In a nod to Charlotte's past, the historic Franks House and the vanished vibrancy of Third Ward are set to be commemorated with a new marker next Saturday. A ceremony, hosted by the Mecklenburg County Historic Landmarks Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, and the United House of Prayer is scheduled, featuring local dignitaries, and the Horns of Glory, the house of prayer's brass band will perform.
Standing on S. Mint Street, the United House of Prayer will become the permanent location for the historic marker, a symbol of resilience in the face of urban upheaval. According to a recent press release, the event is expected to draw not only the Board of County Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell for some reflections but also neighbors and history buffs alike.
Back in 1949, Arthur and Bessie Franks made their mark on 305 Dunbar Street, claiming space for Black homeownership in a dominantly white Third Ward. Their home, where up to 50 guests would revel in Bessie’s famous post-service feasts, held strong even as sweeping "urban renewal" ventures rerouted the neighborhood's destiny. "Urban renewal projects in the 1960s and 1970s, followed by construction of the John Belk Freeway in the 1980s shrank Third Ward significantly, cutting it off from the center city," the story of the Franks House's endurance was documented in an article by Mecklenburg County News.
The historic designation, granted to the Franks House in 2022, cements its role as a historic landmark well beyond the six decades it remained with the Franks family. This coming Saturday, the unveiling of the historic marker not only pays tribute to a single home but also to the collective memory of a community long-eroded by infrastructural change, symbolized by the Franks House being left standing, which tells the tales of the once-flourishing Black enclave that had prospered along Mint, Graham, and Morehead Streets.
