Charlotte

Charlotte is the metropolis of the Carolinas. Located in the south-central part of the state in the Piedmont, near the South Carolina border, it is a center of finance, transportation, wholesale distribution, and manufacturing.

Charlotte was founded by Scoth-Irish and German settlers around 1750, naming their community for Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of King George III. Presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk were born nearby. Before 1849, the area led the nation in gold production. The last full Confederate cabinet meeting was held here April 10, 1865, approving terms of surrender.

Growth came with the coming of the railroad and the development of industry in the early 1900's. The southern Piedmont became the nation's leading textile center, contributing to Charlotte's growth into a major trucking center. By the 1930 census, it had surpassed Winston-Salem as the state's largest city, which it has remained ever since.

Many new skyscrapers have been built in the last decade and several projects are under construction or in the planning stages.