Charlotte residents had referred to the downtown area as “Uptown” for years before it was officially designated, the historic sector of “Uptown Charlotte” in 1974. Not many locals know that “uptown” actually does sit at a higher elevation than the rest of the City. In the 1700s, two major pathways came together in Charlotte. One was the Great Wagon Road, built by European settlers stretching from Philadelphia to Georgia and the other being a large Native American trail. Today, these roads are Trade and Tryon, and they intersect at Independence Square. As most Charlotte locals know, King George III named “Charlotte Town” after his wife, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Not many know the county of Mecklenburg is named after the region of Germany she was born in. It’s a historical reference. In 1780, General Cornwallis led his troops into Charlotte, but due to the strong fight the locals put up, they didn’t stay long. Thus, Cornwallis dubbed Charlotte a “Hornet’s Nest of Rebellion.” NASCAR events are what Charlotte residents live for. The Charlotte Motor Speedway holds three of NASCAR’s biggest annual events: The Coca-Cola 600, the Bank of America 500, and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. In 1799, Conrad Reed found a 17-pound gold nugget on his family’s property. This would become the first documented gold finding in the US, triggering the nation’s gold rush. Charlotte-area residents can still visit the Reed Property today. The US National Whitewater Center is located on the outskirts of Charlotte and is home to the world’s largest human-made whitewater river. The river’s powerful pumps can unleash enough water to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in eight seconds! ImaginOn is a one-of-a-kind youth destination in Charlotte, visited by more than 300,000 people annually. The museum is gaining national attention and ranks as one of the country’s top children’s museums!