North Charlotte Today

Mecklenburg County has unveiled the design for Latta Place, a historic site set to undergo significant transformation. The new design includes an interpretive trail, a visitor center, and updates to the plantation farmstead aimed at uncovering the diverse stories of its past inhabitants.

The project is informed by years of public feedback and guidance from experts in local history, culture, and natural resources. The goal is to make Latta Place a resource for understanding the legacies of plantation life and offer a space for reflection.

“This design is grounded in community input and in our mission to create a place that is truthful and compassionate,” stated Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio. “Our goal is for all people to feel welcome at Latta Place and comfortable confronting our complex past, and that visitors leave transformed and ready to create a more unified future.”

Construction on this project is expected to commence late in 2025, with plans to reopen Latta Place in 2026.

The interpretive trail will provide insights into historical relationships with the landscape, including connections to the Catawba River and cotton fields. Designed for accessibility, it will feature interactive elements allowing self-guided tours.

Two reflection spaces will frame the trail experience. It begins at a gateway where visitors can prepare for their journey through history. A tribute space dedicated to at least 65 enslaved individuals who lived there concludes the path.

A new 6,000-square-foot visitor center will replace the existing one. This facility will serve as both an entry point and learning hub, equipped with exhibits, restrooms, maps, staff offices, and community areas.

An assessment of structures on-site identified original buildings essential for portraying an accurate history of those who lived at Latta Place. Original buildings like Latta House will remain but undergo repairs while non-original structures are slated for removal.

Planned gardens and meadows alongside interactive displays aim to enrich visitor experiences around the farmstead.

Latta Place resides within Latta Nature Preserve near Mountain Island Lake—a site once home to Indigenous peoples as well as enslaved individuals under colonial landowners. Since ending its operation as a living history museum in 2021 run by a nonprofit organization leasing from Mecklenburg County—the county now steers efforts towards crafting this next chapter grounded firmly upon community engagement principles.

For further details or updates about this transformative endeavor visit: [Latta.MeckNC.gov](http://latta.mecknc.gov) or subscribe via [PublicInput.com/HistoricLatta](http://publicinput.com/historiclatta).