Ten Historic Buildings worth Seeing in Charlotte, NC
In Charlotte, North Carolina, it is not difficult for visitors to find wonderful historic buildings to visit:
1. The Charlotte Museum of History and Hezekiah Alexander Home Site are composed of several buildings on an eight-acre wooded area. The Hezekiah Alexander House was built about 1774 on site and is the oldest house in Mecklenburg County. Several other buildings that are part of the Museum consist of historically accurate replicas since the original structures were destroyed or decayed over time.
2. The Charlotte Cotton Mill, constructed on a complete city block, was once a workhouse where entire families spent their days sweating under gruelling working conditions for about $5 a week. Today the structure has become a tourist site viewed by visitors for the building’s historic meaning to the local area.
3. St. Peter’s Hospital opened in 1878. Its wide porches and large front yard provided pleasant vistas for the patients. The hospital operated until 1940 when the structure was reopened as a hotel. The building was converted into condos in 1982. This change led to the restoration of the building’s historic beauty and a renewed life filled with the enjoyment residents find living in the former hospital.
4. The NC Music Factory is located in an area of continuing industrial development. The building was briefly a cotton mill, then an asbestos/textile factory. Currently the complex consists of two of the original mill buildings each housing a live performance stage. Adjacent tenants provide other amenities including dining and other entertainment venues.
5. Alpha Cotton Mill opened in 1888, initially producing yarn. Later it changed to a weaving mill that made quality finished cloth. After renovation the structure reopened in 2006, having changed to a residential facility of 167 units. The reconstruction managed to retain much of the original construction materials.
6. The current home of James, McElroy and Diehl Attorneys at Law, was constructed as a stable in 1902. Repurposed through the years as a car dealership, a feed store and a grocery store. Pender McElroy used to shop in the hardware and feed store that existed at the site from 1944-1984. After his purchase the building underwent a massive renovation and face-lift making it elegant office space inside while retaining the outside authenticity.
7. In 1904 Highland Mills produced gingham, not cotton, in the largest mill in Charlotte. Its use in fabric making ended and the structure sat vacant for over 45 years before being reconstructed as residential housing: Highland Mill Lofts. The entire neighborhood has been renewed through this structure’s renovation to a new life including offices and retail shopping spaces.
8. After the Hoskins Mill began processing cotton in 1904, the community around it adopted its name as well. Manufacture of many different products took place within the structure before the mill closed in 1985. The loft condos which now exist inside the exposed brick building have kept the original pine ceiling beams and support columns, large arched windows and magnificent living quarters with open space provided by seventeen-foot high ceilings.
9. The Grinnell Company was the leading manufacturer of sprinkler systems in the world. The company closed in 1996.The original structure was noteworthy for its unusual ‘M’-shaped roof that led to the choice to restore it for an office complex that includes the original sunroofs magnificently lighting current space.
10. Ivey’s was the popular ‘grande dame’ of department stores in downtown Charlotte. Shopping there was an eventful excursion for the whole family. Today, shops and restaurants, along with office space fill the main level. Above street levels were dramatically altered to house 63 residential units. The exterior was restored to its original grandeur at the same time the interior was restructured.
If you are visiting Charlotte, North Carolina, have a look at Charlotte’s Got A Lot website for updates, ideas and travel advice. For businesses looking to set up or upgrade offices in North Carolina, click here to view available serviced office space in Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh.
