Historic Hidden Gems in Charlotte
As you fall in love with the Queen City, don’t forget to explore pieces of the past.
by Loán Lake
Pride Magazine
From the grand statue of Queen Charlotte (think the Bridgerton spin-off) at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to the hidden gems you’ll learn about below, Charlotte has plenty of historic sites and landmarks to pique your curiosity. You don’t have to be an archaeologist to discover that the Queen City offers a lot of history.
Biddle Hall at Johnson C. Smith University
Neighborhood: Uptown
Biddle Memorial Hall, the prominent campus centerpiece of Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) with an elegant watch tower, was built in 1884 when the institution was known as Biddle University after Major Henry J. Biddle. The site of key civil rights events, including a speech by Malcolm X, Biddle Hall is the oldest surviving structure on JCSU’s grounds.
Billy Graham Library
Area: West Charlotte
Described as an “ongoing crusade to bring others to Christ,” the library pays homage to the life work of world-renowned evangelist and Charlottean, Billy Graham. Billy Graham Library is organized around the themes of “The Man,” “The Message,” “The Ministry” and “The Mission,” with the message being pre-eminent: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Dunhill Hotel
Neighborhood: Uptown
The 10-story structure opened in 1929 as the Mayfair Manor, less than one month after the stock market crash that launched the Great Depression. The owners purchased the property at the corner of North Tryon and West 6th Street for $250,000 in hopes that the hotel would become one of Charlotte’s most exclusive destinations. Today, the boutique Dunhill Hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America.
Second Ward High School
Neighborhood: Uptown
In 1923, Second Ward High School opened on Alexander Street as the first public high school for Black students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Today, only the gymnasium structure remains as a recreation center following the school’s destruction during urban renewal in the 1970. There are early plans to build a new Second Ward Medical and Technology High School.
Siloam School
Area: East Charlotte
This historic schoolhouse is one of city’s last-standing Rosenwald-era schools that provided education for Black students in the South in the 1800s. Located on the property of the Charlotte Museum of History, the Siloam School is one of Mecklenburg County's oldest remaining African American schoolhouses and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
