Derita (Charlotte neighborhood) facts for kids
Derita is a neighborhood located a few miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina. It's like a small community within the bigger city of Charlotte. Derita is surrounded by major roads: I-77 is to its west, I-85 is to its east, and WT Harris Blvd is to the north. The main area for shops and businesses is along West Sugar Creek Road. You can find Derita right in the middle of Mecklenburg County.
Contents
A Look Back: Derita's History
How Derita Began
The community of Derita started to grow around 1860. Before that, this area was mostly large family farms. These farms were created from forests and fields where the Sugaree Indians once lived, hunting wild animals and making tools like arrowheads. The first post office in Derita opened in 1882. Amos L. Rumple was the first postmaster. The village was named after Derita Lewis, who was a friend of Mr. Rumple.
Derita's Growth and Changes
By the 1950s and 1960s, the farms in Derita began to change. More and more houses were built as Charlotte grew bigger. Today, there are over 60,000 homes in the Derita area. Big companies like IBM and the (First Union) Wachovia Center moved into the Derita area.
From 1914 until the 1930s, the Ford Motor Company had a special service and assembly plant here. At one point, this plant was making 300 cars every day!
Education and Nature in Derita
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) started an interesting education project in Derita. It was called Governor's Village. This project grouped schools from first grade all the way to twelfth grade together.
Mecklenburg County also bought large areas of woodlands in Derita. They created the 320-acre (1.3 km2) Nevin Community Park. They also made the 192-acre (0.78 km2) RibbonWalk Forest nature preserve. These are great places for people to enjoy nature. The main office for MEDIC, which is Mecklenburg County's EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Agency, is also located on Statesville Road in Derita.
Who Lives in Derita?
A Diverse Community
Derita is a very diverse place, meaning people from many different backgrounds live there. You can find all kinds of homes in Derita. There are apartments, condos, and townhouses. You can also find starter homes, patio homes, and ranch-style homes on big, wooded lots.
It's a mix of older neighborhoods and newer ones. Many of the newer neighborhoods have HOA's (Homeowner Associations). These are groups that help manage the community. An umbrella Community Organization (DSRCO) represents many of these neighborhoods. This organization has been active for 45 years.
