Charlotte is an important business and cultural hub in North Carolina. Its downtown area (Uptown), located on Broad Street between Prospect Street and Tryon Street, is home to some of the most prominent landmarks in the city. Uptown also boasts many restaurants, shops, cultural institutions, and bars, with some of the best dining in the state. Downtown, the University of North Carolina Charlotte, located on the east side of Broad Street, is one of the largest universities in the country.
The heart of Uptown, as it was for hundreds of years, is Charlotte’s historic Fourth Ward. This historic district has been described by historians as a living museum, a living testament to the life of African Americans before the Civil Rights movement. Charlotte is also home to one of the largest African American communities in the United States, the Central Charlotte Historic District, or Central District, comprised of neighborhoods such as East Charlotte, uptown, west uptown, and uptown’s West End. Charlotte’s African American culture is alive and well. It includes historical markers, museums, art galleries, community organizations, and festivals, including a black history month festival, the Historic Fourth Ward Festival, hosted by the Charlotte Black History Center. In addition, the Central District is home to many historical landmarks, including the former Fort Raleigh and Independence Hall.
Uptown, like the rest of Charlotte, is diverse. A walk down Uptown’s Main Street, or one of its main thoroughfares, reveals an eclectic blend of African Americans, Hispanics, Europeans, Asians, Native Americans, and Chinese. Some of Uptown’s historic architecture includes the historic Olde Towne Church, the former Fourth Ward Theater, and the historic Woodrow Wilson House. The historic Uptown neighborhood of Charlotte North Carolina is a great place to live and work and to raise a family.
