Dilworth Overview

  • Written by Quincy Acklen

Columnist Jack Claiborne in The Charlotte Observer wrote in 1973, "Four years ago a story in a Sunday edition of The Charlotte Observer asked, 'Can Dilworth be saved?' The answer then from local real estate dealers was, 'No'." In subsequent years, and even in 2006, many residents have continued to ask same question, reflecting the always fragile nature of inner city neighborhoods.

Beginning in 1891 as Charlotte's first street car neighborhood, Dilworth was a special place to live-but by the 1960's Dilworth was fighting to overcome years of blight and decay. In the late 60's, the original Dilworth Community Development Association was formed to rally against further deterioration and encourage a focus on our inner city neighborhood at a time when city planners were focused on the suburbs. From its loosely organized roots, the DCDA grew to serve the larger Dilworth neighborhood, electing its first group of officers and board members 1971. It has been working for Dilworth ever since. Since that time the DCDA worked to see housing codes enforced, zoning and land use modifications made that were appropriate to an inner city neighborhood, and rallied for preservation and rejuvenation of the neighborhood's rich store of houses and commercial buildings.

In 1973, the Dilworth Jubilee began as a celebration of the diverse place known as Dilworth. The Dilworth Home Tour was an outgrowth of the Jubilee, and, as a 1973 editorial column in The Charlotte News said, "It was not just an effort to show off, but to share; the home tour, for example, was intended to not only display the products of renovation, but to pass on the secrets and to perhaps infect visitors with the enthusiasm to try it. The City was invited to see not a wax works or museum, but a work very much in progress. The celebration was not just of the place that is Dilworth, but of the human energy that is trying to make of it a Community." The DCDA has continued to work since that time to reduce the conflict between commercial development and our neighborhood, to encourage political activism, to ensure that elected officials understand the importance of preserving the Dilworth Community, and to work to continue the development of 'community' within this special neighborhood which has a unique place in Charlotte's history. 
 
 
Welcome to Dilworth, Charlotte's original "streetcar suburb."

Trolleys built Charlotte’s earliest neighborhoods—moving people around town and bringing neighbors together daily in their community. Today, Charlotte Trolley, Inc., a volunteer-driven non-profit, continues to bring people together as neighbors, to connect with history, learn and have fun on Charlotte’s favorite mode of transportation. Charlotte Trolley, Inc. Launches “History On Call”

If you drive through the historic Dilworth neighborhood, you’ll probably notice these new street signs displayed prominently:

History on Call sign


Charlotte Trolley, Inc. launches History On Call,” a free cell-phone based tour about significant people and places of Charlotte's history. History On Call is a series of audio dramas you can access by telephone or computer. Each drama tells the story of a moment in history for a specific location. Currently, History On Call showcases six stories of Charlotte's first streetcar suburb, Dilworth. Download a map of the tour at Charlotte Trolley’s website: http://www.charlottetrolley.org and call the tour at 408-794-0860 – a free call on most cell-phone subscription plans.

“So much of our city’s history is embedded in our historic streetcar neighborhoods,” says CTI Executive Director Lisa Gray. “It’s one thing to learn about historic people or events through an exhibit of pictures in a museum. We thought it would be more interesting to create a new kind of experience – one that uses our existing, changing cityscape to showcase some of the stories of Charlotte’s past.”

The audio dramas were penned by local playwright Stan Peal and performed by Peal and local actors Jill Bloede, Mark Sutton, Van Coble and Melanie Baron. The dramas are based on historical records, researched through many sources, including those of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission and the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room at the Main branch of the Public Library.

“The stories we've included are only one layer of Charlotte's history,” says Gray. “Listeners can dial "0" at any point in the History On Call tour, and tell us their stories of these historic places or give us their feedback about the tour.”

Gray notes that future History On Call plans include tours in other historic neighborhoods and foreign language renditions of existing messages. “History On Call gives Charlotteans and visitors alike an easy, fun way to connect with our city’s past – and explore our outstanding neighborhoods.”

History on Call banner
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