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.
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
◾ First Time Events
◾ New Words
◾ Cost of Living
◾ Things Familiar
◾ Things Unknown
◾ Winter Wonders
◾ Holiday Gifts
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Let us see how people dressed in Charlotte over one hundred years ago. Notice how much fabric went into each garment. By this time, factories made most clothing in mass production, making clothing more affordable. However, some women still sewed at home and mended any tears or holes. Hats are still made by hand by experienced milliners. Think about how fashions have changed since then.
The Thaddeus Tate residence once stood at 504 East 7th Street and was typical of the style of homes prevalent in Charlotte in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Some houses mixed various architectural styles because of renovations and personal taste. Most are two stories. Although air conditioning comes along in 1906, most families did not enjoy the benefits until after World War II.
At the turn-of-the-century, very few women work outside the home. The traditional jobs for professional women are teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. The majority of working class women in Charlotte work in a laundry or in textile mills. Click to see the different kinds of occupations women had according to the 1908 Charlotte City Directory followed by the number of Charlotte women in that profession and a brief definition.
