The Charlotte area was originally inhabited by the Catawba Indians, who were first encountered in 1567 by Spanish explorer Juan Pardo. As skilled traders and farmers, the Catawba lived along the rivers and paths that would later shape the city’s development. At its height, their population reached approximately 10,000, but disease and European colonization drastically reduced their numbers over the following decades. By 1826, only 110 Catawba remained in the region.

European settlement in Charlotte began around 1755 when Thomas Spratt and his family established a homestead near what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood. Thomas Polk, a relative of President James K. Polk, later married into the Spratt family and built his home at the intersection of two key Native American trading routes. One route ran north–south along the Great Wagon Road, while the other ran east–west along present-day Trade Street, forming the foundation of Charlotte’s early infrastructure.

Named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, the city grew from these humble beginnings into a vibrant colonial settlement, blending its Native American roots with the influence of early European colonists.