The third courthouse . . . was built on the northeast corner of Trade and Church Streets. It was an imposing brick structure with four large columns across the front and and elegant, flowing double staircase in the portico rising to the second floor.. . . A distinctive feature of the courthouse property was the large water tower, or standpipe, which stood immediately behind it. This water tower was a vertical pipe, approximately 17 feet in diameter, which stood twice as high as the third courthouse. It was built in 1881 and provided the necessary water pressure to operate the first running water facilities in Charlotte. from Courthouses of Mecklenburg County, 1766-2007 (Mecklenburg County, 2007)