Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe the knowledgeable folks on this forum can help me out. I have wondered for a long time: Why is 'downtown' Charlotte called 'Uptown'? Most everywhere else, the city center is called downtown.
During the 1980s, a massive campaign was launched to revamp the image of the downtown area and the term "Uptown" was introduced to the general public. On February 14, 1987 the Charlotte Observer began using the term "Uptown" as a way to promote a more positive upbeat image of the center city area
There is much confusion brought about by the use of the terms "Uptown" and "Downtown" for Charlotte's center city area. These terms do not reference different areas of town and are thus interchangeable.
The history of the dual names is contested, yet prior to the mid-late 1980s, the term "Downtown" was used by residents, media and city leaders for the center city area. During the 1980s, a massive campaign was launched to revamp the image of the downtown area and the term "Uptown" was introduced to the general public. On February 14, 1987 the Charlotte Observer began using the term "Uptown" as a way to promote a more positive upbeat image of the center city area.
Another opinion is: Though many feel that the term "Uptown Charlotte" is a new term in the last 10 years, local residents from three or more generations past will attest to having called the center city area Uptown their entire lives. This is due to the main intersection in the original center city, Trade St. & Tryon St., having been the point of highest elevation. When people would come from outlying areas to the city, they would say they were going 'up to town', a phrase that was eventually shortened to 'Uptown'. Despite this, there are many who steadfastly believe that center-city Charlotte was called "Downtown" up until 10 years ago when there was a concerted effort to rename it "Uptown" by various groups that had come from outside Charlotte. These people feel that this was an attempt to improve the city's image.
This sort of confirms my initial thought of people trying to spin a positive image on the area...assuming using the word "up" instead of "down" will make people happy and embrace the area. If you ask me, it's cheesy and only confuses people. when I tell people about down/uptown, I try to use the Uptown reference...but then I end up on a tangent explain that uptown is really our downtown...
This sort of confirms my initial thought of people trying to spin a positive image on the area...assuming using the word "up" instead of "down" will make people happy and embrace the area. If you ask me, it's cheesy and only confuses people. when I tell people about down/uptown, I try to use the Uptown reference...but then I end up on a tangent explain that uptown is really our downtown...
The Chamber of Commerce may have capitalized on the phrase "uptown" back in the early 80's, but really the name uptown was not new to Charlotte then. There are many places ringing the uptown area where you look toward it and see it actually sitting at a higher elevation (one such view if at the intersection of Randolph and Wendover. When you stop at that redlight going toward "uptown" you see that it really sits higher). Not sure how far back the term really goes, but many people from long ago spent their time on Saturday "going UP to Charlotte", and eventually just Uptown.
Yeah, this distinction is incredibly confusing to those new to the area. When researching Charlotte I knew where people said Uptown was and kept trying to figure out where Downtown was, thinking it was south. I guess I always assumed that Downtown was the main business area and Uptown was a smaller area north, especially since this is how it is referred to in Chicago where I am from.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, but who knows...
