July 09, 2008

History of Myers Park, North Carolina

Myers Park was founded by J.S. “Jack” Myers, a descendent of wealthy Mecklenburg plantation owners who envisioned a grand Charlotte suburb. When he inherited his father’s wealth and land in 1869, Myers began slowly buying up the surrounding farmland along Providence Road, running the land as a large cotton farm with 20 tenant farmers. To beautify the area, Myers planted oak trees and finely landscaped his property so that soon it became known as Myers Park. He teamed up with developer George Stephens (who eventually became Myers’ son-in-law), prominent city planner John Nolen and his assistant Earle Sumner Draper to begin designing and advertising Myers Park as a premier residence for Charlotteans. By the end of 1916, Myers Park had more than fifty residences with homeowners that included lawyers, philanthropists, politicians—many of the city’s most prominent citizens.

Although most of the historic residences that survive in the neighborhood today were constructed in the roaring 20’s, there are two homes that pre-date this time—the O.J. Thies house, built in 1898, and the J.M. Jamison house, built in 1912 and now serves as a branch bank for Mutual Savings and Loan. J.S. Myers’ house was eventually demolished, but his finely landscaped front yard remains as the J.S. Myers Park, the centerpiece of the neighborhood, bound by Hermitage Road, Ardsley Road, and Providence Road. Some of the prevailing architectural styles in the neighborhood are Colonial Revival, some with Georgian influences, Tudor Revival, as well as bungalow-style homes.

Tagged With: history, myers, park and real estate