A community’s history and traditions are embodied within its buildings and landmarks. Recognizing the importance of maintaining those links to Mecklenburg County’s past, the Charlotte City Council and the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners jointly created the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) in July 1973.

 For more than 50 years, the HLC has preserved more than 375 historic landmarks, including homes, schools, churches, cemeteries, civic and commercial buildings, mills, farms, parks, sports arenas, and archeological sites across the County. What can be saved today can be enjoyed tomorrow by future generations of Mecklenburg County residents.

Just about anything can qualify for designation as a local historic landmark so long as it is at least 50 years old and has historical, architectural, and/or cultural significance for Mecklenburg County or any of its municipalities. It can be a building, like the original Charlotte Coliseum (ca. 1955). It can be a structure, like the stone entry gates (ca. 1923) at Johnson C. Smith University. It can be a site, like the Roseland Cemetery in Matthews, a burial site for formerly enslaved people dating back to 1865. It can be an area, like the rural Huntersville farmland along McAuley Road that has been actively cultivated since the mid-19th century. Or it can be an object, like the 1861 hand-powered pumper firefighting apparatus owned by the Charlotte Fire Department.

Learn more about Mecklenburg County’s designated landmarks.

Landmark designations are the result of the collaborative efforts of Mecklenburg County citizens, government officials, and the HLC. The HLC commissioners and staff are always searching for buildings, places, and objects throughout the County as candidates for designation. But anyone can nominate a property of local historical, architectural, and/or cultural significance for consideration as a potential landmark. Upon receiving a nomination, the HLC will research and authenticate the property’s backstory, inspect and confirm the integrity of its design, setting, and construction, and determine its significance to the community’s historical, cultural, or architectural heritage. Once those criteria are satisfied, the HLC works with the local governing body where the property is located to enact an ordinance granting landmark status.

Nominate a property for landmark status.

Historic landmarks provide a tangible link to the past by bringing meaning to the history and daily life of a community. They contribute to the community’s character and reenforce residents’ sense of identity, place, and connection. 

The designation of such landmarks represents the community’s belief that the history, architecture, and character of a specific property are so significant as to deserve special recognition and protection. That protection includes:

• Safeguarding the landmark from certain local zoning laws and development measures
• Helping avoid the loss or demolition of a community’s cherished historic assets
• Aiding the long-term stability of the landmark’s surroundings
• Reviewing and supporting maintenance and proposed changes to landmarks using methods sensitive to their historic and architectural integrity.

 Designated landmarks can even stabilize property values and attract new investment in a community’s older neighborhoods and districts. By working with the HLC to preserve a designated landmark’s integrity, its owner is also eligible to apply for an annual property tax deferral of up to 50 percent. Recapture penalties may apply should the property be destroyed or lose its historic or architectural significance.

The HLC understands the need to repair and/or modify properties over time to maintain their active use while preserving its historic character. Every property is unique, therefore the HLC follows the Secretary of Interior Standards of Rehabilitation guidelines. More information can be found on the design review process page.

Landmark designation is not the only way the HLC protects historic properties. It may purchase and restore endangered historic properties for later resale to new owners who promise to preserve the properties. Or the HLC may acquire specific rights to such properties, like a first option to purchase or a legal commitment from the owner to perpetual preservation obligations on a property. If that is not feasible, the HLC can negotiate voluntary preservation commitments with the owner of an endangered historic structure. Those efforts often include helping owners identify opportunities for adaptive reuse – new and different uses for a historic property as an alternative to demolition and building anew. The HLC also works to educate the citizens of Mecklenburg County about the significance of historic properties and their intrinsic value to the community.

While the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission administers individual properties, the Charlotte Historic District Commission administers neighborhoods.

Currently, there are eight local historic districts in Charlotte: Dilworth, Fourth Ward, Hermitage Court in Myers Park, McCrorey Heights, Oaklawn Park, Plaza Midwood, Wesley Heights, and Wilmore. In the Town of Davidson, there is one – the Davidson Historic District, which includes Davidson College. Designated landmarks can also be located within a historic district. The Charlotte Historic District Commission and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission are separate entities but work closely together.

The National Park Service administers the National Register of Historic Places in cooperation with state governments. A listing on the National Register is a great honor as it confirms a property’s historic and cultural significance, using a research and evaluation process that differs in many respects from a local landmark designation.

Accordingly, a designated local landmark will not necessarily be eligible for listing on the National Register, and a National Register listed property may not qualify for a local landmark designation. A National Register listing does not in itself grant tax benefits, but it is often a prerequisite for receiving federal grants, tax credits, or other financial benefits associated with historical preservation or restoration. Nor does a National Register listing obligate or limit a private owner’s use of the property in any way, even as to the preservation or alteration of the property, unless the owner has or is pursuing any federal benefits generated by the listing (such as grants, tax credits, or loans). 

North Carolina also offers certain state investment tax credits for historic properties listed on the National Register. The National Park Service website provides information about the National Register of Historic Places. For North Carolina, the National Register program is administered by the state’s Office of Archives and History. Additional information about the National Register program for North Carolina properties, including information about available grants and federal and state historic preservation tax credits, is available from the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.

If you discover an older property that has an interesting historical background, a unique or attractive architectural style, or a longtime cultural meaning, let us know about it! Nominate the property for landmark designation. But if you really like history, consider these opportunities for getting more involved in the HLC’s preservation efforts: 

HLC Adventure Club: Experience history firsthand with the HLC’s Adventure Club. Join us for a historic neighborhood bike tour, a headstone cleaning at a historic cemetery, a “backstage” tour of one of our designated landmarks, or other free history-related activities. Join the club and follow the HLC on Facebook to know what’s coming next.

HLC Historic Bookmarks Book Club: The HLC offers a book discussion group (also free!) focused on Mecklenburg County and North Carolina history that puts you where it happened. Join us at a local WWII U.S. Army quartermaster depot for an author’s discussion of her book about a local WWII munitions plant. Ask an author about his book on Charlotte’s 1960s urban renewal campaign while seated in one of the last surviving structures of that campaign. And you can participate without reading the book! 

HLC Committees: Volunteer for one of our committees for even more involvement! Join our Survey Committee to help identify and learn more about local properties as potential candidates for historic landmark designation. Become part of the Projects Committee as they work out creative solutions for preserving endangered historical assets. Or, introduce and educate the public about Mecklenburg County's history as a member of the Community Outreach Committee. All you need is a desire to help, a passion for history, and an active imagination. 

Historic Landmarks Commission: The HLC is a Mecklenburg County agency. The Board of County Commissioners, the Charlotte City Council, and the Mayor of Charlotte appoint its 12 members. Any Mecklenburg County resident can apply for a three-year appointment as an HLC commissioner and help direct the preservation efforts for the county’s historical assets. If you love history, this might be the perfect opportunity for you! 

Want to learn more? Contact us: (980) 314-7660 or [email protected].