Located on the grounds of the old Union County Courthouse, this 40 foot tall granite obelisk is a…read morememorial to the Confederate soldiers from Union County. Atop the three-tier granite foundation rests the base of the obelisk. The tall shaft is topped with a polished sphere. All four sides of the base are inscribed. The east face of the base features a Confederate flag, while the east and west faces depict crossed rifles and crossed cavalry sabers, respectively. The monument was installed in 1910 by the Monroe Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. There has been some discussion about removing it and at this time, it is surrounded by chain link fence to prevent damage or vandalism. I suspect that it will be removed at some point soon so stop by while you still can. [Review 15439 overall, 943 of 2021, number 2986 in North Carolina.]

In the modern age, Charlotte is a banking capital. Some say that after New York and San Francisco,…read morethe Queen City is the third biggest financial city in the United States. So it's interesting to learn that this isn't a new phenomenon and has older origins. The marker reads, "Branch U.S. Mint. Stood a few feet southwest. Operated 1837-61, 1867-1913. Razed, 1933, and rebuilt as art museum three miles east." This is marker number L-5 and it was erected in 1969 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. The 1799 discovery of a massive gold nugget in Cabarrus County sparked America's first gold rush, positioning North Carolina and especially Charlotte as a hub of gold production. With local mines like Barringer and Gold Hill fueling the economy, Charlotte secured a branch of the U.S. Mint in 1837, designed by William Strickland in the austere yet refined Federal style. The mint produced gold coins until the Civil War, when it was repurposed by the Confederacy, and later served as a U.S. Assay Office until 1913. Threatened by demolition, the building was saved and relocated to Eastover in the 1930s through the efforts of Mary Myers Dwelle and local citizens. [Review 1432 of 2025 - 4503 in North Carolina - 24983 overall]

this is the second manual soundbite about how Charlotte was the gold standard for gold mines before…read moreall that hubbub out west in '49; it's a little teaser about the history of money and wealth in the pre-industrial south. a nearby mural illustrates a typical day in the mines (sort of) a long time ago sufficient ores were recovered such that Christopher Bechtler opened a private mint in the early 30's followed shortly by a US mint that produced about $5M through 1861. the Rudisill Mine was the largest in the area and was active for over 100 years. bits and pieces of the various and shuttered mines continue to surface as holes are dug to support the contrivances of our modern world. rumor has it there are more of these mining markers in and around south end...

This was a very nice tour and so informative. We got a great tour of the inside of the house as…read morewell as its surrounding areas. So much history! This is a great place to visit if you are in the area. Staff was very nice too and the place is very well maintained.

Beautiful property and enjoyed the history and gardens. Did not get to tour the house as it was…read morenear closing time.

The historical marker reads, "Founder of the nation's first textile factory owned and operated by…read moreblacks, 1897-1904. Mill building is 350 yds. N." It is by the side of the road with no easy parking. Of course, the more information can be found online. "The Coleman Manufacturing Company in Concord represented the first major cooperative effort by North Carolina's African American businessmen and was the first textile operation in the nation owned and operated by blacks. Considerable public attention went to the mill during its relatively short period of operation." "Equipment testing began in late 1898 and full production of cotton yarn a year later. The mill at its peak employed 300 black workers. At the 1900 Exposition Universal in Paris, France, the factory was billed as "the only Negro cotton mill in the U.S." Industry-wide economic troubles forced Coleman to resign in December 1903. Benjamin N. Duke foreclosed on the mortgage in April 1904. Later a section of the mill built by Coleman was operated as Plant No. 9 of Cannon Mills Company." [Review 13180 overall, 497 of 2020.]

Il Grande Disco ('Grand Disc') was designed by a well known Italian artist named Arnaldo Pomodoro…read moreand installed in the middle of Charlotte's Uptown district in 1974. Il Grando Disco is one of six sculptures throughout the world, with the others being in New York, Illinois, Germany, Italy and Chicago.

Located at the entrance of Elizabeth Park, this bronze statue is dedicated to a local hero that…read moremost Americans will not be familiar with. That person is Captain James Jack. He delivered the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence to Congress in Philadephia. This document declaring independence from Great Britain was signed by citizens of Mecklenburg County (a county that includes Charlotte and nearby cities) on May 20, 1775. Notice that this predates the more well known 1776 Declaration of Independence signed by the 13 colonies. It's a nice statue and I learned an interesting bit of history by stumbling upon it.

No, it's not Paul Revere. It's Captain James Jack!…read more According to local legend, a band of local patriots met on May 19, 1775 and drafted a set of Resolves that outlined the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The documents declared that the actions of the British government were intolerable and that Mecklenburg County was no longer under British rule. You'll note that this was BEFORE July 4, 1776. At the time, he was a tavern owner but Captain Jack courageously volunteered to take these powerful documents on the journey from Charlotte to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. His actions were a risk to everything, all for the rights and protections that we take for granted today. If he'd been captured, the documents would certainly have led to his death as a traitor. But he made it and this was no doubt a part of the impetus towards the famous Declaration of Independence that all those other people signed. This statue is in Elizabeth Park, at the corner of Kings Drive and 4th Street, not far from Uptown Charlotte. And the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery on South Tryon has a beer named in his honor. Try it, it's tasty stuff! Round number review! #6400!

The entrance fee to walk around independently is $5 but there isn't much to see except some…read morebuildings with animals that is like visiting a small farm. The buildings that are meant to appear as being refurbished appropriate to the era when the plantation was functioning are minimal, three small single room buildings. Not worth the price. I did not do the guided tour that was $9 to tour the single plantation home for 45 minutes which seemed like a really long tour for the small plantation house. Might be a good tour for school children but wasn't worthwhile for an adult. Plenty of onsite parking on a quiet weekday visit.

Took a bunch of out of towners who wanted to check out a Civil War era place to Latta Plantation…read more Located in the Latta Nature Reserve in Huntersville, the plantation consists of a visitors' center, plantation house, farm, and other assorted buildings. There are a couple of very friendly animals roaming around the farm area and the people who work there are really nice and informative. A Civil War Infantry demonstration was going on the day we went, that was neat, got to learn about how the Confederate infantry lived and operated. Great place to take the kids or people who like Civil War Era history. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 with student ID.