Charlotte | The Financial Center Of The South East

Charlotte is a thriving city that is known as the Queen City. It is the second largest financial center in the US and is home to many of the country’s top corporations, including Greater Life. It is also a major tourism hub and a cultural hotspot.

In the late 1700s, European settlers chartered the town of Charlotte in Mecklenburg County. Named after King George III’s wife, the new hamlet of Charlotte was built on a grid of square blocks, reflecting its time under Colonial influence.

Today’s Charlotte is a vibrant, diverse community that celebrates its rich history. In Uptown, Independence Square features four statues that link Charlotte’s past with its future. Each symbol symbolizes a part of the city’s history: A woman and child in textile mill worker uniforms represent industry, a gold miner symbolizes commerce, an African-American railroad worker signifies transportation and a man with a rifle stands for military.

At the base of each monument is a plaque commemorating events that have shaped the city’s history. From the 1799 gold rush to World War II, there has been no shortage of historic events in and around Charlotte that have made it an important place to visit.

A number of historical sites and museums in the city are open to visitors. These include the James K Polk Historic Site in Pineville, the Carolina Aviation Museum, and The Charlotte Museum of History in East Charlotte.

The Charlotte Observer and Charlotte Weekly are two daily newspapers that are widely available throughout the city. The Observer is widely perceived as a left-leaning newspaper, while the Weekly tends to lean more towards a neutral position.

One of the most significant features of Charlotte’s early history was its position as a crossroads. Its location along the main rail line between Richmond and Atlanta meant that the city was a major trade center and manufacturing hub.

As the railway lines became more firmly established, Charlotte’s population began to rise rapidly. From 1850 to 1860, the city’s population rose 78 percent, making it one of the fastest growing cities in North Carolina.

After the Civil War, Charlotte again became a leading trade and manufacturing center in the Carolinas. During the booming industrial period in the Piedmont, the city’s location at the center of networks of railroads and paved highways made it a natural home for textile manufacturers, as well as distributors and suppliers.

Textiles are still a big part of the city’s economy, but other industries have taken hold. Banking, health care, government and technology have become important sectors of the local economy.

A large percentage of the city’s population is made up of immigrants, primarily from Asia and Latin America. The ethnic diversity has created a vibrant culture that is rich in international flavors and thriving with local family-owned and locally built businesses.

Professional sports are a huge attraction in Charlotte, with the Hornets and Carolina Panthers both based here. The city has a variety of entertainment options to suit any taste and budget, including museums, sports arenas and theaters.