Charlotte, nicknamed the “Queen City” has a very diverse population and is the second largest banking center next to New York City. It is home of Carolina Panthers and the Charlotte Bobcats, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the National Whitewater Center. It is southeast of Lake Norman, the largest man-made lake in North Carolina.

In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population was 842,051.

Charlotte has some of the most beautiful views in America. That was undoubtedly why Thomas Spratt settled in what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood in 1755. With so much activity and culture, it is little wonder that people are really amazed to find that only 6 homes were in Charlotte in 1772 when William Moultrie passed through as a land surveyor.

In 1799, in nearby Cabarrus County, 12-year-old Conrad Reed found a 17-pound rock, which his family used as a doorstop. Three years later, an enterprising jeweler determined it was nearly solid gold, paying the family a paltry $3.50. The first verified gold find in the United States set off the nation’s first gold rush.

Many veins of gold were found in the area throughout the 19th and early 20th century, leading to the 1837 founding of the Charlotte Mint. North Carolina “led the nation in gold production until the California Gold Rush of 1848,” although the volume mined in the Charlotte area was dwarfed by subsequent rushes. Some people still pan gold today in creeks and rivers in and around Charlotte.

Visitors are drawn to the culture and diversity. Local barbers are doing their part in promoting commerce and tourism with their promotions. So, connect with local businesses who provide goods and services.

We encourage you to continue to show your support for small business and the local merchants as local residents and visitors. Connect with them right here.