Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers (Part 5)

Reinventing Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont in the New South. (The Carolina Piedmont experiences tremendous growth due to the banking industry.)

By Levine Museum of the New South

Street SignsLevine Museum of the New South

Banking
Boomtown, 1970s - 2000s

The final section, Part 5, of the exhibit shows the significant influence the banking industry had on Charlotte's growth. Two Charlotte area banks transformed federal

banking laws when they became the first banks to cross state lines in the 1980s.

This put Charlotte on the map as a banking city and led to more

growth as industries and newcomers decided to make Charlotte

their home. People came not only from around the country, but

also from around the world, making Charlotte a more diverse and

multicultural city.

Bank of America TowerLevine Museum of the New South

The Bank of America Center pictured here symbolizes the direction Charlotte was taking to become an international banking center.

Traffic BarrelsLevine Museum of the New South

As Charlotte continued to expand as a modern city, construction was changing the face of the city. The pictured orange and white rubber traffic cones were invented in Charlotte, NC, and by 1958, the safety cone was international.

Liz Hair for County CommissionLevine Museum of the New South

Coinciding with the successes of the civil rights movement, women broke barriers as well. During the 1970s, women took a more visible role in elected and corporate positions in the city.

Food PantryLevine Museum of the New South

As the local economy continued to flourish, people from around the world began to call Charlotte home. This increase diversity brought new traditions, including foods, into Southern culture.

Question and Feedback WallLevine Museum of the New South

Community engagement is the pinnacle of the Museum's mission in sharing history. Here, as in all the exhibits, visitors are invited to share their thoughts via video or writing.

Today Ends, Tomorrow BeginsLevine Museum of the New South

So what is the New South?

At the Museum, we define it as a time, a place and an idea. A Time — The New South is the period of time from 1865, following the Civil War, to the present. A Place — The New South includes areas of the Southeast U.S. that began to grow and flourish after 1865. And, an Idea — The New South represents new ways of thinking about economic, political and cultural life in the South.

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