Dixie, North Carolina Explained

Dixie, North Carolina
Named For:The song "Dixie"[1]
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Pushpin Map:North Carolina#USA
Pushpin Label Position:Dixie
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Dixie in North Carolina
Coordinates:35.2033°N -80.9678°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:North Carolina
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Mecklenburg
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:742
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:28278
Area Code:704, 980
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:984219

Dixie is an unincorporated community in western Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. Centered at the intersection of Dixie River Road and Wallace Neel Road; the rural community has shrank since the start of the 21st century with the expansion of Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the westward expansion of Charlotte.

The community is also referred as Dixie-Berryhill, a combination of Dixie and the Berryhill township it resides in. This was the name given by City of Charlotte officials in 1989, despite the area not being part of the city at the time.[2] [3]

History

Settlement of the area began in the mid-18th century, attracted by the rich topsoil and access to the Catawba River.[3] The community that developed in the area was originally known as Collins Crossroad, named for a store at the location. Around 1836–46, it then became known as Equality. The name changed again in 1883, when a community band was formed and the favorite tune locally being "Dixie." In 1885, the Dixie Post Office was established, but only operated for 17 years before closing in 1902.[1] [4]

In 2007, Charlotte Douglas International Airport expanded west to build a third parallel runway, which moved intersection of Dixie River Road and Wallace Neel Road to its current location, adjacent to Interstate 485.[5] In 2016, Crescent Communities announced the plan to developed for a planned community intended to contain thousands of homes, hotels, and commercial space to the area. Called the River District, its groundbreaking and construction began in 2023.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: North Carolina Gazetteer . November 25, 2023 .
  2. Web site: Southwest - District Plan . March 1993 . . November 25, 2023 .
  3. Web site: Dixie Berryhill Strategic Plan . April 2003 . City of Charlotte . November 25, 2023 . July 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705230014/http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Land%20Use%20Planning/DixieBerryhill.pdf . live .
  4. Web site: Mecklenburg County, NC Post Offices - 1785 to 1971 . J.D. Lewis . November 25, 2023 . June 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220604171544/https://www.carolana.com/NC/Towns/Mecklenburg_POs.htm . live .
  5. Web site: Airport Construction Projects Update. City of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Government. August 31, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100210202119/http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Airport/Runway%2BRoad%2BRelocations.htm. February 10, 2010. dead. mdy-all.
  6. News: Brierton . James . DeVayne . Richard . Mayfield . Colin . Groundbreaking ceremony for west Charlotte's new River District . March 29, 2023 . . Charlotte, NC . November 25, 2023 . April 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415135255/https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/west-charlotte-river-district-groundbreaking-construction-ceremony/275-e2de98ff-ab67-4204-b6f0-d24b568c17b8 . live .