(Railroad employees image - Courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room - Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.)

New Jobs; New Opportunities

The railroad provided Charlotte with opportunities for growth. Commerce and industry expanded in the bustling town and Charlotte's economy diversified with manufacturing, distribution, and the marketing of cotton. Investors and entrepreneurs opened new businesses and people flocked to Charlotte to take advantage of the new jobs. The number of merchants and professionals grew, but the largest increase was in the number of mechanics and laborers that came to Charlotte from the countryside, eager to experience urban life and escape the hardships of sharecropping and tenancy. They found employment with the railroads, in foundries and trade establishments, and in Charlotte's growing cotton and textile industries.

 

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