Fashion on the Farm
The Griffith Family circa 1900
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Turn of the 20th Century: Life in Charlotte 1900 - 1910
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.
Little Rock African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
In 1911, you might have seen men moving the Little Rock AME Zion Church from its original location in the Third Ward to Myers Street which was in First Ward. According to church history, a funeral took place inside the church during the move.
Elizabeth College
Although there are very fine institutions of learning for young women throughout the state, most of the private schools are not designed to prepare young women for a profession other than teaching or nursing. However, larger cities, like Charlotte, have schools such as Kings Business College and the Fleming University of Shorthand. Both institutions offer training in office skills.
Good Place To Sleep and Eat
The Central Hotel started out as a tavern in 1840, by 1900, it was a four-story hotel with an elegant dining room. Located at the southeast corner of the Square (Trade and Tryon Streets), it also featured the Gem Restaurant, which enabled working men to grab a quick lunch.
Grace African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Built in 1900, Grace African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is still located at 209-211 South Brevard Street. The building is no longer open to the public, but it still stands.
Reading List
Here is a reading list that a teacher might have assigned students at the turn of the last century. Some of the books are classics, like Robin Hood, and some would have been just published.
Dusk jackets of the books appearing on the reading list.
The Call of the Wild - 1903 by Jack London
Bookstores
Approximately fourteen businesses in Charlotte sell books around the turn-of-the-century, but the two most popular stores are Stone and Barringer at 124 South Tryon Street and Brockmann's Book Store at 100 South Tryon Street.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
St. Mark's Lutheran remains the oldest Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charlotte. Worship services were first held in 1859. The church occupied a number of facilities, including the one seen here at 408 North Tryon Street before moving to its current location on Queens Road. Black Lutherans organized a church with the same name. It was at 510 South Davidson Street. Unfortunately, we do not have an image of that church.
Rural Schools
Rural schools looked quite different from those in the city. Small, one-to-two room schools dotted the landscape in Mecklenburg County. Usually there would be more than one school in a community so it would be within walking distance for the children living in the ten or more nearby farms. Each school had at least one professional teacher for students from grades one to nine. Most children walked to school.