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Charlotte City Council approves McClintock Presbyterian Church landmark status

Charlotte City Council approves McClintock Presbyterian Church landmark status

Rule Changes Charlotte, NC local

Unanimous vote protects Charlotte church, cemetery, and graves from demolition

September 28th, 2026: Council approves McClintock landmark designation

Overview

Updated Oct 18

Charlotte's City Council voted unanimously on September 28, 2026 to make McClintock Presbyterian Church a historic landmark. Council Member Mayfield moved the approval, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, and the vote carried.

The designation protects the church at 14008 Erwin Road, the city's oldest African-American Presbyterian congregation, plus 6.67 acres, the building's interior and exterior, and the cemetery, which holds documented graves from at least 1871 and unmarked graves that oral histories say include enslaved people. Any demolition or material change now requires Historic Landmarks Commission approval.

Why it matters

The church and its cemetery can't be demolished or materially altered without approval from the city's Historic Landmarks Commission.

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Key Indicators

Unanimous
Council vote
City Council approved the designation September 28, 2026
Cemetery and interior included
Designation scope
Covers building interior and exterior, 6.67 acres of land, cemetery, and all graves and markers

Voices

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People Involved

MR
Melanie Reddrick
Chair, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission
Presided over the September 14 hearing; the council approved the recommended designation on September 28

Organizations Involved

Charlotte City Council
Charlotte City Council
Municipal legislative body
Approved the McClintock landmark designation unanimously on September 28, 2026

The elected body holds final authority over historic landmark designations in Charlotte.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission
Public commission
Held the September 14 hearing and recommended the designation; the council approved it September 28

Appointed body that evaluates properties for historic significance and recommends outcomes to the City Council.
PC
McClintock Presbyterian Church
Religious congregation
Designated a Charlotte historic landmark September 28, 2026

Congregation located at 14008 Erwin Road in Charlotte, owner of the property proposed for designation.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Nonprofit organization
Grant program supporter of the church's preservation

Nonprofit that runs the Preserving Black Churches program, funding maintenance of historic African American churches.

Timeline

August 2025 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 28th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Council approves McClintock landmark designation

    Latest Decision

    City Council voted unanimously to approve the historic landmark designation for McClintock Presbyterian Church after a public hearing. Council Member Mayfield moved approval, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell.

  2. Council publishes meeting agenda

    Procedural

    The City Council business meeting agenda lists the McClintock designation public hearing and decision for September 28.

  3. HLC holds virtual hearing on designation

    Public Hearing

    The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission heard public comment on designating the church, its cemetery, and graves as a historic landmark.

  4. HLC backs grant bid for McClintock church

    Preservation

    Historic Landmarks Commission staff supported a National Trust 'Preserving Black Churches' grant application for McClintock Presbyterian Church, signaling official interest in the property's preservation.

Scenarios

4

Church renovates 1891 sanctuary under landmark rules

Likely

Discussed by: The city's designation report, which notes the congregation meets in the Rosenwald School pending sanctuary renovations

McClintock's congregation plans to restore the circa 1891 sanctuary, which was brick-clad decades ago. Any exterior or interior changes now need a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Landmarks Commission. That review will test how the landmark rules apply in practice.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1958-1977

Charlotte's Brooklyn neighborhood demolition (1958-1977)

Charlotte's largest Black neighborhood, Brooklyn, once anchored the city's African American business and civic life. Over two decades, the city condemned and demolished homes and businesses for urban renewal, displacing thousands of residents.

Then

The neighborhood was replaced by the government center, expressways, and parking lots. The city's Black business district was erased.

Now

Brooklyn's loss remains a reference point in Charlotte debates about development and preservation, and a reason Black heritage sites face extra pressure.

Why this matters now

McClintock Presbyterian Church's landmark bid follows the same logic as community efforts to protect the few surviving Black heritage sites in Charlotte.

2021-present

National Trust Preserving Black Churches program (2021-present)

The National Trust for Historic Preservation launched Preserving Black Churches to fund maintenance and repair of historic African American churches nationwide, many of them small congregations with aging buildings.

Then

Program grants have supported repairs, stabilization, and designation efforts at dozens of churches.

Now

The program brought national attention and funding to Black church preservation as a distinct priority.

Why this matters now

McClintock's staff-supported grant application ties this local designation to a national effort to protect Black church heritage.

Sources

(7)
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City of Charlotte Legistar Mecklenburg County Public Notices and Meetings Calendar Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission The Charlotte Mercury City of Charlotte Legistar WCNC Charlotte Mecklenburg County