Charlotte, North Carolina

1799America's First Gold Rush: Conrad Reed, a 12-year-old boy, found a 17-pound gold nugget in a creek near Charlotte, sparking the nation's first gold rush. The discovery led to the establishment of a U.S. Mint in Charlotte in 1837.

1998Bank of America Created: The merger of Charlotte-based NationsBank with BankAmerica created the nation's largest bank, headquartered in Charlotte. The deal cemented Charlotte's position as America's second-largest financial center.

1960Civil Rights Sit-Ins: Black students from Johnson C. Smith University staged sit-in protests at segregated lunch counters in Charlotte, joining the broader movement sweeping the South.

1775Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence: Charlotte residents allegedly signed a declaration of independence from Britain on May 20, 1775, over a year before the national declaration. While debated by historians, the date appears on the North Carolina state flag.

1837U.S. Mint Opens in Charlotte: A branch of the United States Mint opened in Charlotte to process gold from the Carolina Gold Rush, the only mint in the southeastern United States. It operated until the Civil War.

1971Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: The landmark Supreme Court case upheld court-ordered busing to achieve school desegregation, making Charlotte the national test case for integration and influencing education policy across America.

2012Democratic National Convention: Charlotte hosted the 2012 Democratic National Convention, where President Obama accepted renomination. The event showcased Charlotte's emergence as a major Southern metropolis.

1988NBA Comes to Charlotte: The Charlotte Hornets debuted as an NBA expansion team, setting attendance records and igniting a passionate basketball culture in the city.

1924Charlotte Speedway Opens: Auto racing took root in Charlotte, eventually leading to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and NASCAR's headquarters, making the region the undisputed center of American stock car racing.

2016Keith Lamont Scott Protests: The fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott sparked days of protests in Charlotte, declaring a state of emergency and bringing national attention to police use of force in the city.