Plus, tea for Mother's Day
 
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Sunrise 6:24 a.m. | Sunset 8:15 p.m. |
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📖 Journey into Charlotte’s history

A glimpse of Charlotte’s Museum of History
The pillared archway of a white museum building, surrounded by greenery and trees.
The Charlotte Museum of History tells the history of the Queen City and its inhabitants from the 1760s to present day. | Photo by CLTtoday
When Charlotte was founded, it’s unclear if settlers knew how historic this city would become. But the Queen City’s roots are a key feature of its present-day identity, and that’s what we’re digging through. The city has several museums showcasing the arts, sciences, and culture. One is the Charlotte Museum of History.

Tucked away on Shamrock Road in east Charlotte, the grounds are beautiful and the interior is mind-blowing. The museum is the steward of the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Rock House, the oldest home in Mecklenburg County (coming soon). CMH has four halls and gallery spaces for traveling and permanent exhibitions.

Path of Portraits

The first hall you’ll notice houses the Path of Portraits. It’s an ongoing project with Charlotte creatives to paint the faces of people whose stories in history may not be well-known. Some date back to the 1700s. The first two you’ll notice, John Lawson + Nance and her child.

A hall with a portrait of John Lawson on the left and a man in the background looking at another portrait.

John Lawson’s book, A New Voyage to Carolina, was published in 1709 and documents all types of life and land in the Carolinas.

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Photo by CLTtoday

“Lawson was kind of one of the early explorers of the Carolinas before there was really any settlement here,” says Mea Agazio, the Education & Engagement Manager at Charlotte Museum of History. “He wrote ‘A New Voyage to Carolina,’ documenting the wildlife, the surrounding areas, the people, and Indigenous nations. We still use his writings to kind of learn a little bit more about what Indigenous life was like before pre-colonization.”

A painting and possible image of Nance breastfeeding a child with a plaque describing her history on the right.

There is very little documentation of Nance. We do know she was born into slavery and lived at the Alexander Homesite, had three children there, and left the property in 1786.

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Photo by CLTtoday

The portrait of Nance is breathtaking in person. The re-imagination presents a woman in motherhood but also embodies strength and being.

“Nance was an enslaved woman here on our home site. We know from documents that she had three kids while she was enslaved here. That’s the only documentation that we have of her. But she was more than a mother, an enslaved person. She was powerful. I think that holds a lot of weight,” said Agazio.

The Path currently has a dozen portraits with hopes to expand in telling all the stories of Charlotte.
Learn the Charlotte Hornets' history
Asked

What NC cities did explorer John Lawson help found?
A. Charlotte + Gastonia
B. Bath + New Bern
C. Raleigh + Chapel Hill
D. Greensboro + Winston-Salem
Test your knowledge
 
Events
Wednesday, May 8
  • Employees Only Bar Takeover | Wednesday, May 8 | 6-10 p.m. | DTR SouthPark, 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Ste. J, Charlotte | Cost of purchase | One of the World’s 50 Best Bars takes over DTR SouthPark with delicious cocktails.
  • Cocktail Class: “May is for Margs” | Wednesday, May 8 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Elizabeth Parlour Room, Hooligans FC, 1523 Elizabeth Ave. Ste.120, Charlotte | $65 | Learn how to make a delicious cocktail from the expertise of mixologist Matt Marenna.
  • Galen Deery: “Echos of Ecstasy Tour” | Wednesday, May 8 | 7 p.m. | Amos Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St., Charlotte | $15-$17 | Dance to “Gone with the Wind” as the singer-songwriter takes the stage.
Thursday, May 9
Friday, May 10
  • Music on the Green | Friday, May 10 | 6-9 p.m. | 3555-1 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd., Matthews | Free | Bring your blanket + chair to enjoy an evening of community while listening to live music.
  • River Jam: Amanda Anne Platt and The Honeycutters | Friday, May 10 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | US National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy., Charlotte | $0-$12 | Prepare to be serenaded by original American folk tunes as the band performs for guests on the Whitewater green space.
  • “The Wizard of Oz” | Friday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte | $0-$20 | The Charlotte Cirque & Dance Center presents a new dance and circus production with athletic dancing on the ground and in the air.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Closing
  • The Pizza Peel in Plaza Midwood is closing on Saturday, May 11. The location at 1600 Central Ave. served the community for 10 years. The location in Cotswold will stay open.
Civic
  • Charlotte leaders are considering raising property taxes for the first time in five years to help pay for city services. City manager Marcus Jones recommends a 1.5-cent property tax increase. The increase would cost the typical Charlotte homeowner around $54 more per year. (WCNC)
Announced
  • Visitors to the Lazy 5 Ranch can no longer feed animals from their cars. The move comes after changes in guidelines by the US Department of Agriculture. The exotic animal drive-thru will still provide feedings via horse-drawn wagon rides. (Queen City News)
Eat
  • Attention, foodies. Marina’s Tapas is coming to Optimist Hall. Guests will enjoy authentic Spanish tapas from the same chefs behind Customshop, the neighborhood restaurant in Elizabeth. The food stall is slated to open this summer.
Open
  • Who’s ready to party? A new entertainment event space, The Casey by Beau Monde, is now open in North Charlotte. The 25,000-sqft location includes two levels and ample covered patio space. The venue at 1837 N. Tryon St. was built in 1922. Book your free tour now.
Community
  • Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse, Link and Pin, and The Cellar at Duckworth’s will donate 5% of sales from all locations today to honor four police officers who died in the line of duty on April 29. Proceeds will go toward the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Foundation.
Pets
  • CMPD Animal Care and Control confirmed 47 dogs found safe homes before the kennel construction deadline. There’s still time to adopt more dogs in the next three weeks before the organization further expands the shelter. (WCNC)
Travel
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport reported the top destinations flying out of Charlotte in 2023 were Orlando, New York City, and Atlanta. Nearly all of the major routes in the Queen City saw an increase in departures from 2022 to 2023. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Sports
  • What were the biggest takeaways from Game 2? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the Carolina Hurricanes with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Featured Deal
Plan Ahead
  • Summer camp season is nearly here. Register for Charlotte Country Day School’s 150+ summer camp options, tailored to children ages 3–18 and blending immersive learning + play for a summer-worthy, fun-filled adventure. Bonus: Get swim lessons at the school’s new indoor Klein Aquatics Center as early as June 1.*
 
Restaurants

🫖 Tea time with mom

Experience high tea on Mother’s Day
A view of the table spread including tea, sandwiches, and scone spreads.
A table with a view. | Photo by NASHtoday
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so Charlotte-area restaurants and lounges are hosting special high tea events to celebrate the mom in your life.

Garden-themed Tea Luncheon | Sunday, May 12 | 1-3 p.m. | Sophia’s Lounge, 127 N. Tryon St., Charlotte | $85 | Wear your Sunday best “tea” attire while enjoying scones and snacks in a garden-themed lounge + take a tour of the historic Ivey’s Hotel.

Hats & High Tea | Sunday, May 12 | 3-4:30 p.m. | Cordelia Park, 2100 N. Davidson St., Charlotte | $35 | Indulge in teas and treats + wear a unique tea party hat for a chance to win a prize.

Mother’s Day Tea | Saturday, May 11 | 1-3:30 p.m. | $70 | The Ballantyne Hotel, 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte | $99 | Known for its fine English teas and elegance, spend the afternoon at The Ballantyne Hotel for tea, sparkling wine, and a delectable meal.

Tea Brunch for Mom | Saturday, May 11 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, 2326 Arty Ave., Charlotte | $28-$52 | The Pauline is hosting its fourth annual High Tea brunch with teas, hors d’oeuvres, and a flower arranging session.

Mother’s Day Garden Party Tea | Saturday, May 11 | 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | The Historic Sharpe House, 402 S. Center St., Statesville | $35 | Celebrate your mom with fresh black tea + delicacies from the kitchen.
Answered

On Tuesday, we asked “Who do you want to win the Wells Fargo Championship?”

Charlotte_Rory McIlroy_May_2024

Golfer Rory McIlroy is smiling holding a gold trophy.

With the Wells Fargo Championship happening this week at Quail Hollow Club, there looks to be a fan favorite:

Rory McIlroy — 50%
Collin Morikawa — 33%
Wyndham Clark — 0%
Xander Schauffele — 0%

Voters also wrote to us who they wished to win the tournament:
  • Justin Thomas
  • Max Homa
  • Ricky Fowler
Want to see these players in Charlotte this week?
  • $50 — for final practice round today
  • $89 — daily tickets tomorrow through Sunday.
  • Free — for kids 15 and younger with a paying adult.
6AM City In-house
 
The Wrap
 
CLT_Jack VanderToll

Today’s edition by:
Jack
From the editor
Last weekend may have been a washout, but I’m looking forward to spending plenty of nights this summer at River Jam at the Whitewater Center.

A band performs on a stage at night with lights hanging above them.
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