Happy Birthday, Charlotte! On this day, 250 years ago, Charlotte was founded when British Governor Tryon signed the charter on December 3, 1768. The Queen City, which is older than the United States itself, sits along two trading paths carved by the Catawba Indians. Of course, we now know them as Trade Street and Tryon Street.

Charlotte was named in honor of England’s King George III’s wife Queen Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

When the town was chartered, King George III and Queen Charlotte ruled the colonies. It’s believed that in order to stay in the King’s good graces, the locals named their new township “Charlotte Town” in honor of the Queen and the county after her German homeland Mecklenburg-Strelitz.