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 Although history might not have been one of your favorite subjects in school, we found a way to make it fun through hands on learning! Mecklenburg County is rich with history. Escape to one of the facilities listed below and experience life in another time.
► Alexandriana
► Dowd House
► Historic Latta Plantation
► Independence Park
► McIntyre Historic Site
► Rural Hill Farm
► St. Mary's Chapel
Alexandriana (704) 896-9808
9921 Old Statesville Road
Huntersville, NC 28269
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Description: Site of monument to signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, May 20, 1775, and homesite of John McNitt Alexander, secretary of the committee that drew the Mecklenburg Declaration and the Mecklenburg Resolves before the American Revolution
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Dowd House (704) 398-2260
2216 Monument Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28208
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Description: Built in 1879, this historic home was once at the center of a 250-acre farm. The childhood home of Willis Frank Dowd, founder of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, and William Carey Dowd, former publisher of The Charlotte News, the Dowd house also served as the U.S. Army's headquarters during the construction of the 2,500 acre Camp Greene, which housed more than 60,000 soldiers during World War I.
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Historic Latta Plantation (704) 875-2312
5225 Sample Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
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Description: Tucked away on the banks of the Catawba River, just 12 minutes from uptown Charlotte, this backcountry 52-acre plantation offers a very personal glimpse into the life of a merchant (James Latta) and his family in rural Mecklenburg County in the early days of our republic. Acknowledged on the National Register of Historic Places, Latta Plantation (circa 1800) consists of the original home and smoke house, fields, farm animals, a garden and interpreters in period clothing.
Historic Latta Plantation is located within Mecklenburg County's 1,290-acre Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. In addition to the Historic Plantation, the preserve provides a nature center, hiking opportunities, fishing, horseback riding, a raptor center and picnic areas with lovely lake and forest views.
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Independence Park (704) 336-2884
300 Hawthorne Lane
Charlotte, NC
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Description: In the heart of the historic Elizabeth neighborhood, Independence Park is the oldest park in Charlotte. The park features a rose garden with a gazebo and an adjacent perennial garden, a playground, athletic facilities and picnic areas. The bronze and stone Arhelger Memorial is one of the centerpieces of the park, dedicated to the memory of a 21-year-old woman who lost her life saving a young child in the Carolina Mountains.
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McIntyre Historic Site
4125 McIntyre Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28216
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Description: The McIntyre Historic Site was the setting of a Revolutionary War skirmish and 19th-century gold mining. Enjoy a picnic and take a walk on the 1/3-mile nature trail.
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Rural Hill Farm (704-875-3113)
4431 Neck Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
www.ruralhillfarm.org
Description: Historic Rural Hill Farm is the 265.3 acre remnant of the homestead of Revolutionary War Patriot Major John Davidson. His plantation, Rural Hill, was the jewel of the Catawba River plantations. On June 2, 1761, Major Davidson married Violet Wilson (1742-1818), the daughter of nearby plantation owner Samuel Wilson. It is believed that the newlyweds received their homestead through a gift of land split off from Samuel Wilson's holdings. Rural Hill features three home sites that were occupied by six generations of the Davidson family for more than 230 years. The hopes, dreams, sacrifices and contributions of these families illustrate the rich cultural heritage that played such an important role in the development of the Carolinas.
► Download info about Rural Hill Summer Camps (52 kb, PDF file)
You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view downloaded material.
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 Historic St. Mary's Chapel
1129 East 3rd Street
Reservations:
(704) 333-1235
Rental Fees:
County Residents $500
non-County Residents $600
Add'l Hr or Other Events $125
Maximum Capacity: 100 guests
More information about renting Historic St. Mary's Chapel.
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