Water use -- North Carolina -- Charlotte

Abstract

Bill Stokes of Lancaster, South Carolina discusses his hobby of kayaking up and down the Catawba River, and his hobby of collecting the balls that he has found floating down the river. He describes the condition and quantities of trash that come out of the confluence of Sugar Creek and the Catawba River.

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Five men and women describe growing up in the Cherry community in Charlotte, North Carolina during the 1940s and 1950s. They recount their adventures with the creeks and their experiences with new technologies such as refrigerators and televisions. They discuss the growth and development of Charlotte, particularly the many new roads and buildings.

Abstract Laura Rankin and Curley Hall discuss attending baptismal services while members of the Shiloh Baptist Church on Elmin Street in Reid Park, Charlotte, North Carolina. Curley Hall describes living in the old Brooklyn neighborhood in Charlotte and being near the Thompson Orphanage. Curley Hall relates her experiences gathering water from a natural spring for the first few years that she lived there; Laura Rankin relates living in a section of the neighborhood that had one municipal spigot where...

Abstract Dr. Ed Menhinick discusses his history from the late 1960s until around 2010. He remembers how he got started in finding fish in the streams of North Carolina. He discusses doing environmental impact reports for the county and the state on the condition of creeks and streams before and after building. Talks about pollutants like silt, what kind of values were looked for when doing the assessments and what kind of fish would be found in a dirty versus a clean stream. Tells a few tales of...

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Grady Walker discusses his memories of living next to Irwin Creek throughout his entire life. He recalls never having used the creek for swimming because he always used swimming pools. He discusses how growing up near the creek affected his life.

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Five men, who grew up in the Grier Heights neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina during the 1940s and 1950s recall swimming in the local creeks. and specifically in a place that they called the "Big Boy Hole," on Briar Creek behind the Mint Museum.

Abstract Jonathan Belton describes his childhood activities playing with his friends in Briar Creek adjacent to the neighborhood of Grier Heights in Charlotte, North Carolina. He describes catching tadpoles and digging out gray clay from the banks of the creek to make ashtrays and other articles. He remembers spending time in a place that he and his friends called the "Big Boy Hole" swimming hole, located behind the Mint Museum close to Randolph Road. Mr. Belton also discusses his education and...

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Keeping Watch: City of Creeks includes video interviews with individuals, pairs, and groups of people about their experiences with Charlotte Mecklenburg creeks and rivers.

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Lester Todd, father of interviewer Tenille Todd, who grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina near Freedom Park, remembers playing in Little Sugar Creek as a child. He refers to Little Sugar Creek as "Sugar Creek," which was common in Charlotte for much of the 20th century.

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Pat Stith recalls his first investigative journalism report as a newspaper reporter for The Charlotte News. He discusses his investigation of pollution and the piping of waste by industry into Little Sugar Creek and other creeks in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also reminisces about some of his favorite investigations as a reporter, including the Pulitzer Prize-winner article "Boss Hog."

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Rickey Hall recalls his childhood adventures swimming in Irwin Creek and its tributaries in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He imparts the importance of creek greenways for the communities in Charlotte. He discusses the importance of natural springs as a water resource to residents who first moved to the Reid Park neighborhood, and he relates some history of Reid Park.

Scope and Contents From the Collection: Keeping Watch: City of Creeks includes video interviews with individuals, pairs, and groups of people about their experiences with Charlotte Mecklenburg creeks and rivers. The interviews were conducted by history graduate student Tenille Todd in cooperation with Mary Newsom, Associate Director of Urban and Regional Affairs at the Urban Institute. The interviews were part of Keeping Watch, a three-year initiative (2014-2016) led by the Urban Institute, the College of Arts and Architecture,...

Abstract

Rusty Rozzelle, manager of the Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program gives an historical background of the treatment of creeks and streams in Mecklenburg County. He discusses pollutants and methods to restore the creeks. He describes laws and ordinances put in place to protect the streams and their effect. He discusses flooding problems, particularly how flooding is exacerbated and how it can be mitigated.

Abstract Dr. Haire describes some of the traditional uses that the creeks have been used for in the past and present by the Catawba Indians. She also discusses the concerns that come from being south of the creeks in Charlotte/Mecklenburg County. She stresses that it is important that we are all responsible for taking care of the creeks; it’s not just one entity but all of us. She relates the folklore of the Yehasuri, which were known to have resided in creek banks and recites a Catawba Indian water...