What Does That Mean? Slang in 1900.

 

 

                        Turn of the Century Slang                                            

Hooligan                                     -  A rowdy person who misbehaves.  (1896)

Jazz                                               -  American musical style  (1916)                

Gadget                                        -   Small mechanical object  (1886)     

YMCA in Charlotte

 The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Charlotte started on November 11, 1874. It moved into this stunning gray building at 206 South Tryon Street in 1888. The YMCA remains here until 1908 when the second YMCA, the building in the second image, opens at 330 South Tryon Street.      

St. Peter's Hospital

St. Peter's Hospital was the first official hospital in Charlotte. Led by Jane Smedberg Wilkes, the women of the St. Peter's Episcopal Church raised the money for the first St. Peter's Hospital in 1876. In the beginning, the hospital was located inside various homes rented by the Hospital Board before a permanent location  was selected in 1886 at 225-231 North Poplar Street. Originally, it was a one-story structure; then a second floor was added, and this is how the building appeared in 1907. 

What's There Now?

What's There Now?

 Throughout this exhibit, you have seen how different Charlotte looks today when you compare it to how the city appeared over a hundred years. In this section, you will discover what is there now and what use to be there many years ago.   Today 614,330 of Mecklenburg’s 801,137 residents live inside the city limits of Charlotte. As of 2002, there are only 300 farms left in Mecklenburg County. Recent data indicates that only 24,442 acres of farmland exists in Mecklenburg County. The county is 526 square miles. 

Trolley Ride to Adventure: Lakewood Park

On May 9, 1909  an article appeared in the Charlotte Observer announcing the opening of Lakewood Park, an amusement park on May 15th.  Located about 3 miles northwest of Uptown Charlotte, the lake & dam were originally created by the Southern Power Company  to cool the power transformers. It measured 600 feet wide and 3,960 feet long.