The Fourth Ward or northwest quadrant of Uptown Charlotte was resurrected in the mid-1800s as one of the city’s most affluent areas providing housing for local merchants, doctors, and ministers. The First Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church are also part of the Fourth Ward. By the 1900s, Charlotte residents had moved to areas like Dilworth and Myers Park. By 1970, Cuarto Barrio had fallen into a state of neglect with many houses destroyed or burned.
But in the late 20th century, Fourth Ward saw a restoration and is now a thriving part of Uptown.
As you stroll through this neighborhood, you can feel like you’ve stepped back in time, with the tree-lined streets, centuries-old houses, and courtyard gardens.
Today in Fourth Ward, which covers an area about 30 blocks long, you will find many shiny new buildings like The Vue and the Avenue. Neighborhood association “Friends of Fourth Ward” sponsors the “Annual Fourth Ward Vacation Home Tour,” a glimpse of the neighborhood’s beautiful homes in their vacation splendor. The Fourth Ward is also home to the North Carolina Music Factory, an arts and entertainment complex that includes a 5,000-seat live music venue.
How to arrive, visit and reside
Charlotte’s fourth historic neighborhood is located between Trade St. to the south, 11th St. to the north, Graham St. to the west, and Tryon St. to the east.
Uptown Charlotte is filled with many hotels to visit, but the historic Dunhill Hotel places you in the heart of Fourth Ward. If you are looking for family fun, be sure to visit Discovery Place, a science museum with lots of hands-on and interactive fun.
The Fourth Ward is home to Charlotte’s arts and entertainment district, featuring the Blumenthal Center for the Performing Arts and Discovery Place. Homes in this area are almost exclusively high-rise condos or townhouses that start at $ 250,000 and can cost as much as $ 2.5 million.
Dine in the Fourth Quarter
Because there is so much activity in Fourth Ward, there is no shortage of good food. Capital Grille has excellent steaks in Uptown, and at the McNinch House Restaurant, you can feast on seven courses in a pre-booked Victorian setting.
Finally, don’t miss Alexander Michaels, or “Al Mike’s” as the locals know it. It’s a small, casual, family-owned restaurant and tavern housed in the building that once housed the Crowell Berryhill Store, a grocery store that first opened in the late 1800s.
