A simple bridge that crosses the South Fork of the Catawba River, this new bridge was completed in…read more2014 and connects Lakewood Road and North Main Street, a popular corridor from Cramerton to U.S. 74, Belmont, Charlotte and other points east. The bridge is 40 feet wide and is 444 feet long. One lane in each direction with a pedestrian/bicycle space on each side. It's named after local mill executive C.C. Dawson, who died in 1965. It replaces the original bridge that was dismantled in 2012 and cost $160,000. This new bridge ran to $4m. [Review 116 of 2025 - 4085 in North Carolina - 23683 overall]

This marker near downtown Gastonia recalls this man who grew up here, practiced law here, led the…read morecity as Mayor and then was Governor of the State. The marker reads, "R. Gregg Cherry, Governor of North Carolina, 1945-1949. State legislator. Promoted good roads and rural electrification. Grave is 3 miles S.E." Online, we find more information. "Robert Gregg Cherry, a veteran of World War I, led the state through the closing months of World War II and the years of readjustment to a postwar economy, a period of general prosperity." "As governor Cherry expanded mental health services by increasing hospital facilities and personnel. The state acquired Camp Butner, used by the military during the war, for construction of a mental hospital. During his term the state committed to creating a four-year medical school at Chapel Hill. The compulsory age for attendance in the public schools was raised from fourteen to sixteen. Governor Cherry successfully advocated increased teacher salaries and laid the groundwork for the road-building program initiated by his successor W. Kerr Scott." Lawyer, military hero, local politician who helped change America. Quite the man. [Review 12615 overall, 2407 of 2019.]

As your GPS tells you "Welcome to North Carolina" between Clover and Gastonia, you might notice…read morethis marker that's just a touch north of the gas station. The marker reads, "NORTH CAROLINA / Colonized, 1585-87, by first English settlers in America; permanently settled c. 1650; first to vote readiness for independence, Apr. 12, 1776" and on the other side, "SOUTH CAROLINA / Formed in 1712 from part of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663, it was first settled by the English in 1670. One of the 13 original states." Maybe you're wondering why we have two Carolinas? On the Highway Markers site, there is more information... "Referred to as "the Carolinas" by many today, North and South Carolina since 1712 have been separate entities. Residents and surveyors have disputed and worked to settle the boundary line from the earliest days to the present. The Carolina Charter of 1663 established "Carolana" in the New World and King Charles II granted the land to eight men, called the Lords Proprietors, as thanks for their assistance in returning him to the throne after a short-lived revolution. The two colonies grew and developed distinct histories because of geography, the nature of their settlers, and agricultural products." "By 1710, the Lords Proprietors recognized that the northern and southern sections of the Carolina colony were operating separately and successfully petitioned the crown to divide the colony by 1712. The dividing line between the two began about 30 miles below the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina and the line has been in dispute ever since. A multitude of surveys and border disputes have helped to shape the long history of the dividing line between the two states. For example, the formation of the Catawba Indian Reservation in South Carolina in 1763 is responsible for the sharp angles found south of Charlotte. Even as late as 2001, surveyors were climbing mountains in the far western reaches of both states to settle the boundary issues using GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) technology." [Review 12621 overall, 2413 of 2019.]

This simple granite memorial pays tribute to an important heroine of the American Revolution…read more Largely forgotten, which is shameful. The former McDowell estate here on South Tryon has since been subdivided into a number of different housing developments. Their 200 year old house was since demolished as well to make way for "progress." https://theoldhouselife.com/2018/04/16/demolished-to-make-room-for-townhomes-charlotte-nc/ The stone reads, "1780. In memoriam. Jane Parks. Wife of Captain John McDowell who rode 10 perilous miles to notify American camp of British evacuation of Charlotte. Erected by Mecklenburg Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution." Online, there is more information. "In October of 1780 when a detachment of British troops, that were stationed in Charlotte, were pulling out and heading to South Carolina. At this time in the American Revolution, Savannah and Charleston had already surrendered to British control so it's anyone's guess where these forces were headed (Charlotte was always hostile to the British forces, which is why Cornwallis referred to it as a hornet's nest). As they were heading south, the ran across the McDowell plantation." "After they left, Jane Parks McDowell rode ten miles on horseback, with her baby, to alert the Continental troops that the British were evacuating Charlotte, NC. This allowed them to saddle up, head them off for an attack. Long considered the female Paul Revere. Her house stood quietly and unnoticed for over a century until BNA Homes decided townhomes needed to built on the 16 acres where the house stood." #InternationalWomensDay [Review 14764 overall, 265 of 2021, number 2815 in North Carolina.]

Standing in front of the courthouse, this marker points out a World War I instance of note. Like…read moremost North Carolina markers, the text is brief but there is more information online. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Ferdinand Foch. Commander-In-Chief of Allied armies, 1918, made a speech at the Union County Courthouse, on December 9, 1921." In the speech, he praised America's role in the war and was joined by Governor Cameron Morrison and former Governor Thomas Bickett. Foch had recently participated in the groundbreaking of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City alongside Vice President Calvin Coolidge. Known for his prophetic criticism of the Treaty of Versailles, Foch returned to Europe in 1922 and was later buried at Les Invalides in Paris beside Napoleon Bonaparte. [Review 1308 of 2025 - 4443 in North Carolina - 24860 overall]

Very cool urban "archaeological" find...nobody but locals "in the know" seem to be aware it's even…read morethere! Found out about it from the very nice & informative bartender at Dust Off Brewing (check out doing to the YoCo Brew Trail; check into 6 breweries on the app & get a t-shirt). He couldn't quite remember how to get to it, but after some intensive research, found the geo coordinates. That was honestly the only way to find this place, plus a little guts & guesswork. You can quasi see some portion of the rockwork of the ruinous remains from the paved Riverwalk trail. The "easiest" way to get to the ruins is to follow the Riverwalk Piedmont Medical Center Trail to just before mile marker 1.25; you will see this steep wooden thing with awkwardly placed planks. You basically have to rock-wall climb your way up. From there you are on a mountain biking trail. Follow the arrows for just over a quarter mile and you will see some indicators of the ruins before they open up in front of you. You will most likely have the place to yourself. Really cool to wander around and take it all in. Just be careful with holes and don't walk on or within the actual ruins as they are pretty sketch & unsteady. There are spiders, snakes, and flying insects galore, so put on repellent and stay vigilant cuz it is deep woods! You can either get back down the way you came; I found this gray rock slope that I found easier to navigate than sliding down the wood thing I climbed up. Either way, really neat find and I'm so glad I explored to find it! The paved walkway along the Catawba is also a nice walk to and from!

Dead-center Charlotte, where Trade Street meets Tryon Street. Where North meets South and East…read moremeets West. Independence Square is the "Uptown" of Uptown Charlotte. It is the very center, the core of the Queen City. The Sculpture on each of the four corners are dedicated to Transportation, Future, Commerce and Industry. Try and see if you can recognize the face of the banker in Commerce - it's supposedly retired Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, but I don't see it. It's worth a stop if you're exploring Charlotte.

This is one of Charlotte's most idiosyncratic spots. Charlotteans claim that Mecklenburg county…read moredeclared independence from Britain in 1775, one year before them Yanks at the Continental Congress stole the idea. This original and 100% not-made-up declaration was lost in a house fire 25 years later. Honest. And we commemorate this with The Sculptures at Independence Square, a quartet of vaguely bigoted statues, one of which bares its magnificent bosom to the bustling city below. I cannot explain how her breasts are related to the rampant historical revisionism capitalizing on the success of the American Revolution, but it does make me smile to see such a statue thrust upon our conservative city.

The employee who did our tour was very knowledgeable. And it was only $4. So just do it. I love…read morevisiting different historical places and learning about the times before. It's not a huge place but held a great deal of information. Definitely worth stopping in if you're in the area.

Being from the west coast, I don't get to see many historic places. So I look forward to my annual…read morevisit to the Chartlotte area where I can go a bit further back into US history. On my latest visit, I made my way to the James K. Polk State Historic Site. The site on which it is believed that President Polk was born. There is a museum inside and recreations of period cabins outside. Also a garden and interpretive signs telling a bit about the plants that can be seen around the museum grounds. This is a free site for the most part though you can opt for a guided tour that takes you into the buildings if you are so inclined. I was there late in the day and not long before closing so the tour was no longer being offered. It was still cool to walk around and see the grounds. History doesn't quite come alive here but it becomes more tangible.