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Charlotte, North Carolina

 
     
Charlotte Skyline at Night.
In 1755, Thomas Polk built his home between the Yadkin and Catawba Rivers, at the intersection of two Native American trade routes. The settlement that grew from this was incorporated as a town in 1768. In a few decades the little settlement had grown to become Charlotte Town, so named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg, the German-born wife of King George III, in an effort to gain favor. The county was named after her also, Mecklenburg County.
     
 
In spite of the good intentions of the townspeople, King George continued to impose harsh laws on the citizens until they decided to declare themselves free and independent of the crown. This occurred on May 20, 1775 and the proclamation would become known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The Mecklenburg Resolves were the town’s laws of self-government and were contained within the Declaration.
 
     
During the American Revolution, Charlotte was a campsite for both, the American Army and the British Army. There were several skirmishes between the citizens of Charlotte and the British, earning the town the nickname, “The Hornet’s Nest”.
     
In 1799, a twelve year old boy, Conrad Reed, quite innocently changed the economic outlook of the area by discovering America’s first gold nugget.
     
On March 3, 1835 the US Mint was founded. In 1836, the Charlotte Mint was opened.