Hezekiah Alexander Homesite
Built in 1774, the Hezekiah Alexander Home off of Shamrock Drive was once an active farm. Today, it is the oldest house in the county, and continues to be a popular historic attraction.
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Turn of the 20th Century: Life in Charlotte 1900 - 1910
Fashion on the Farm
The Griffith Family circa 1900
Occupations in the 1903 Charlotte City Directory
This is a list of jobs or occupations that men and some women had. All of these jobs are listed in the local city directory by occupation. Many disappeared after the invention of the automobile and the manufacturing of other appliances such as gas/electrical stoves, air conditioning, refrigerators, washing machines, vacumn cleaners as well as computers.
Beautiful Old Homes
Grand homes of Charlotte’s most prominent citizens line the streets in uptown Charlotte during the 1900s.
One of the residences in this postcard belonged to Robert A. Dunn. He was the President of Burwell & Dunn Company, wholesale druggists. His home, pictured here, was at 503 North Tryon Street.
The Clothes We Wore
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.
First Time Events
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Edwin S. Porter, of the Edison Corporation, produces the first Western movie, The Great Train Robbery in 1903. (Actor Justin D. Barnes firing at the audience.)
- Odeon and Wonderland show the first movie in Charlotte on March 18, 1907 at The Academy of Music.
Thaddeus Tate Home
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.
Working Women
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.
The Square
“The Square” is the oldest intersection in the city. It’s at Trade & Tryon Streets. This is how it looks around 1900.
Homes and Housewares
Beautiful homes, such as the Robert Miller Home, seen here, once lined the streets of Uptown Charlotte. This is where the elite classes resided before moving out into the suburbs. The vast majority of people live in more smaller homes. Working class people in the mills lived in villages often owned by the owner of the mill. This is a scene from the Hoskins Mill Village.
