Charlotte Streetcar Service
 Historic Charlotte's 2004 Preservation Award is presented jointly to Charlotte Trolley, Inc. and the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) for their partnership to restore vintage trolley service from South End to Uptown Charlotte. The operation of the trolley service has sparked economic development and neighborhood revitalization while preserving important cultural artifacts, educating the community about the history and growth of Charlotte, and providing a clean, efficient transportation alternative.
The electric streetcar, Charlotte's first public transit system, ran from 1883 until 1938 and contributed significantly to the development of the city's first residential suburbs such as Dilworth, Elizabeth, and Wesley Heights. Following the decline of streetcar service and the rise of automobile suburbs, the city's electric trolleys (and many of the neighborhoods they served) fell into disrepair. In 1988, the Historic Landmarks Commission re-discovered and renovated the last streetcar to operate in Charlotte, Car #85. In 1996, Charlotte Trolley, Inc. began operating Car #85 on a stretch of trolley track from South End to Stonewall Street. CATS soon collaborated with Charlotte Trolley, and in 2004 they began seven-day-a-week operation of vintage streetcars and replica cars on more than two miles of track running from South End to Ninth Street in Uptown Charlotte.
The grassroots efforts of Charlotte Trolley, Inc., combined with a significant public investment from the City of Charlotte and CATS, have stimulated neighborhood revitalization along the transit corridor and animated the city center. Today, South End is a thriving commercial district surrounded by renovated historic neighborhoods, all connected to uptown businesses and entertainment by a fleet of charming vintage streetcars. |
