Charlotte Museum of History facts for kids
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| Established | 1949 |
|---|---|
| Location | 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States |
| Type | History museum |
The Charlotte Museum of History is a fun place to learn about the past in Charlotte, North Carolina. It first started to protect a very old house, the 1774 Alexander Rock House. Today, the museum shares stories from all parts of Charlotte's history. You can explore exhibits about music in the city or learn about soldiers from Charlotte who served in World War I.
The Museum's Story
The museum's journey began with the 1774 Alexander Rock House. The first tours of this historic house happened on May 18, 1929. These tours were led by a group called the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). They held tours for special events until the early 1940s.
In 1943, the owner of the Rock House, Mr. Eugene M. Cole, gave the house and its land away. He donated it to the Methodist Church for a retirement community. In 1949, the Daughters of the American Revolution leased the house. They wanted to save and protect it. Soon after, they started fixing up the Rock House. They wanted it to look like it did in the 1770s.
A special group, the Hezekiah Alexander Home Foundation, was created in 1969. This group helped raise money for the house's repairs. They collected $200,000 to continue the restoration work. Even with this progress, the foundation needed more help to build a planned visitor center.
In 1975, the city of Charlotte decided to put the house under the Mint Museum. The house site was called the Mint Museum of History. This lasted until November 1985. At that time, the Mint Museum moved all its operations to a new location. On October 13, 1986, the Mint Museum agreed to move the history museum. It went to the city's parks and recreation department. This change happened because some felt the Mint Museum focused more on art than history.
The foundation took over running the house and museum in 1990. The city asked them to raise $2 million. The foundation did even better, raising over $3 million!
In late 1993, the Charlotte Museum of History moved its collections. It had 5,000 historical items spread out in many places. These items moved into a new 1,500-square-foot addition. This was added to their 5,000-square-foot building.
In 1996, the foundation started building a much bigger space. This new building was 36,000 square feet. They raised $7 million for it. The building officially opened on October 24, 1999. In 2002, the foundation changed its name to Charlotte Museum of History, Inc.
Historic Buildings at the Museum
The Alexander Homesite
The museum is home to the 1774 Alexander Rock House. There are also several smaller buildings nearby. These buildings are a short five-minute walk from the main museum. You can take tours inside the Rock House every hour.
The Rock House was finished in 1774. It is the oldest building in Mecklenburg County. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. This home is special not just because it's old. It was also the home of Hezekiah Alexander. He is believed to have signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
Siloam School
The Siloam School is another historic building at the museum. It is a Rosenwald School. The museum fixed it up and moved it to the museum grounds on September 5, 2023. The school officially reopened on June 15, 2024. The Siloam School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
