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Turn of the 20th Century: Life in Charlotte 1900 - 1910

Parochial School

By 1900, the O'Donoghue School was the oldest private school in Charlotte. It was established on August 27, 1887 by the Sisters of Mercy. It was first called St. Mary's Seminary. This school was for children whose parents wanted them to receive a Catholic education.  In 1905, the school moved to a larger building at 531 South Tryon Street, and changed its name to the O'Donoghue School after the school's benefactor, Dr. Dennis O'Donoghue.

Chapter One: Fun Facts

Below are things you would have seen in 1900. The date beside each item indicates the year it was invented.

French Fries - 1700s by Thomas Jefferson

Bicycles - 1790

Graham Crackers - 1829

Lawn mowers - 1830

Chewing gum - 1848

Sewing Machines - 1851

Elevators - 1853

Dynamite - 1866

Cracker Jacks - 1872

Mail Order Catalogs - 1872

Ketchup - 1876

Telephones - 1876

Toilet Paper - 1880

Coca Cola by John Pemberton - 1886

Basketball - 1891

Chapter Information

1.  Fun Facts

◾ First Time Events 

◾ New Words 

◾ Cost of Living 

◾ Things Familiar 

◾ Things Unknown 

◾ Winter Wonders 

◾ Holiday Gifts 

1900 Residential Rents

Take a look at how inexpensive it was to rent a house a hundred years ago. This is a copy of an advertisement from the 1903  Charlotte Observer.  A family could rent a seven-room house in uptown Charlotte for $25.00 a month in the early 1900s. In one hundred years, the rent for this same house will be $2000.00

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Shoes

Different shoe styles are not the norm in 1903.  Based on this 1910 advertisement, women had some choices when it came to shoes, but not as many as we do today. The laced up boots seen here were in vogue in 1903 until the late 1900s. To fasten the buttons  a hook was designed to help accomplish this arduous, daily task.      

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Realities in 1900

This is a picture of the Atherton Mill on East Boulevard. Today the building houses condominiums. Until 1901, children under the age of 12 could work in textile mills. After the law changed, children had to attend school. However, this did not apply to children of widowed mothers, who worked to provide support for the family. There are 676 children working in Mecklenburg County in 1900. Their average annual salary is $99.00.

Other realities that would seem harsh include:

Anna Morrison Jackson's Home

Mary Anna Morrison Jackson, widow of General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, made her home in Charlotte off and on until her death in 1915. Mrs. Jackson began living in Charlotte after the death of her husband in 1863. Her first home was located at  507 West Trade Street.  In 1907, she moved closer to town and purchased a home at 306 West Trade Street.   Her house was near the Southern Railway Station.

Winter Clothes

The lack of adequate central heat makes wearing layers of warm clothing essential. Young boys wear knickers, and girls wear thick tights to keep their legs warm. This is a 1907 photograph of the Martin BrothersJohn Wendell Martin, Thomas Marion Martin  and James Martin. They are the sons of Isaac M. and Rebecaa G. Martin.

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