The turn-of-the century and the automobile brought about an end to livery stables as they quickly became replaced with automobile garages. Thomas B. Hoover is driving one of his carriages. His livery stable was located at 233 Wast Trade Street. (By 1911, the address changed to 239 East Trade Street.) Most families have their own horse and carriage or they rent them from one of the eight local stables.
The Central Hotel started out as a tavern in 1840, by 1900, it was a four-story hotel with an elegant dining room. Located at the southeast corner of the Square (Trade and Tryon Streets), it also featured the Gem Restaurant, which enabled working men to grab a quick lunch.
Approximately fourteen businesses in Charlotte sell books around the turn-of-the-century, but the two most popular stores are Stone and Barringer at 124 South Tryon Street and Brockmann's Book Store at 100 South Tryon Street.
This is an interior shot of Fitzsimmons Drugstore. There are twenty pharmacists who own their own stores throughout Charlotte. Fitzsimmons was at 126 South Tryon Street. Soda shops in drugstores were popular places for young people to socialize and enjoy handmade sodas and milkshakes.
In 1891, the Charlotte Literary and Library Association was a subscription library located above Stone and Barringer's Bookstore. This means the library customers had to pay to use the library. After it closed, it became obvious that a city the size of Charlotte needed a public library. Alderman Thomas Franklin applied to the Carnegie Foundation and secured a $15,000 grant with the stipulation that the city had to provide the site and support the library with no less than $2500 annually. Architects Oliver D. Wheeler and J.M.
The Southern Manufacturers Club, an all men’s club organized in 1894. Fourteen years later in 1908, work began on this handsome building, designed by C.C. Hook, at 134 West Trade Street at a cost of $100,000. Living quarters for the single members were located on the third floor. Some of Charlotte’s most prominent businessmen call this home.
Most towns in America support at least one local band. The Charlotte Drum & Bugle Corp, was a popular town booster. Our city’s motto “Watch Charlotte Grow” appears on the bass drums.
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.
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.
