Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

You are here

Home

History Timeline

1978 - Changing Customs

September 9, 1978  -A law allowing the sale of liquor by the drink passes in North Carolina. Before, only private clubs could sell liquor by the drink. Patrons who wanted an alcoholic beverage in restaurants would bring their own bottles, often in a paper bag. This was called brown-bagging. The new law helps the city's restaurants and convention business. Liquor Election

Date of Event:

1986 - Shalom Park

May 18, 1986 - Shalom Park, the new center of Charlotte's Jewish community, is dedicated. The city has two Jewish houses of worship: Temple Israel and Temple Beth El. Since one follows beliefs that are more traditional and the other is more modern, the congregations must decide if they want to join together and move to the park. Although both will relocate and build new facilities at Shalom Park, the congregations will choose to remain separate. 

Date of Event:

1996 - Olympic Flame

June 24, 1996 - The summer Olympic games will soon begin in Atlanta, Georgia. A blazing torch symbolizes the spirit of the games. The Olympic flame is traveling through the South and today arrives in Charlotte. Men and women, young and old, of many races and abilities take turns carrying the torch. One man is Kater Cornwell, a veteran of the Vietnam War now confined to a wheelchair. who is not to be prevented from running.

Date of Event:

1969 - Judge's Decision

April 23, 1969 - There is a new judge presiding over the Swann case, the legal action that tests whether integration can actually work in schools. Judge James B. McMillan orders schools to be racially balanced, even if it means children ride buses to schools far away from their own neighborhoods. In Charlotte-Mecklenburg, 20,000 parents sign petitions against Judge McMillan.

Date of Event:

1987 - Down becomes up

February 14, 1987 - No longer will the Charlotte Observer refer in print to the center city as downtown. From now on, the largest daily newspaper in the Carolinas will use the term uptown as a way to help civic leaders promote the upbeat, positive attitude of the Queen City. 

Date of Event:

1991 - NationsBank Soars

July 22, 1991 - NationsBank is announced as a new institution, created by the joining, or merging, of Charlotte-based North Carolina National Bank and Atlanta's C&S Sovran. The new bank will be based in Charlotte and will be headed by powerful civic leader Hugh McColl, Jr. Hugh McColl, Jr. & Bennett Brown

Date of Event:

1974 - Airport Tragedy

September 11, 1974 - On approach to landing, Eastern Airlines flight 212 from Charleston, South Carolina, crashes into farmland three miles short of the runway at Charlotte-Douglas Airport. Most on board, 72 people, are killed. Only 10 people survive. Pilot error is blamed for the crash of the DC-9. It is not the last time such a tragedy will strike Charlotte. Rescuers at site of crash

Date of Event:

1987 - Habitat for Humanity

In July, President Jimmy Carter arrives in Charlotte. He and his team of volunteers are determined. They plan to construct 14 houses in five days for Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds affordable housing for low-income families around the world. The work is back-breaking, but when it is done, the Optimist Park neighborhood has an entire block of new homes. The attention the project draws to Charlotte inspires donors to contribute $1.5 million to build more houses.Jimmy Carter works on Habitat

Date of Event:

1996 - Panthers Prowl

September 2, 1996  - A dream has come true for Carolina sports fans. The Panthers play their first regular season game at the Charlotte's brand new Ericsson Stadium. Thousands cheer as the Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons, 29-6.

Date of Event:

1978 - The Sixth Mecklenburg County Courthouse

During the 1970's and 1980's, the area bordered by Third Street and East Trade Street became a center for government and court buildings . . . The Sixth Mecklenburg County Courthouse opened at 800 East Fourth Street, the first county courthouse to be located off of either Trade or Tryon Streets. - from Courthouses of Mecklenburg County, 1766-2007 (Mecklenburg County, 2007)

Date of Event: