Interesting Facts about our Fourth Ward Houses and Buildings

Did you know there are many interesting facts about our Fourth Ward Houses and Buildings? 

Settlers Place Condos was home to the North Carolina Medical College, part of Davidson College. The medical college closed in 1914, and the building operated as a hotel for many years before it was renovated in 2002 and became Settlers Place Condos. The new section of Settlers Place Condos used to be the Ivey’s employee parking lot.

St Peters Condos was originally constructed as a hospital in 1917.

311 W. 9th St was built in 1933 as a quadruplex. This unique home has had its share of renovations and updates over the years. The home has been used as an office, an art gallery, and even a Speakeasy which was painted purple with a pink ‘311’ on the front. When the Fourth Ward was being rejuvenated in the 1970s, the home was completely renovated into a single-family dwelling. In 2007, the front facade was added with a cedar portico to give it the look you see today. The current owners, Richard and Marlene Moody have completely updated the home to today’s styles and trends. Gone are the 70’s jacuzzi tub and track lighting with all of the dated decorations and designs.

215 N. Irwin Ave. The 1957 World Press Photo of the Year was taken steps away from my front door by Charlotte Observer photographer W.Y. Martin as Dorothy Counts integrated Charlotte Schools.  Here’s another photo on the same roll of film of her walking toward’s today’s Irwin Avenue Elementary School on that morning (she’s on the sidewalk in the background) with Thomas Blue’s (Current owner) house shown in each of the two pics. Here’s the story of that day on the World Press Photo Website:  https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photocontest/winners/1957

Corner of Pine and 8th.  A submission from Ken Kneidel- The Golden Age: Recollections from a Childhood in Fourth Ward, by James Alan Stenhouse. Read more here.