Herbert Baxter

Herbert Hill Baxter (May 31, 1894 - October 26, 1967) was the mayor of from from 1943-1949. Before becoming mayor, he served on the city council from 1935-1941. Herbert Baxter, a native of Boston, came to Mecklenburg County during World War I when he was stationed at Camp Greene. After the war he returned to Charlotte where he lived for the rest of his life. He founded the Central Lumber Company.

As a civic and local government leader Herbert Baxter was a leader in developing the Charlotte City Club, the Veterans Club and the Charlotte Athletic Club. Herbert Baxter promoted urban renewal programs, airport expansion, the construction of the first Charlotte Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium. His work on the city's Downtown Master Plan and the planning of Independence Boulevard. Ten years before it was rebuilt, Mayor Baxter was a strong advocate of the building of a new and much larger downtown public library to replace the then forty year old Carnegie Public Library. He is remembered as one of Charlotte's most energetic and progressive civic leaders.