Field guide · 1915–1945
The formal counterweight to the bungalow, concentrated on The Plaza and Hamorton Place.
Era
1915–1945
Where to find it
Plaza Midwood grid
Primary tell
Symmetrical facade
ZIP
28205
Symmetrical two-story facades, center entries with pilasters or a pedimented surround, and double-hung windows in regular bays. These are the largest historic houses in the neighborhood.
Higher ceilings and better original closet plans than bungalows; plaster repair and window restoration dominate the maintenance budget.
On colonial revival houses of the 1915–1945 period, the recurring inspection findings in Charlotte are foundation or pier movement, drainage that pushes water toward the crawl space, roof and flashing age, undersized or ungrounded electrical service, and original single-pane glazing. Sewer laterals of this era are frequently clay or cast iron and are worth scoping before closing. None of that is unusual for the stock — it simply belongs in the budget rather than in the surprise column.
Exterior work visible from the street can be subject to review where a property sits inside a designated local historic district; elsewhere in Plaza Midwood, standard City of Charlotte zoning and the Unified Development Ordinance govern setbacks, height, and lot coverage. Confirm designation, zoning, and permit history for a specific address with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County before committing to a scope. Tree removal is separately regulated.
Work that respects the colonial revival keeps the street facade, roofline, and window proportions intact while making the rear of the plan fully contemporary. Match trim profiles and eave details before choosing finishes — those details are what make new work read as original.
How to spot one
Where to find it
Blocks where this style is recorded in the neighborhood survey of housing character.
Midwood
The neighborhood's signature residential street: an unbroken run of deep front porches under a canopy that closes overhead in summer.
1915–1930
The Plaza Corridor
The planted boulevard that gives the neighborhood half its name, lined with its largest and most formal houses.
1910–1960
Hamorton Place
A short curving street of oversized period houses at the neighborhood's quiet interior.
1922–1935
Midwood
A leafy connector with a consistent setback line and mature street trees.
1920–1940
Elizabeth edge
The bridge street between Plaza Midwood, Elizabeth, and the hospital district.
1915–1950
Elizabeth edge
A gracious street with larger houses and a formal streetscape.
1915–1935
Communities
Historic enclave
The original streetcar plat north of Central Avenue and the core of the local historic district.
Mid to upper in-town band
Historic enclave
The blocks immediately surrounding Veterans Park and its recreation center.
Mid to upper in-town band
Mixed-use
The boulevard that gives the neighborhood half its name, lined with houses, churches, and small commercial nodes.
Wide range
Historic enclave
Charlotte's second-oldest streetcar suburb, immediately southwest of Plaza Midwood.
Upper in-town band
Historic enclave
A short, curving street of larger period houses at the neighborhood's quiet interior.
Upper in-town band
Field guide
1910–1935
The defining house of Plaza Midwood and the reason the streetscape reads the way it does.
Tapered porch columns on piers
1920–1940
Steep gables and storybook massing on a handful of the neighborhood's best-preserved blocks.
Steep front gable
1905–1930
Boxy, efficient two-story houses that maximize a narrow streetcar lot.
Hipped roof with center dormer
1900–1930
Small, plain worker cottages that survive along the neighborhood's western edge.
Small footprint
1935–1950
Depression- and war-era cottages that fill the transitional blocks.
Low roof pitch
1948–1968
The post-war standard across Commonwealth Park, Winterfield, and Oakhurst.
Long low profile
Frequently asked
Look for symmetrical facade, center entry with surround, shutters, side-gable roof. Recorded year built and structural characteristics for any Mecklenburg County parcel are available through the POLARIS parcel viewer.
Colonial Revival houses in Plaza Midwood date primarily to 1915–1945. Construction years for individual properties are published in the Mecklenburg County Assessor's records.
Source: City of Charlotte
Higher ceilings and better original closet plans than bungalows; plaster repair and window restoration dominate the maintenance budget.
Source: City of Charlotte
Sources & verification
Figures and descriptions on this page are compiled from the public sources listed above and reviewed periodically. Conditions change; verify anything you plan to rely on with the responsible authority before acting.
Related
A field guide to every architectural style found on the neighborhood's blocks.
Reading facades, materials, and a century of building eras.
Craftsman, Tudor, and mill-house stock — what to look for and what to expect.
Permits, additions, systems, and the realities of a hundred-year-old house.