Known for both its history and new development, Dilworth started as the city’s first streetcar suburb and today is one of its most vibrant neighborhoods. Located southwest of the original city limit, Dilworth is east of South Boulevard, from Morehead Street to Ideal Way. It’s also adjacent to SouthEnd and numerous transit stops along the light-rail corridor.

The city’s first streetcar suburb was named for Edward Dilworth Latta, who came to Charlotte to establish a men’s clothing store. Later, he led local businessmen in assembling the land for Dilworth and extending the electric streetcar to the countryside. Along with the launch of Dilworth in May 1891, the businessmen also opened Latta Park, a 90-acre amusement park.

It was Latta’s wife, Harriet, who suggested the names for the early streets, including Lennox, Myrtle, Euclid and Worthington, which are still part of Dilworth today. Lot prices on opening day ranged from $350 to $500. With the opening of the Atherton Cotton Mill in 1892, many of the new suburban homeowners were part of Dilworth’s mill village. Churches, businesses and schools were built to keep up with the growing population, and within two decades Dilworth was a mix of mansions, mill houses and middleclass homes.

Currently, Dilworth has 100 listings in Areas 5 and 6. Nine homes were priced at more than $1 million, and five of those are more than 50 years old. Several two-bedroom houses with less than 1,000 square feet started at $225,000. Valuations have doubled and tripled in the past 15 years on some homes, although the recent recession has leveled the trend somewhat.

East Boulevard is the main thoroughfare in Dilworth, with some 20 restaurants in the neighborhood. Dilworth also has convenient access to Uptown, SouthPark, the Light Rail, and the airport. Freedom Park, the Greek Orthodox Church and Carolinas Medical Center also are key landmarks in the Dilworth area.

St. Patrick Elementary School and the performing arts magnet program at Dilworth Elementary are also attractive to parents of school-age children. Currently neighborhood assignments schools are Eastover Elementary, Alexander Graham Middle School and Myers Park High School.

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Chuck Webb, Wilkinson & Associates, www.chuckwebb.net