The North Carolina landscape certainly has changed over the years. Buildings came and went, while perhaps others were expanded or remodeled. Either way, The Tar Heel State has come a long way since the days that pre-date the Civil War. Let’s take a look at some “then and now” photos and see just how much things are different today than they were in days gone by.

  1. THEN: Henderson, NC

NC State Archives/CP&L The 200 block of Garnett Street, circa 1915.

  1. NOW:

Google Maps [streetview] Present day Garnett Street in Henderson, NC.

  1. THEN: Charlotte, NC

Wikipedia/D.A.Tompkins The old courthouse in Charlotte as seen in 1888.

  1. NOW:

Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM Present day courthouse for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

  1. THEN: Appalachian State University - Boone, NC

Flickr/Lee

  1. NOW

Facebook/Appalachian State University This small school that began as an effort to educate teachers in Watauga County got its start in 1899. In its first year App State saw 53 students enroll. More current numbers put that figure greater than 15,000 undergraduate students per semester.

  1. THEN: Asheville, NC

Wikimedia Commons/D. H. Ramsey Library, University of North Carolina at Asheville The corner of Broadway and College in 1888.

  1. NOW:

ashvegas.com A rendering of the new AC Hotel opening in 2016 on the same corner.

  1. THEN: Wadesboro, NC circa 1936.

Flickr/U.S. Department of Agriculture Originally called “Newton,” Wadesboro was renamed in 1783 to honor Col. Thomas Wade after his esteemed service with the Minutemen in the Revolutionary War.

  1. NOW:

Town of Wadesboro, North Carolina In 1936, Wadesboro was a small town with a population of approximately 3,500 people. In 2014, the population was estimated to be 5,610.

  1. THEN: Barton College - Wilson, NC

ECU Digital Collections 441.1.a.20 Shown here in 1910, Barton College was at that time called “Atlantic Christian College.”

  1. NOW:

Facebook/Barton College Atlantic Christian College opened in 1902. In 1990, this private liberal arts college changed their name to Barton College.

  1. THEN: Pfieffer University near Richfield, NC in 1885.

Pfeffier College Pfeiffer College’s roots trace back to the Oberlin Home and School on Lick Mountain near Lenoir. In 1908 a fire at the school prompted the relocation to what is now the land owned by Pfeiffer College.

  1. NOW:

Facebook/Pfeiffer University In 1934 the name was changed to Pfeiffer Junior University and in the 1950s the school dropped “Junior” and is now Pfeiffer University. Pfeiffer is about 45 minutes outside of Charlotte near Richfield in Misenheimer.

  1. THEN: Winston and Salem, NC

Wikipedia/Library of Congress This birds eye view of Winston-Salem from 1891 predates the merging of the two neighboring towns in 1913.

  1. NOW

Flickr/Valeria In 1920, Winston-Salem was the largest city in North Carolina, with a population of 48,395. In 2014, the population estimate for this city was 239,269.

  1. THEN: Front Street - Wilmington, NC

Flickr/Lee The Orton Hotel and People’s and Atlantic Banks as photographed in 1905.

  1. NOW

Google Maps [streetview] Front Street has certainly seen many changes in the last 111 years.

It’s true that times are always changing, but the heart and soul of North Carolina will always remain the same. What do you think? Tell us in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

NC State Archives/CP&L

The 200 block of Garnett Street, circa 1915.

Google Maps [streetview]

Present day Garnett Street in Henderson, NC.

Wikipedia/D.A.Tompkins

The old courthouse in Charlotte as seen in 1888.

Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM

Present day courthouse for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Flickr/Lee

Facebook/Appalachian State University

This small school that began as an effort to educate teachers in Watauga County got its start in 1899. In its first year App State saw 53 students enroll. More current numbers put that figure greater than 15,000 undergraduate students per semester.

Wikimedia Commons/D. H. Ramsey Library, University of North Carolina at Asheville

The corner of Broadway and College in 1888.

ashvegas.com

A rendering of the new AC Hotel opening in 2016 on the same corner.

Flickr/U.S. Department of Agriculture

Originally called “Newton,” Wadesboro was renamed in 1783 to honor Col. Thomas Wade after his esteemed service with the Minutemen in the Revolutionary War.

Town of Wadesboro, North Carolina

In 1936, Wadesboro was a small town with a population of approximately 3,500 people. In 2014, the population was estimated to be 5,610.

ECU Digital Collections 441.1.a.20

Shown here in 1910, Barton College was at that time called “Atlantic Christian College.”

Facebook/Barton College

Atlantic Christian College opened in 1902. In 1990, this private liberal arts college changed their name to Barton College.

Pfeffier College

Pfeiffer College’s roots trace back to the Oberlin Home and School on Lick Mountain near Lenoir. In 1908 a fire at the school prompted the relocation to what is now the land owned by Pfeiffer College.

Facebook/Pfeiffer University

In 1934 the name was changed to Pfeiffer Junior University and in the 1950s the school dropped “Junior” and is now Pfeiffer University. Pfeiffer is about 45 minutes outside of Charlotte near Richfield in Misenheimer.

Wikipedia/Library of Congress

This birds eye view of Winston-Salem from 1891 predates the merging of the two neighboring towns in 1913.

Flickr/Valeria

In 1920, Winston-Salem was the largest city in North Carolina, with a population of 48,395. In 2014, the population estimate for this city was 239,269.

The Orton Hotel and People’s and Atlantic Banks as photographed in 1905.

Front Street has certainly seen many changes in the last 111 years.

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