Hill's Charlotte (Mecklenburg County, N.C.) City Directory [1945/1946], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > North Carolina > Mecklenburg County > Charlotte > Hill's Charlotte (Mecklenburg County, N.C.) City Directory [1945/1946] > Part 2

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

.Page

Travelers Hotel 1940 Hotels

Worren-Harris Co.

Hardware left top lines and Poge 68

Fuel Dealers .Page

INTRODUCTION

HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., publishers of Southeastern Directories, present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1945-46 edition of the Charlotte City Directory. A new feature, the Honor Roll, marks this edition.

Confidence in the continued growth of Charlotte's industry, population and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be maintained as sections of this Directory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly reflecting Charlotte to the world.

The enviable position occupied by HILL'S Directories in the estimation of the public, has been established by rendering the best in Directory serv- ice. With an unrivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty cooperation of the business and professional men and residents, the publishers feel that the result of their labors will meet with the approval of every user, and that the Charlotte Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the city.

Seven Major Departments

The seven major departments are arranged in the following order :-

THE HONOR ROLL, a new feature, in the preface of the Directory, is an alphabetical list of the Charlotte commercial, industrial and professional concerns that have demonstrated their confidence in the City Directory as an advertising medium, and thereby insured its regular publication.

THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is included in pages 29 to 660, on white paper. This is the only record in existence that aims to show the name, marital status, occupation and address of each adult resident of Charlotte, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation in the city.

THE BUYERS' GUIDE, preceding the Classified and separately paged from 1 to 136, on white paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, business and professional interests of Charlotte. The ad- vertisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the business repre- sented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of supply. In a large commercial and industrial center like Charlotte, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General appre- ciation of this fact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.

THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is included in pages 801 to 868, on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns in alphabetical order under appropriate headings. This feature constitutes an invaluable and indispensable catalog of the numerous interests of the community. The Directory is the common in- termediary between buyer and seller. As such it plays an important part in the daily activities of the commercial and professional world. More buy- ers and sellers meet through the Classified Business Directory than through any other medium.

THE POSTAL UNIT GUIDE, on pink paper, follows the Classified and is separately paged from 1 to 4. This section is reproduced verbatim from copy supplied by the postal authorities.

THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, follows the Postal Unit Guide and is separately paged from 5 to 167. In this section the named streets are ar- ranged in alphabetical order, followed by the numbered streets in numerical order; the numbers of the residences and business concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the nouseholders and concerns are placed opposite the numbers. The names of the intersecting streets appear at their respective crossing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the designation of homes and places of business having tele- phones.

INTRODUCTION

THE NUMERICAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY, on blue paper, follows the Directory of Householders.

Municipal Publicity

The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the city, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a business location, as a manufacturing site and as an educational cen- ter. To broadcast this information, the publishers have placed copies of this issue of the Directory in Directory Libraries, where they are readily available for free public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Charlotte.

The Charlotte Directory Library

Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Charlotte City Directory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of more than 500 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Pub- lishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.

HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers.

Section 28, Copyright Law In Force July 7, 1909

That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall knowingly or wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court.

ASSOCIATION OF

PRO

VBLICO

NORTH AMERICAN

DIRECTORY

PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHERS NOTE

The information in this Directory is gathered by an actual canvass and is compiled in a way to insure maximum accuracy.

The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the cor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the complete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsibility for same can be or is assumed.

The publishers earnestly request the bringing to their attention of any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next edition of the directory.

HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers

CHARLOTTE

"Queen City of the South"

NOW A CITY OF MORE THAN 100,000 POPULATION (Population within a five-mile radius, including Charlotte, 150,000)

(Courtesy The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Inc., Charlotte, N. C.)

Charlotte is located in the center of a territory recognized as the most rapidly developing industrial and commercial section in the South. The eyes of the commercial as well as tourist world are focused on the Piedmont Caro- linas, the section of which Charlotte is the geographic and industrial center.

GOP

10 JONE

INTRODUCTION

The city that had the greatest increase in population between 1930-1940 was Miami, Fla., with the following cities in consecutive order: San Diego, Calif .; Washington, D. C .; Jacksonville, Fla .; Houston, Texas; and CHAR- LOTTE, N. C. Charlotte stood sixth in the nation, with a gain of 21.4%. There are now in the U. S. only 92 cities of more than 100,000 population, and Charlotte is the 91st city, with 100,899 inhabitants in 1940. In 1930 its place was the 101st, so, then, it moved up ten places within the ten-year period.

Hard-surfaced roads radiate from Charlotte in every direction. Eleven highways enter Charlotte. Three national highways cross North Carolina State highways at Charlotte. North Carolina has 9,000 miles of paved roads. Two million people can come to Charlotte from a radius of 100 miles by automo- bile, transact business and return home on the same day.

Charlotte is the distributing center of the Carolinas and is the natural radial point for the railroads of this section. There are eight railway lines radiating from Charlotte, this situation making possible a maximum of rail- way trackage for new industries of various kinds. Charlotte has an abundance of skilled and unskilled labor willing to give an honest day's work for a reason- able wage. Charlotte is not disturbed by continued labor difficulties, strikes and labor agitation.

The quality of Charlotte's water is excellent. The supply is abundant, with a modern filter plant, completed at a cost of $1,000,000 or more, and a daily capacity of 16,000,000 gallons and an average daily pumpage of 8,500,000 gallons.

Electricity, ample and at low rates, has been probably the greatest factor in the industrial and commercial development of Charlotte.

Charlotte's rapid growth as a manufacturing and business center has developed financial institutions commensurate with the demands of the rapidly- growing city and section which they serve.

Charlotte is alive, aggressive and progressive.

Charlotte citizens cooperate in matters which prompt the civic, com- mercial, religious and industrial welfare of the community.

Charlotte is a friendly city. It welcomes the newcomer, be he from the North, West, East or South.

STATISTICAL REVIEW

Slogan-"Watch Charlotte Grow"; also "Queen City of the South."

Form of Government-Council-manager.

Population-1940 U. S. Census, 100,899; local estimate in 1945, 106,000. American-born, 99.7%.

Area -- 19.6 square miles.

Altitude- 780 feet above sea level.

Climate-Mean annual temperature, 60.2 degrees F .; average annual rainfall, 46.05 inches.

Parks-23, with total of 352 acres, valued at $600,000.

Assessed Valuation-City and County, $165, 338, 505, with $2.03 per $ 100 tax rate.

Bonded Debt-$4,052,203.56 -(net). :

Financial Data-2 national banks, 2 state banks and 4 industrial banks, with . total deposits of $422,502,265.02 (Dec. 31, 1944), and total resources of $445,731,086.39 (Dec. 31, 1944). Branch of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond located here. Clearings for national and state banks for 1944, $2,052,448,000. 2 building and loan associations, with total assets of $8,551,003.55 (Dec. 31, 1944).

Postal Receipts-$1,670,490.47 (calendar year 1944).

Telephones in Service -- 31,306.

Churches-175, representing 18"denominations.

Building and Construction-Value of building permits, $806,168 (1944).

INTRODUCTION

Industry-Chief industries of city and surrounding territory: Manufacturing, 55% ; agriculture, 45%. 310 manufacturing establishments, paying wages of $12,750,000 annually and having products valued at $57,- 915,697 annually (last available report).

Trade Area-Retail area has radius of 50 miles, and population of 583,000; wholesale area, radius of 75 miles, and population of 1,131,000. 1,700 retail stores in city, with annual sales of $50,997,000.

Newspapers-2 daily, 1 Sunday and 3 weekly.

Radio Stations-3: WBT, WSOC and WAYS.

Hotels-8, with total of 1,350 rooms. Newest hotel opened in 1940 (200 rooms).

Railroads-4: Southern, Seaboard Air Line, Norfolk-Southern and Piedmont & Northern (last an electric line).

Highways-U. S. 29, 31 and 74; State 27, 49, 262 and 271.

Air Lines-4: Eastern, Delta, State and Southeast.

Airports-2 privately-owned; 1 municipal, 5 miles from center of city. U. S. Government has established an Army Air Base at the Municipal Airport in Charlotte.

INTRODUCTION

Amusements-Largest auditorium in city (also the largest in North Carolina) seats 5,000 persons. Total seating capacity of theatres (13 theatres), 7,500. 13 golf courses in city and suburbs, including 1 municipal course. Hospitals-5, with total of 1,012 beds.

Education-Queen's College (for women) ; Johnson C. Smith University (for colored). 30 public schools, including 3 senior high and 2 junior high. 1 parochial school. Number of pupils in public schools, 18,000; in parochial, 200. Number of teachers in public schools, 554; in paro- chial, 8. Value of public school property, $4,294,587; parochial, $150,000; college, $1,000,000.

Public Libraries-7, including branches, with total of 60,000 volumes. 30 library service stations.

---

City Statistics-Total street mileage, 320, with 150 miles paved. Miles of gas mains, 94; sewers, 276; motorbus routes, 111. Number of water meters, 18,150; light meters, 28,500; gas meters, 7,083. Capacity of water works, 16,000,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 8,500,000 gallons; miles of mains, 258; value of plant, $5,500,000. Fire depart-

INTRODUCTION

ment has 126 men, with 7 stations and 18 pieces of motor equipment. Police department has 101 men, with 7 stations and 20 pieces of motor equipment.

CHARLOTTE "FIRSTS"

Charlotte is first in North and South Carolina in:

Population Telegraph business

Insurance

Warehouse facilities

Number of telephone connections

Motor-truck service

Number of long-distance telephone calls

Railway express

Financial business

Bank clearings

Bank debits

Retail sales

Postal receipts

Radio broadcasting

Railroad facilities

Effective buying income per capita

School enrollment

National corporations maintaining

Motorbus transportation

branches and offices

HISTORY

Charlotte, the county seat of Mecklenburg, named for Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, wife of George III of England, was incorporated as a town in 1768. The name Mecklenburg was given to the county in honor of the Queen's birthplace. The early settlers were made up of Scotch-Irish from Pennsylvania and Virginia; Germans from the same sections; and English, Scotch, Germans, Huguenots and Swiss from the South by way of Charleston.

A court house, constructed of logs, had been built in the town a few years previous to its incorporation, and the county court was held there, which probably accounted for Charlotte being selected as the county seat. The court house was located at the intersection of the streets now known as Trade and Tryon.

Charlotte is famed as the place where the first Declaration of Inde- pendence was made on May 20, 1775.

Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence

"Resolved: That we, the citizens of Mecklenburg County, do hereby dissolve the political bonds which have connected us with the mother country; and absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown, abjuring all political connection with a nation that has wantonly trampled our rights and liberties, and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of Americans at Lexington.

"Resolved: That we do hereby declare ourselves free and independent people; that we are and of right ought to be a sovereign and self-governing people, under the power of God and the general congress; to the maintenance of which independence we solemnly pledge to each other our mutual coopera- tion, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor.

"Resolved: That all officers, both civil and military, in this county, be entitled to exercise the same powers and authorities as heretofore; that every member of this delegation shall henceforth be a civil officer and exercise the powers of a justice of the peace, issue process, hear and determine controversies according to law, preserve peace, union and harmony in the county, and use every exertion to spread the love of liberty and of country, until a more general and better organized system of government be established."

Early Schools and Education

The people of Mecklenburg brought with them, in the settlement of their new country, the love of education. The first schools were conducted in the homes of the teachers of their patrons. Prior to the time of the American Revolution a number of school buildings had been erected. Queens College, or Museum, located within Charlotte, and within the territory of Sugar Creek Church, was the most noted school of Colonial times in Mecklenburg County. This college was located on a lot on South Tryon Street, where later, for many years, stood the Mecklenburg County Court House.

Airplane service

Aviation (general)

Air mail, air express and air passen- ger business Newspaper circulation

Wholesale sales

INTRODUCTION

Early Churches and Religion

Seven churches of importance in Colonial days in Mecklenburg County were: Sugar Creek, Rocky River, Poplar Tent, Hopewell, Steel Creek, Provi- dence and Centre. The congregations of these early churches were composed of men and women of strong character, high motives and dignified demeanor. To their influence throughout the community and upon succeeding generations may be attributed the fine type of Christian citizenship which has characterized the people of Mecklenburg County. Many members of the families composing these seven Colonial churches have gone out to other sections of the U. S., particularly to the Southwestern and Middle Western sections of the country, to establish homes and to carry with them the fine ideals of citizenship and Christian influence of their Mecklenburg ancestry. Numbers of the descendants of these Mecklenburg citizens who moved to other parts of the U. S. make pilgrimages to the venerable churches to read upon tombstones in the old burying grounds records of the lives of their forefathers. Upon anniversary occasions of these historic churches, all-day services are held and men and women from many distant states are numbered among the persons in attend- ance.

CHARLOTTE TODAY

More than 30 years ago the South began to arouse from her bed of rich, deep traditions and better herself. There is a new South today-an onward- driving pulsating South in industry, agriculture and finance.

Fundamentally successful industries develop best where abundant raw materials, mechanical power and stable population combine. Tremendously rich in natural resources, power and raw materials, the South has marched forward with seven-league boots, and today the economic advantages result- ing from the development of her resources are leading the trail of industry southward.

This is true, not only in the textile field, where advantageous conditions of power, climate, labor and living conditions at the source of raw materials have already transferred the center of industry from New England to the South, but in other lines of diversified manufacturing as well.

North Carolina today is the pacemaker of the South; it leads in textile manufacturing and hydro-electric power development, and Charlotte is the

INTRODUCTION

center of a textile manufacturing territory having 770 mills, operating over 10,000,000 spindles and consuming more cotton than any other section in the world.

Charlotte is the center of one of the largest hydro-electric developments in the U. S., the total horsepower developed and in immediate prospect of developing being more than a million.

It is the largest center in the South for textile mill machinery and equip- ment, practically all the large companies in the U. S. and England handling their entire business in the South through Charlotte offices and plants.

It is the "Southern Market" for dyestuffs, laboratories and offices being maintained here by the leading dye corporations of the country.

Charlotte has annual payrolls of over $12,750,000 from 310 widely diversified manufacturing and industrial plants.

Charlotte's Greatest Asset

The climate of Charlotte is outstanding, and can be classed as the city's leading asset. The U. S. Weather Bureau has made records of Charlotte's climate for the past 45 years and the fact is developed that the people of this city live the year 'round in a temperature which averages 60.2 degrees. The

INTRODUCTION

mean maximum temperature is 69.5 degrees and the mean minimum is 50.9 degrees. The vicinity is favored in wind and rain, in sunshine and shadow. Agricultural activities may be pursued practically without interruption through- out the year.

Manufacturers and Manufacturing

Charlotte has many distinct advantages to offer the manufacturer-four competing rail lines, low freight rates, pure water and a convenient location. Manufacturers should investigate this thriving city. Living conditions are ideal. Climate is mild and pleasant, and schools are among the finest in the South. Excellent hotels and shops. Cordial social life. Several excellent golf courses.

Power

Charlotte is the home of the Duke Power Co., operating one of the best steam and hydro-electric systems in the world. Southern electric companies are tied up into a great super-power zone, and abundant "white coal" assures ample power at low cost.

Labor

Charlotte's labor is of the finest in the country today-native, white, sober, industrious. Labor troubles are practically unknown and the labor turnover is small.

Textiles

Here the textile development of the South is centering. Seven hundred seventy mills operate 10,000,000 spindles within 100 miles, and a great busi- ness has grown up in supplying these mills with dyestuffs, cotton, machinery and equipment of all kinds.

Airports

Charlotte's one municipal and two privately-owned airports have facili- ties to meet all the needs of any flier. The city has more privately-owned planes than any other city in the South.

Douglas Airport, owned by the City of Charlotte, is in the ninth year of operation, and has shown a rapid and continuous growth in services to the public. A radio beam tower and control building were erected on the airport property in 1939. This enables practically all planes, flying under adverse weather conditions, to land safely at the airport.

The U. S. Army established an Army Air Base at the Municipal Airport, with an expenditure of more than $2,500,000 in the development of this base and the airport, and this will be enlarged later.

Eastern Air Lines operate seven planes daily through Charlotte. The Delta, State and Southeast lines also operate through the city. Over 2,500 visiting planes, excluding air liners, have landed at Charlotte in one year.

As a Manufacturing Center, Charlotte Offers:

1. Low power rates for manufacturing purposes.

2. Close proximity to the sources of all material for finished products.

3. Cotton, cotton yarns, cottonseed, cotton oil, tobacco, peanuts, kaolin, wood pulp, lumber, etc.

4. Logical location for a manufacturer of commodities for export through the ports of Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston and Savannah.

5. A very desirable type of high-class labor available to manufacturers.

6. Mild climate conditions throughout the year. There are nine months of exceptional open-season weather.

7. The adequate transfer facilities of four railroads, with daily terminal facil- ities of 5,200 carloads.

8. Desirable living conditions and unusual residential developments.

Trade Center and Ideal Distribution Point

Charlotte has a greater population within a 50-mile radius than Rich- mond; a greater population within a 100-mile radius than Atlanta. Char- lotte is the geographical and business center of the Carolinas.

50-mile radius 100-mile radius

Richmond 468,000 2,124,000

CHARLOTTE 583,000

1,972,000

Atlanta

711,000 1,904,000

INTRODUCTION

Charlotte's Trading Territory

Population of city and suburbs, approximately

150,000

Population within 25-mile radius,

250,000

Population within 50-mile radius,

583,000

Population within 75-mile radius,

1,131,000

Population within 100-mile radius,

1,972,000

Population within 150-mile radius, ..

4,500,000

Charlotte offers the finest opportunities of today as the logical location for new industries, distributors, wholesale houses and business interests of every description that wish to take advantage of the manufacturing and trade opportunities in this rapidly-developing section, the richest trading territory in the South.

CHARLOTTE'S GROWTH

Population

1940

.234,012,455.99

1850 U. S. Census

1,065

1941

.294,663,259.19

1860 U. S. Census

2,265

1943

385,567,229.00

1870 U. S. Census

4,473

1944

422,502,265.02

1880 U. S. Census

7,094

1890 U. S. Census.

11,557

1926

$599,069,907.54

1900 U. S. Census

18,091

1927

654,758,277.97

1910 U. S. Census 34,014

1928

685,895,377.79

1920 U. S. Census

46,338

1929

725,602,773.24

1940 U. S. Census

100,899

5-mile-radius (including Charlotte)

150,000

Industrial Plants

1900

1910

108

1925

200

1930

167

1937

183

1938

260

1939

277

1943

285

1945

310

Bank Resources

1900

$ 3,900,000.00

1910

9,970,000.00

1920

41,111,524.00

1923

42,143,554.00

1924

47,333,988.80

1925

60,000,000.00

1926

66,593,522.28

1927

77,207,866.92

1928

77,587,836.44

1932

47,331,867.00

1937

79,304,000.00

1938

94,452,735.77

1939

221,531,351.89

1940

1,135,000.00

1943

713,617.86

1944

814,064.00

Real Estate Taxable Value

1927 (City) . $127,609,350

1939 (City and

County) 139,331,525

1940

(City and

County) 145,230,795

1943 (City and

County) 163,434,015

1938

86,845,519.40

1939

206,288,680.25

Carloadings Inbound

1938

36,793

1939

40,852

1940

45,552

1943

57,839

1944

60,172

Outbound

1938

11,241

1939

13,963

1940

16,439

1943

31,027

1944

34,174

1915

Express Receipts $ 315,000.00

1927

above 700,000.00

1939

1,100,000.00

1940

252,468,994.05

1941

. 314,725,041.27

1943

406,690,971.00

1944

.445,731,086.39

Bank Deposits

1926

$40,005,709.48

1927

46,479,955.20

1928

46,475,693.14

1932

30,563,805.15

1937

69,937,000.00

1944 (City and-

County ) 165,338,505

1930 U. S. Census . 82,675

1932

1404,084,638.69

1936

651,731,959.03

1937

726,253,626.91

1938

769,108,200.00

1939

735,226,831.37

1940

847,446,979.74

1941

1,159,172,561.00

1942 1,739,118,000.00

1943

1,868,817,678.00

1944 2,052,448,000.00

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Hill's Charlotte (Mecklenburg County, N.C.) City Directory [1945/1946], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1945 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1068