Steele Creek, North Carolina

Steele Creek is primarily considered to be a community and neighborhood in the southwestern part of Mecklenburg County in North Carolina. It is generally defined geographically by the original boundaries of Steele Creek Township.cite web | title = Steele Creek Defined| publisher = The Steele Creek Blog | url = http://steelecreekblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/steele-creek-defined.html | accessdate = 2007-08-11 ]

Population

The population of the Steele Creek community was estimated at 31,000 in 2004, roughly two-thirds of which is now located within the City of Charlotte.cite web | title = About Steele Creek | publisher = Steele Creek Residents Association | url = http://www.steelecreekresidents.org/about.htm | accessdate = 2007-08-11 ]

Limits

Purely a technicality today, only the much smaller section of Steele Creek that has not yet been annexed by the City of Charlotte is still considered to be a Township of North Carolina. [cite web | title = North Carolina, Appendix F., County Subdivisions and Places - Section 16 | work = Census 2000 | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau | date = 2000 | url = http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/general_ref/cousub_outline/cen2k_pgsz/nc_cosub.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2007-08-11 ]

Early history

The Steele Creek community derives its name from the small creek bearing the same name. It is believed that name "Steele" was the family surname of Scotch-Irish immigrants who settled in the area in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The region was eventually designated as Steele Creek Township, one of the original 15 Townships of Mecklenburg County.

Modern history

In 1959, the North Carolina State Legislature revised laws that govern how cities may annex adjacent areas, allowing municipalities to annex unincorporated lands without permission of those residents. [cite web | title =Annexation - Frequently Asked Questions | work = OfficialCity of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Government Web Site | date =July 2006 | url =http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Planning/Annexation/Annexation%20-%20FAQ.htm | accessdate = 2007-07-17 ] This change in North Carolina law led to adoption of an aggressive annexation policy by the City of Charlotte, which repeatedly expanded their borders by annexing land within Steele Creek Township, which had never been formally incorporated. [cite news | last =Howard | first =J. Lee | title =Charlotte ranks high in population growth | language =English | publisher =Charlotte Business Journal | date = 2000-10-20 | url =http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2000/10/23/story7.html | accessdate = 2007-07-17 ]

Despite nearly two-thirds of Steele Creek being annexed by Charlotte, the region remained primarily rural farmland until the 2000s when significant infrastructure improvements greatly accelerated the effects of suburban sprawl. The widening of NC-49, the replacement of the old Buster Boyd Bridge, and the opening of I-485 has spurred tremendous growth in both residential and commercial development. Today Steele Creek is the fastest growing region of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, with over a 70% population boom between 2000 and 2007. [cite news | last =Valle| first =Kirsten | title = Steele Creek Bond Package Includes Land | language =English | publisher = The Charlotte Observer | date = 2007-09-09 | url =http://www.charlotte.com/someck/story/269919.html | accessdate = 2007-09-10 ]

References

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ll=35.120501,80.982805&spn=0.187306,0.277405&z=12&om=0&msid=111213089999546583376.000437e50219c707d18f8 An Interactive Google Map of Steele Creek]
* [http://steelecreekresidents.org/ Steele Creek Residents Association]
* [http://steelecreekblog.blogspot.com/ The Steele Creek Blog]