The following is a timeline of the history of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States.

Prior to 19th century

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19th century

• 1835 – Charlotte Journal newspaper begins publication.^[4]
• 1837 – Charlotte Mint opens.
• 1850 – William F. Davidson becomes mayor.
• 1852
  • Railway begins operating.^[5]
  • Western Democrat newspaper begins publication.^[4]
• 1857
  • Charlotte Female Institute established.^[2]
  • YMCA becomes active.^[6]
  • Gas lighting in use.^[3]
• 1858 – Charlotte Military Academy established.^[3]
• 1867 – Biddle Memorial Institute founded.
• 1875 – Charlotte public schools established.^[7]
• 1880 – Population: 7,084.
• 1886 – Charlotte Chronicle newspaper begins publication.^[4][8]
• 1887
  • Electric lighting in use.^[3]
  • Charlotte Fire Department founded.
• 1888 – The Charlotte News begins publication.^[4]
• 1890 – Charlotte Post newspaper begins publication.^[9]
• 1891
  • City hall built.^[3]
  • Charlotte Literary and Library Association organized.^[10]
  • Latta Park established
• 1897 – Elizabeth College established.^[11]

20th century

• 1903 – Charlotte Carnegie Public Library opens.^[12]
• 1905
  • Brevard Street Library for Negroes opens.
  • Southern Power Company incorporated.^[13]
• 1908 – Union National Bank founded.
• 1915 – Temple Israel built.
• 1921 – WBT radio begins broadcasting.^[14]
• 1924
  • Hotel Charlotte opens.
  • Radiator Specialty Company founded.
• 1930
  • Population: 82,675
  • Work started to create Bryant Park^[15]
• 1932 – Charlotte Symphony Orchestra formed.
• 1933 – WSOC radio begins broadcasting.^[14]
• 1935 – Charlotte Municipal Airport established.
• 1936 – Mint Museum opens.
• 1940 – Population: 100,899.^[16]
• 1946 – Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina opens.
• 1947 – The Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte founded.
• 1949 – WBTV (television) begins broadcasting.^[17]
• 1950 – Population: 134,042.^[16]
• 1955 – Ovens Auditorium opens.
• 1957
  • WSOC-TV (television) begins broadcasting.^[17]
  • American Commercial Bank formed.
• 1960 – Population: 201,564.^[16]
• 1961 – Stan Brookshire becomes mayor.^[5]
• 1966 – Charlotte Botanical Gardens established.^[18]
• 1967 – WCNC-TV begins broadcasting.
• 1968 – Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories Arboretum established.^[19]
• 1970
  • SouthPark Mall opens.
  • Population: 241,178.^[16]
• 1971 – U.S. Supreme Court decides Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, approving racial desegregation busing.^[5]
• 1973 – Carowinds Monorail begins operating.
• 1974 – Airplane accident.
• 1976 – Afro-American Cultural Center established.^[20][21]
• 1980 – Population: 314,447.^[16]
• 1982 – Heroes Convention (comic books) begins.
• 1983 – Harvey Gantt becomes mayor.^[5]
• 1985 – Metrolina Theatre Association established.
• 1986
  • Opera Carolina formed.
  • Airplane accident.
• 1987 – WJZY begins broadcasting.
• 1988
  • Charlotte Hornets begins play.
  • Charlotte Knights franchise established.
• 1989 – Hurricane Hugo.
• 1990 — Population: 395,934.^[16]
• 1991
  • Blockbuster Pavilion opens.
  • Museum of the New South incorporated.
• 1992
  • North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center opens.
  • Carolina Actors Studio Theatre and Carolinas Aviation Museum founded.
• 1993
  • City government computer network begins operating.^[22]
  • Mel Watt becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 12th congressional district.^[23]
• 1994
  • WMYT-TV begins broadcasting.
  • Airplane accident.
  • Charlotte's Web Community Network online.^[24]
• 1995
  • Pat McCrory becomes mayor.
  • Charlotte Convention Center and Tremont Music Hall open.
  • City website online.^[25][26]
  • Carolina Panthers began play as first NFL team in the Carolinas
• 1997 – Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery.
• 1998 – Bank of America formed.
• 1999 – Federal court ends mandated racial integration in schools via busing.^[27]

21st century

2000s

• 2000 – Population: 540,828.
• 2002 – ConCarolinas begins.
• 2003 – Airplane accident.
• 2004
  • Slow Food Charlotte founded.[1]^[28]
  • Street Soccer USA headquartered in city.^[29]
• 2005 – Charlotte Bobcats Arena and ImaginOn open.
• 2007
  • Lynx Blue Line light rail begins operating.
  • Billy Graham Library opens.
• 2009 – Anthony Foxx becomes mayor.^[30]

2010s

• 2010
  • NASCAR Hall of Fame and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art open.
  • Population: 731,424.
• 2011 – Occupy Charlotte begins.
• 2012
  • Little Sugar Creek Greenway built.
  • Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte.
• 2013
  • Robert Pittenger becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district.^[31]
  • Population: 792,862.^[32]
• 2014 – Alma Adams becomes U.S. representative for North Carolina's 12th congressional district.^[33]
• 2015 – Population: 827,121 (estimate).^[34]
• 2016 – September: Protests and unrest following the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott leave several police officers wounded, and a civilian shot.^[35]