Curiosity reigns supreme in Charlotte. Since launching the FAQ City podcast in January 2018, we’ve received more than 340 questions from the Charlotte community, with queries about people, places and mysterious things in the region.
A quick note from FAQ City host Nick de la Canal:
Like many of you, I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by. It seems like only yesterday I was crashing to pull together the very first FAQ City episode, with little-to-no idea of how it would all turn out. Since then, our audience has grown a lot (more than 58,000 podcast downloads so far … wow!) and the questions people send in continue to fascinate and intrigue. Who knew Charlotte had so many fun quirks that needed exploring?
Of course, our work here is nowhere near finished. If you’re a curious person with an unanswered question about Charlotte, get in touch with us via the submission box below. We’re always looking for that next great question. I look forward to seeing what questions 2019 brings.
Here are some of the most asked questions that were answered on the FAQ City podcast:
Why Is Downtown Charlotte Called 'Uptown'?
As far as we can tell, Charlotte is the country's only major city that refers to the entirety of its downtown as "uptown." This can seem pretty bizarre to outsiders (including former late-night host Jon Stewart), but also to FAQ City listeners who asked, “Why does Charlotte does not have a downtown?”
Who Is The Jesus Saves Guy In Uptown?
The "Jesus Saves Guy" is a common sound (and sight) in uptown Charlotte. “His voice is amazingly loud, and he's always cheerful,” our FAQ City question asker said. She wasn’t the only one curious about his story.
What Is The History Of The 'Poo Tracks' In South Charlotte?
Bike along the Backyard Trails in Charlotte, and you’ll likely see a sign affixed to a tree directing you to the “Poo Tracks.” As one FAQ City listener told us, “I've ridden the Backyard Trails for years, and it intrigues me!”
What’s Up With The Abandoned Cars On Charlotte's Highways?
“We've driven down to Florida and we go all the way up to Ottawa, Canada, fairly frequently, and neither of us has noticed quite so many [abandoned] cars as when we hit Charlotte,” said an FAQ City listener.
What Lies Beneath Lake Norman?
Consider it Charlotte’s lost city of Atlantis. “What towns and neighborhoods were covered when Lake Norman was created,” a listener asked. “Where did those people relocate to?”
Does Charlotte Have Local Ghosts? Is The City Haunted By The Supernatural?
Just in time for Halloween, this October episode of FAQ City jumped into a Mystery Machine and got to the bottom of some Charlotte hauntings. “What are Charlotte's ghost stories and haunted sites? Who died? Who was murdered? And who still walks the earth creeping the living out.”
Affordable housing was a big topic for discussion in 2018, including in the FAQ City question channels. As one listener put it, “Why is Charlotte ranked last in upward mobility? Where has all the affordable housing gone?”
Is It Sugar Creek Or Sugaw Creek Or Sugaree Creek?
The spelling and pronunciation of Little Sugar Creek have been a source of debate for well over 200 years. More than that, as one person asked, “Who were the people of the Sugaree Tribe, as referenced on a historical marker on a RibbonWalk Trail?”
What Is Hiding Beneath Charlotte? (Part 1 + Part 2)
Our two-part edition of FAQ City spawned even more questions from listeners. As one person asked, “When you were asking about cool underground spots, I wondered if there really are gold mines under uptown that people can explore?”
Sounds like 2019 might be a gold mine for even more questions (and answers).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J2dHUCBAEo
Missed one of these episodes? Make sure to subscribe to the FAQ City podcast and give it a rating/review on your podcast app of choice.
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