Fast Facts:

Location: Independence Square - The Middle of Uptown Charlotte

Designer: Washington, D.C. sculptor Ramond Kaskey

Installation Date: 1995

The four bronze statues that stand on the four corners of the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets were actually a gift from a group called "Queens Table" - a group of local philanthropists that would rather remain anonymous. The statues were designed by Ramond Kaskey - a sculptor from Washington, D.C., who also designed the Queen Charlotte statue that sits at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.


So what exactly are these statues, and what do they represent? Officially, the statues each have a title or a name: Commerce, Industry, Transportation and Future. The first three represent elements of Charlotte's history - while the fourth looks towards what Charlotte will be. Each one of the statues weighs right at 5,000 pounds, and stands 25 feet tall on a granite base. The total cost of the four statues was $500,000, and they dedicated in a ceremony on Nov. 27, 1995. Here's a closer look at each one of the statues, and a little closer examination at the symbolism of each.

• Commerce: The man depicted here is a 19th century gold prospector. This represents the gold rush in Charlotte - the very first gold rush in America. If you'll look just below his pan, you'll see the face of former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, representing Charlotte's banking industry.
   
• Industry: Representing industry, you'll see a figure that shaped much of Charlotte and the surrounding area - a millworker. The woman shown here would have been similar to the textile workers found all over this regions. There's also a figure at her knees. This one represents the many children that worked alongside their parents in the mills in the days before child labor laws. The figure actually shows a likeness of the sculptor, Raymond Kaskey, as a child.
   

• Transportation: Here, an African American man represents the builders of the very first railroads in Charlotte. These were built in the mid 1800s, and lead to the Charlotte's status as a transportation hub. You'll see the number 1401, which honors steam locomotive number 1401 (nicknamed “Charlotte”) which once pulled trains through the city. There's also an eagle depicted, representing air transportation in Charlotte.
   
• The Future: Charlotte's future is represented by a depiction of a mother with her child. The mother is standing in branches, leaves and flowers of the dogwood (the state flower of North Carolina). In between the branches, you'll see a hornets nest - a true symbol of Charlotte.

 

The city of Charlotte has numerous pieces of excellent public artwork - many of them Uptown. Find out a little more information on an installation near this one: il Grande Disco, or The Grand Disc.