Eastover, located southeast of Charlotte’s Center City, formerly two dairy farms, (also formerly Myers Park Eastover), was developed by E. C. Griffith in 1927. From the days of Earle Sumner Draper, the Southeastern US ‘premier’ urban planner to present day, Eastover has been the home of some of Charlotte’s most elite. From cotton brokers to bankers to attorneys, the facilitators of Charlotte’s growth have resided in Eastover. E.C. Griffith sought to create Eastover as a competitor to Myers Park. Charlotte was headquarters to 770 textile mills, consuming more cotton than any other sector of the world. In 1927, the piedmont North and South Carolina, officially surpassed New England in cotton cloth production.
Charlotteans not only owned numerous mills and brokered much of their own cotton for the region, but boasted a large number of bankers, attorneys, stockbrokers, and leading retailers. Griffith saw this elite, upper-income group as a potential market for a new suburb branching off of Myers Park, which was not completely developed at that time. E.C. Griffith made a name for himself as a successful local real estate developer and the company remains one of the oldest in the city, dealing now primarily in commercial real estate.
Nearly 600 homes make up the Eastover neighborhood which is full of towering hardwoods, winding streets and amazing architecture. Eastover Elementary School is at the ‘heart’ of Eastover. Small businesses outline the neighborhood on the east and winding sidewalks provide easy access for the residents.
Early Eastover architecture is primarily Georgian, mixed with Tudor, bungalow and Colonial. One home, the Reynolds-Gourmajenko House of Tuscan Revival architecture exists on Providence Road; no home like it exists in Charlotte or Mecklenburg County. As the commute to the city became a bit longer for suburbians, vacant lots quickly filled with new construction, mostly in-keeping with the Georgian theme. Currently older estates are being renovated and are truly amazing.
The Mint Museum of Art, the first branch of the US Mint, was transported to Eastover in pieces from its original location in Uptown to a site donated by E.C. Griffith Company. Martin Boyer, who orchestrated the move, marked each and every stone before its move. The Civil Works Administration, one of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal Agencies, provided the labor to resurrect the building as the Mint Museum of Art in 1936. This was one of Charlotte's first historic preservation operations.
Since the late 1800’s, wealthy Charlotteans have enjoyed living on the fringe of the Uptown (formerly Downtown!) area and Eastover was one of the city’s first suburbs. Sometimes called ‘country homes,’ the Georgian homes in Eastover, Dilworth, Elizabeth and Myers Park were a mere 5¢ fare to Uptown on the electric streetcar (1890’s). The more impressive suburbs tended to be south or east of town, in essence, due to the fact that the city's only railroad bridges at the time, were on East Trade and East Morehead Streets. Dozens of trains blocked the tracks on a daily basis creating a blockade surrounding the business district.
Eastover, not only rich in history, is considered one of Charlotte’s most sought-after neighborhoods where residents enjoy true neighborly relationships. Families who have resided in Eastover for generations are more than welcoming to newcomers moving to Charlotte from all over the U.S.
Visit Eastover and savor a piece of history as your tour stately homes in this lovely neighborhood of Charlotte, NC.
About the author:
Debe Maxwell is a Charlotte Residential Real Estate, Certified Neighborhood and Relocation Specialist who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Charlotte, NC or any place in the country by connecting you with a relocation professional in your destination of choice. Debe has created a team of professionals throughout the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. These professionals are experts in the field of relocation and can serve many purposes beyond a simple home search. The destination service is of no cost to you! Please visit www.debemaxwell.com/ for your relocation and/or your local needs.
Debe Maxwell- HELEN ADAMS REALTY - 704.491.3310 - Debe@DebeMaxwell.com
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