Dowd House

THE JAMES C. DOWD HOUSE

World War I began in Europe in 1914. When America joined the fight on April 6, 1917, there was a need to mobilize troops quickly. Charlotte, after much deliberation, was chosen to get a camp on July 13, 1917. The military selected the southwest part of the county as the most suitable location, and work to build a camp began almost immediately. Since most of the area chosen was very rural, there were very few existing buildings for the government to use.