Mecklenburg County
42 places on the trail: 41 highway markers, 1 battlefields and state sites.
People of Mecklenburg County in Carolina Quotes
Anthony HamiltonBorn in CharlotteBilly GrahamBorn in CharlotteCharles DukeBorn in CharlotteCharlie SiffordBorn in CharlotteDavid VincentBorn in CharlotteEliza Ann GrierDied in CharlotteErin McKeanBorn in CharlotteGraham T. AllisonBorn in CharlotteJames K. PolkBorn in PinevilleJames Lee BarrettBorn in CharlotteJohn Shelby SpongBorn in CharlotteLuke CombsBorn in HuntersvilleMichael Hamilton MorganBorn in CharlottePeter Joseph JugisBorn in CharlotteRalph SantollaBorn in CharlotteRichard KyankaBorn in CharlotteRyan C. GordonLived in CharlotteSteven M. GreerBorn in CharlotteThomas SowellLived in Charlotte
Colonial North Carolina, 1585-1774
- L-111'WAR OF SUGAR CREEK'Backcountry settlers, in a dispute over property rights, attacked survey crew nearby, May 1765. Typified tensions that l...
- L-69CATAWBA INDIAN RESERVATIONBy survey of 1772 the Catawba Indian reservation boundary in S.C. was made the N.C.-S.C. boundary in this area.
- L-1HEZEKIAH ALEXANDER HOUSEStone dwelling, built ca. 1774, by Revolutionary leader, who helped draft state constitution, 1776. Stands 400 yards S.E...
- L-38NORTH CAROLINA-SOUTH CAROLINANORTH CAROLINA / Colonized, 1585-87, by first English settlers in America; permanently settled c. 1650; first to vote re...
- L-92PHILADELPHIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHCongregation organized, 1770. David Barr, first pastor. Building, completed 1826, is 1/4 mi. E.
- L-107STEELE CREEK CHURCHThe Presbyterian congregation was organized before 1760 by Scots-Irish settlers. Robert Henry, the first permanent pasto...
Revolution and founding, 1775-1789
- L-18BATTLE OF CHARLOTTECornwallis's army captured Charlotte after a fight here with Davie's troops, Sept. 26, 1780.
- L-115MECKLENBURG RESOLVESBold set of anti-British resolutions, adopted on May 31, 1775, in meeting 50 yards S.W. organized by Thomas Polk, fired ...
- L-19NATHANAEL GREENE 1742-1786Replaced Horatio Gates as leader of American army opposing Lord Cornwallis. He assumed command in Charlotte, Dec. 3, 178...
- L-23WILLIAM LEE DAVIDSONWhig general, was killed at Cowan's Ford, Feb. 1, 1781. Davidson College and Davidson County are named for him.
The young state, 1790-1860
- L-9DAVIDSON COLLEGEEst. 1837 by Presbyterian Church. Named for Gen. William Lee Davidson. Woodrow Wilson studied here from 1873-1874.
- L-99GOLD MINESCharlotte was center of region's gold rush after 1825. Rudisill & Saint Catherine, among largest mines, were near here.
- L-78JAMES K. POLK 1795-1849U.S. President, 1845-49. Born nearby in house no longer standing. Land & reconstructed buildings now State Historic Site...
- L-87MINT MUSEUM OF ARTOperated as Branch U.S. Mint, 1837-61. Relocated to present site as art museum, 1936. Building expanded, 1968 and 1985.
- L-80NORTH CAROLINA MILITARY INSTITUTEOpened 1859; D. H. Hill was 1st superintendent; used as Confederate hospital; public school, 1883-1950. Stood near here.
- L-75QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTEPresbyterian. Organized 1857 as Charlotte Female Institute. Campus moved to this location in 1915. Coeducational since 1...
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
- L-3CONFEDERATE CABINETWith President Davis held last full meetings April 22-26, 1865 in a house which was located here.
- L-56CONFEDERATE NAVY YARDEstablished here 1862 following its removal from Portsmouth, Va. Produced ordnance for the Confederate Navy.
- L-31JEFFERSON DAVISConfederate President Davis, moving south after Lee’s surrender, spent April 19-26, 1865, lodging in house which stood i...
- L-117JOHN GIBBON 1827-1896Wrote pivotal artillery manual, 1859. Maj. Gen., Union Army, Civil War. Oversaw Lee’s surrender, 1865. He lived nearby.
- L-101JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITYEst. in 1867 as Biddle Memorial Institute for freedmen. Became a university, 1877. Present name adopted in 1923.
The New South, 1878-1929
- L-116ANNIE ALEXANDER 1864-1929First female physician licensed in N.C., 1885. Acting assistant surgeon at Camp Greene during WWI. Office was here.
- L-5BRANCH U.S. MINTStood a few feet southwest. Operated 1837-61, 1867-1913. Razed, 1933, and rebuilt as art museum three miles east.
- L-53CAMERON MORRISONGovernor, 1921-1925, began state-wide paved road building program. United States Senator and Representative. His home is...
- L-25CAMP GREENEWorld War I training camp operated here on 6,000 acres, 1917-1919. Named for Revolutionary War Gen. Nat'l Greene.
- L-48D. A. TOMPKINS 1851-1914Crusader for southern industrial development, manufacturer, engineer, author, and publisher. Grave is 1/2 mile north.
- O-83FLOOD OF 1916Devastated western N.C. and western Piedmont; destroyed homes, crops, mills, bridges. Ten lives lost, July 16, in washou...
- L-103GEORGE E. DAVIS 1862-1959Organizer & fundraiser, 1921-35, for Rosenwald Schools; program built 813 schools for black students across N.C. Lived 1...
- L-43J. P. CALDWELLEditor of Statesville "Landmark" (1880-92), Charlotte "Observer" (1892-1909). His home stood at this point.
- L-109N.C. LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIESFounded 1908 to promote sound civic management; Progressive era reform. First meeting held here attended by delegates fr...
- L-42S. B. ALEXANDERFirst president of N.C. Farmers' Alliance, 1887. Was N.C. senator & U.S. congressman. Advocate of agricultural education...
- L-114WBT / WBTVOldest broadcast stations in N.C. Est. 1922, WBT radio long hosted live country music. WBTV sign-on, July 15, 1949. Stud...
- L-108X-RAY EXPERIMENTSProf. Henry L. Smith pioneered medical uses for x-rays. Conducted experiments and made radiographs Feb. 1896 in physics ...
Modern North Carolina, 1930 on
- L-105CHARLOTTE SPEEDWAY"Strictly Stock" race, June 19, 1949, launched NASCAR sanctioned series. 3/4-mile dirt track was 200 yds. W.
- L-112HARRY GOLDEN 1902-1981Journalist, humorist, & civil rights advocate. He published, 1944-68, The Carolina Israelite. He lived one block N.E.
- L-118MORRIS FIELDA U.S. Army air base, 1941-1946. Named for Maj. William Morris, WWI pilot. The 5,000 acre facility became airport at thi...
- L-113ROMARE BEARDEN 1911-1988African American artist and writer. Many of his collages were inspired by childhood memories of N.C. Born 1 block N.W.
- L-86UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHARLOTTEEstablished 1946; became Charlotte College, 1949. Moved here 1961. Campus of The University of North Carolina since 1965...
Battlefields, sites and undated markers
- L-40D. H. HILLLieutenant General, C.S.A.; Supt. N.C. Military Institute in Charlotte; Davidson College professor; Editor, "The Land We...
- SitePRESIDENT JAMES K. POLK STATE HISTORIC SITEGovernment, Mexican American War, 18th century vernacular log architecture, homestead.
- L-36TRADING PATHColonial trading route, dating from the seventeenth century, from Petersburg, Virginia, to the Catawba Indians in Caroli...
- L-37TRADING PATHColonial trading route, dating from the seventeenth century, from Petersburg, Virginia, to the Catawba Indians in Caroli...