Myers Park in Charlotte, North Carolina
Welcome to our review of the Myers Park neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this article, you'll learn all about the Myers Park area and what makes it such a unique place to live. So without further ado, let's jump right in.
Myers Park is more than just a neighborhood in Charlotte. It's also a national historic district, located in the heart of the city. This history of the neighborhood dates back to the early 1900s, when landscape architect John Nolen started working on preliminary designs. Nolen worked with developer George Stephens to plan the neighborhood, incorporating a pedestrian-friendly loop design.
A century later, this loop design is still intact, and it's one of many things that make Myers Park different from other neighborhoods in the Charlotte area. Use the map provided below to explore this neighborhood in street-by-street fashion.
View Larger Map
The homes in Myers Park could best be labeled as southern estates. Most of them reflect the predominant architectural styles of the early 1900's, such as the colonial revival and Tudor styles.
Being a historic district, Myers Park has certain architectural restrictions in place -- as it should. While homeowners can quite a bit to customize the inside of their homes, the outside is a different story. Externally, houses must maintain their original design and structure. This is common to any historical district.
Myers Park is an upscale neighborhood, with an average household income well over $100,000. At the time of this publication, the median house value was around $800,000, though some homes are priced over a million. I confirmed this through Realtor.com in July 2009.
Myers Park is widely regarded as one of the most snobbish neighborhoods in the Charlotte metro area. The residents themselves would probably argue this, of course, but that's to be expected. It's almost as if the modern-day residents think they have some connection to the southern aristocrats who preceded them. It's a phenomenon that is all too common in the United States -- some of the places with the most beautiful homes attract the ugliest people.
We spent some time in the Myers Park neighborhood in the past, and the elitism is virtually palpable. In reality, the entire Charlotte area is fairly homogeneous. A redneck is a redneck after all, regardless of income level. So what's with the snobbery? It's a mystery to me.
Here's a humorous but relevant entry I found in the Urban Dictionary: "A Myers Pauper is someone ... who spends all their income just so they can live in Myers Park for the prestige, yet have no extra money."
Dr. Charles Reed (of Queens University of Charlotte) made a reference to Myers Park and social snobbery in his 2006 convocation speech.
I could go on and on, quoting this person and that person. But that's not the point of this neighborhood review. The point is that this neighborhood has a pervasive reputation for snobbery, all throughout the Charlotte area. Of course, if you fancy yourself a social elitist and feel that your income makes you a far superior person to "lesser" humans, then Myers Park might be the neighborhood of your dreams.
You can learn more about Myers Park and other neighborhoods in the area by visiting this website: Best Places to Live in Charlotte, NC
This article reflects the individual views of a single person, the author. It is not meant to be viewed as an official description of the Myers Park area. So if you are offended by anything in this article, you'll just have to get over it.
Neighborhood Summary
Myers Park is more than just a neighborhood in Charlotte. It's also a national historic district, located in the heart of the city. This history of the neighborhood dates back to the early 1900s, when landscape architect John Nolen started working on preliminary designs. Nolen worked with developer George Stephens to plan the neighborhood, incorporating a pedestrian-friendly loop design.
A century later, this loop design is still intact, and it's one of many things that make Myers Park different from other neighborhoods in the Charlotte area. Use the map provided below to explore this neighborhood in street-by-street fashion.
View Larger Map
Myers Park Homes and Architecture
The homes in Myers Park could best be labeled as southern estates. Most of them reflect the predominant architectural styles of the early 1900's, such as the colonial revival and Tudor styles.
Being a historic district, Myers Park has certain architectural restrictions in place -- as it should. While homeowners can quite a bit to customize the inside of their homes, the outside is a different story. Externally, houses must maintain their original design and structure. This is common to any historical district.
Myers Park is an upscale neighborhood, with an average household income well over $100,000. At the time of this publication, the median house value was around $800,000, though some homes are priced over a million. I confirmed this through Realtor.com in July 2009.
Southern Snobbery, Alive and Well
Myers Park is widely regarded as one of the most snobbish neighborhoods in the Charlotte metro area. The residents themselves would probably argue this, of course, but that's to be expected. It's almost as if the modern-day residents think they have some connection to the southern aristocrats who preceded them. It's a phenomenon that is all too common in the United States -- some of the places with the most beautiful homes attract the ugliest people.
We spent some time in the Myers Park neighborhood in the past, and the elitism is virtually palpable. In reality, the entire Charlotte area is fairly homogeneous. A redneck is a redneck after all, regardless of income level. So what's with the snobbery? It's a mystery to me.
Here's a humorous but relevant entry I found in the Urban Dictionary: "A Myers Pauper is someone ... who spends all their income just so they can live in Myers Park for the prestige, yet have no extra money."
Dr. Charles Reed (of Queens University of Charlotte) made a reference to Myers Park and social snobbery in his 2006 convocation speech.
I could go on and on, quoting this person and that person. But that's not the point of this neighborhood review. The point is that this neighborhood has a pervasive reputation for snobbery, all throughout the Charlotte area. Of course, if you fancy yourself a social elitist and feel that your income makes you a far superior person to "lesser" humans, then Myers Park might be the neighborhood of your dreams.
Learn More About Charlotte Neighborhoods
You can learn more about Myers Park and other neighborhoods in the area by visiting this website: Best Places to Live in Charlotte, NC
This article reflects the individual views of a single person, the author. It is not meant to be viewed as an official description of the Myers Park area. So if you are offended by anything in this article, you'll just have to get over it.
Labels: neighborhoods
posted by Brandon at
7:50 AM
