Art isn’t confined to a gallery or museum anymore. It turns up in the most pedestrian of places, such as the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Placing art in airports opens up a world of opportunities for travelers to experience local talent and gain insight into an area even with a limited amount of time. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an epicenter for art in airports. With its collection of “Just Plane Art,” a replica of the Wright Brother’s Wright Flyer, and a statue of Queen Charlotte, Charlotte Douglas anchors visitors to North Carolina, showcasing state history and present-day Charlotte. Whether coming or going, travelers now take note when they pass through the Queen City.
Wright Flyer
Installed: December 2003
Location: Entrance of concourse E
Description: Half-size reproduction of the original 1903 Wright Flyer that Orville and Wilbur Wright flew on December 17, 1903, marking the first powered flight
Creator: Aircraft Replicas LTD., a British aviation-design company
Postcards from North Carolina
Installed: October 2007
Location: Baggage claim/ticketing
Description: Six pieces of cut metal showcase the Charlotte skyline, and the North Carolina mountains and coast
Creator: Beatrice Coron
NASCAR Mural
Installed: October 2003
Location: Concourse E
Description: The mural depicts NASCAR drivers and salutes NASCAR’s all-star race, which began in Charlotte in 1985; moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1986; and returned to Charlotte in 1987
Creator: David Arrigo
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway
Charlotte, N.C. 28208
(704) 359-4000
charlottedouglasintlairport.com
In North Carolina, spring brings the scent of fresh-cut grass and memories of helping Dad mow the lawn.
Nostalgic burger joints are like time machines, delivering something extra special that keeps us coming back.
This tiny city block in downtown Greensboro once had a gigantic reputation. Not so much for its charbroiled beef patties — though they, too, were plentiful — but for its colorful characters and their wild shenanigans.
In the 1950s, as Americans hit freshly paved roads in shiny new cars during the postwar boom, a new kind of restaurant took shape: the drive-in. From those first thin patties to the elaborate gourmet hamburgers of today, North Carolina has spent the past 80 years making burger history.
