Understanding the history of a city is an important part of enjoying all of the great things that it has to offer. Charlotte, North Carolina has a rich history that many visitors and even residents are unaware of. Life in the Queen City was much different 200 years ago, but luckily the Historic Latta Plantation allows its visitors to witness first hand the way of life that residents of the 1800s experienced.

Charlotte, North Carolina is known as a city center, a technologically advanced landmark in the southern region that offers a prosperous banking industry and an exciting city lifestyle. Two hundred years ago, though, the Queen City was home to plantations that provided the animals and crops that residents needed to survive. No cars, no trains, and no high-rises, life in the 1800s was much different than it is today.

To provide a peek into what residents during that time experienced, the Historic Latta Plantation has organized a program that reenacts certain points in history to allow adults and children to experience what life was like. In fact, the Historic Latta Plantation that stands today was first owned by James Latta, who had traveled to the Untied States from Northern Ireland. A merchant, Latta retired to the Queen City to cultivate his plantation. Charlotte, North Carolina has the perfect climate for many different crops and the Latta family worked the land until James Latta’s death in 1837.

The property changed hands several times before ultimately being abandoned. It wasn’t until the 1970s that its value was recognized. Latta Place, Inc., a non-profit organization that was founded to preserve the property, took ownership of the Plantation and subsequently donated it to Mecklenburg County, though the organization is still in charge of the daily operation of the attraction.

Historic Latta Plantation offers daily tours, summer camps, programs for children that are homeschooled, workshops, field trips, and other special events. For both residents of the Queen City and its visitors, Historic Latta Plantation provides a rare experience that allows its patrons a glimpse into a day in the life of those living during the 1800s.

With endangered livestock, historic cotton growing, a honeybee exhibit, and many more features that will allow you and your family to better understand the history of the city, the Historic Latta Plantation is an attraction that will not only prove enjoyable, but will provide important insight into the rich history of the Queen City.