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What happened in the 70´s with all the rezoning they completely encouraged urban spwarl. See I feel that almost that even today the powers-that-be are not doing that much to preserve. They have such a ´throwaway´ mentality. It is much easier to bulldoze a building than try to find a way to incorporate or give it a new life. Our older buildings and history have been disappearing at a rate that directly correlates to the increasing number of new projects. With all the new shiny glass buildings we inevitably lose the old.
I'll never forgive the city for allowing the Hotel Charlotte to be destroyed. I remember the local news showing the blowing up of that grand, historic hotel like it was a spectator event. It broke my heart and couldn't bear to watch.
After reading Marvinnative's post, it makes me appreciate more why I chose Union County. I use to live in an area which was cow pastures and the local hardware store, five and dime and grocer. Of course, like all else it grew up. My dh and I saw Union County with the cow pastures and country roads and I absolutely fell in love. This is one transplant who does not want the overgrowth and crowding of an overabundance of developments. Or the government telling you what to do and taxing you to death. These are the very reasons I left where I grew up and would really hate to relocate to a new area just to have it happen all over again. I understand growth is bound to happen but overgrowth is a different ballgame. IMO
Thank you for posting that. We are in Marvin and I can't even believe the change in the last 2 years, I have heard my neighbors tell me what it used to be like and it is amazing.
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by marvinnative
Some perspective from a 50-year old Marvin native:
When I was in high school in the 1970's, all of the students (elementary-high school) who lived below New Town Rd toward Waxhaw ALL rode the same school bus to the old Waxhaw Elementary School (now the Alternative School). The elementary kids got off and the high schoolers transferred onto ONE school bus and rode to one of four "consolidated high schools" in the county, the brand new Parkwood High School (the others were Sun Valley, Piedmont and Forest Hills). In those days, Monroe was a CITY school where the doctors and lawyers kids went. The consolidated schools were country kids. In those days, the area elementary schools were Waxhaw, Wesley Chapel and Mineral Springs on the western side of Union County.
For college, I drove into uptown Charlotte to a business school - Kings College over off Seventh Street. It took about 30 minutes to get there. No traffic, no stoplights until Sharon Amity. I worked in uptown Charlotte until the SouthPark area became the hottest new thing in the 1980's. The SouthPark mall was built and new development followed. Traffic got thicker.
When a new office complex opened at the corner of Highway 51 and Carmel Road, I took a job out there. At that time, Highway 51 was two single lanes. Along the whole road from Pineville to Matthews there was only cow pastures, trees, and one large office building, Catalytic Converters (now Charlotte Catholic High). Carmel Commons shopping center (Phase I) opened with a Winn-Dixie grocery store (where we were able to grab lunch from the deli). Then, like someone flipped a switch, pastures and trees were bulldozed, traffic gridlocked (think Providence Road now). We were so excited to hear I-485 would offer "relief." Carolina Place Mall was built, the belt loop began construction, and the growth just exploded and spilled over into unsuspecting Union County farmland.
My family farmed in the Marvin community for four generations. Our roots and history go deep. For me, it has been sad to see the farmland go. Seriously, there are FAR more newcomers here than natives. At times, it is a little overwhelming.
Mostly, Southerners are hospitable folks. We want to be friendly and helpful. Sometimes it feels like no one really cares about what was here before. And, I try to realize that if I moved to a new place, I might not really care like their natives do, either. Probably the thing that I hear most often from my native friends is that we worry that newcomers are so quick to change things to the way they were where they came from, but then, as fast as we change things, those folks just pick up and move on. Why is it so important to change things if you don't plan to stay around? Sometimes, it would be nice if newcomers took the time to understand things and embrace them before changing them and leaving. My analogy is that you have weekend company that comes in and immediately complains about your decorating and your food and your entertainment and you hustle to make everything accomodating for them and then they are gone and you just feel sort of used up and under-appreciated. Sort of like that.
Native country folks are an independent sort. We like our space and we believe in minding our own business. We don't really need more government to tell us where to plant our flowers. It's a hard thing for us when the city dwellers move in and want to pave over and streetlight and gate everything. It feels like a loss of freedom and beauty.
So, just a little perspective. We don't mind you coming. Just be polite and helpful and care about our area like we do.
P.S. And just because we talk slow doesn't means our brains are slow...LOL! Don't assume every native you meet is "an ignorant redneck." Yes, we hear you when you call us that.
Well I had four (count them, FOUR (onetwothreefour)) neighbors knock on my door today as I was moving in. One of them wasn't even moving in fully herself for a few weeks and one brought brownies! Of course, they seemed to be mostly transplants , but that was still unheard of where I came from (northern Delaware).
I'm really excited about this move and meeting some Southern Hospitalityâ„¢, which I hope to absorb some of (and pass on). One of the neighbors said her husband moved here when he was 4 and someone told him he's not a "real local" so I will certainly never be one but I'd still like to think my presence here will be for the better
Thanks for bringing this post back to life. I have enjoyed reading about the area before the sprawl. When I originally posted this questions, I wasn't sure of what the response would be. I feel blessed that my family and I can make the move. But, I felt the massive influx of people was not always a good thing.
I hope this post stays around a little bit longer. I appreciated learning about the history of the area I will now call home in a few months. So, if you have fond memories of what used to be please post it. If there is still that special store where you can get the best produce, meats, or that dry cleaner who doesn't have next day service but does an excellent job cleaning your clothes and has a nice story and smile each time you visit, please share.
Although, I will never be a native, I hope to blend in so well that people will think I have lived here all my life.
I moved from Long Island to NC 6 years ago to live the "redneck life". I'm a very frugal, non-materialistic, long haired, flannel shirt wearing kind of guy. My wife & I don't contribute to the justified complaints people have with transplants. We have no children to add to the crowded schools & planned on buying a used house (cash) that doesn't require bulldozing the land.
We feel betrayed by the citizens of NC; I guess because we didn't conform to the area. We finally realized that conforming doesn't come naturally to us. I’ve developed a mean streak living down here (my own fault) & I hope to start over in another state this summer.
...P.S. And just because we talk slow doesn't means our brains are slow...LOL! Don't assume every native you meet is "an ignorant redneck." Yes, we hear you when you call us that.
I moved from Long Island to NC 6 years ago to live the "redneck life". I'm a very frugal, non-materialistic, long haired, flannel shirt wearing kind of guy. My wife & I don't contribute to the justified complaints people have with transplants. We have no children to add to the crowded schools & planned on buying a used house (cash) that doesn't require bulldozing the land.
We feel betrayed by the citizens of NC; I guess because we didn't conform to the area. We finally realized that conforming doesn't come naturally to us. I’ve developed a mean streak living down here (my own fault) & I hope to start over in another state this summer.
Best of luck on your new adventure!
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, but that was still unheard of where I came from (northern Delaware).
transplants
