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He answers to wizard, magician, astrologer, and consultant. A conversation with Steve Nelson also reveals him as a scholar of many disciplines, and a Charlotte historian with a broad view. It is a common sentiment that Charlotte has a very short history, which may be why the debate over preserving older buildings and neighborhoods continues so strongly; it reveals urgency on the part of some to protect what little history we have. But Nelson’s thoroughly researched version of the Queen City’s past surpasses century-old buildings. He has provided a rich and deeply rooted record of the city’s origins that connects Charlotte to ancient knowledge.
An hour with Nelson is a bit like taking a calculus class while doing long division in your head, except here the professor is fascinating and very animated. “There’s a bit of a learning curve,” Nelson admits as he whizzes through solar numbers, celestial patterns and a story about Benjamin Franklin, all of which, of course, have something to do with Charlotte. Perhaps this is what is most impressive about Nelson--his vast knowledge across a diverse range of subjects. Nelson says he was born into it, and he received help from his Aunt Maude, who raised him after living for three years with a Cherokee Medicine Woman named Molly Running Wolf. Combining cosmic wisdom with traditional history, Nelson feels his role is to simply share the information he’s gathered about Charlotte’s past.
“It would just be interesting to see what would happen if we started paying attention.” What is it Nelson wants Charlotteans to consider? Let’s start with basic city planning. We all know the heart of Charlotte is laid out in four wards that make a square. A 360-acre area now bordered by Smith, 9th, Davidson, and Stonewall Streets forms the original square of Charlotte’s layout. The intersection of Smith and 9th marks the northern corner; 9th and Davidson mark the east point. Follow Davidson until it crosses Stonewall to get to the southern tip, then head northwest back to Smith to arrive at the eastern corner. Have you got the whole map pictured? Luckily, Nelson provided a visual. [Follow along on the diagram of the original “Charlottetown” City Nucleus and stay with me.] Many of us have heard something about a correspondence between the four cardinal directions and the fundamental Earth elements. In this system, east represents air; south, fire/sun; water is the western element and earth is represented by north.
You may not have known this same pattern applies to four angels. But Charlotte’s founder, Thomas Polk, did. He was a Freemason and avid scholar of a system of sacred geometry that relied heavily on esoteric Druid and other ancient traditions to detail the design for a sacred city. Charlotte’s first settlers were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians who were also mostly Masons. They called themselves ‘Covenanters’ whose purpose was ‘resonance:’ linking spirit and nature together. Charlotte Covenanters strove to be a bridge between heaven and Earth by recreating Nature’s designs on a larger scale. When they planned the city, their principal concern was enhancing spiritual connection. Nelson explains that, according to the City of Revelation plan, a city is ideally aligned with the cardinal points and the angels standing on the four corners of the world. Starting in the east and moving clockwise around the “city foursquare” these angels are Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel. They serve as wardens of the town in which a protected citizenry can prosper. Polk began with First Ward in the East and labeled the four wards of Charlottetown as prescribed by the ancient blueprint.
Guess what the center point is? Trade and Tryon, the intersection of two Native American trade routes, and a spot revered by natives as naturally powerful, as well as the proper center according to ‘cosmic geometric design.’ Thomas Polk paid attention and located the courthouse at Trade and Tryon. The building doubled as an all-purpose hall for town meetings, social events and church.
It’s no accident, according to Nelson, that the Signers Monument is a cosmic obelisk. In Egyptian fashion, the obelisk was quarried in 1910 by Masons from a single piece of granite with a high quartz content. The monument’s solid portion is forty feet high and in precise proportion to the height of the Great Pyramid. It is Nelson’s belief that the town’s planners would have placed this monument at Trade and Tryon to focus and clear the energy there.
The Signers Monument, located in front of the original Mecklenburg County Court House, commemorates another key to Charlotte’s rich history: the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration on May 20, 1775 at 2:00 A.M. Yes, yes, there is much dispute over particularities concerning the “Meck Dec” but Nelson believes the heavens authenticate the declaration. At the time of the signing, the minor planets Pallas (Athena) and Ceres were together directly overhead in the night sky. These figures appear in the North Carolina seal, Athena standing with a liberty staff and cap, and Ceres seated with her cornucopia. Nelson can talk for another hour and draw connections between astrology, dates and zodiac symbols. For the rest of us, this is where that learning curve, or lack thereof, comes into play. Basically, all elements of the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina (dated May 20, 1775) are reflected in the astrological chart for the Mecklenburg Declaration. So a specific alignment of the Earth and the Sun occurs every May 20th and, in collaboration with historical fact, proves the document’s origins.
Why should we care? If Mecklenburg did indeed declare independence from England in 1775, its declaration preceded the Philadelphia declaration, which created this nation, by more than a year. Some historians dispute the existence of the Mecklenburg Declaration, and Thomas Jefferson questioned it. A closer look into history shows that he only denounced the document after John Adams accused him of plagiarizing it when creating the Declaration of Independence. In addition, Charlotte was chartered November 7th, which means it shares its birthday with Philadelphia. Nelson also points to the fact that Thomas Polk and Benjamin Franklin were close acquaintances and fellow Masons. Some researchers believe Franklin may have heavily influenced the writing of the Mecklenburg Declaration.
Charlotte’s history is getting a little deeper. Fortunately, Nelson and a group at the Charlotte Theosophical Society are planning to offer seminars to further explore the mysterious soul of Charlotte. You’ll have to attend to find out all the things that make Charlotte a Scorpio city or how Charlotte began as a love story. If your interest is piqued and you’d like to delve in now, you can start with the Full Moon drumming circle on Tuesday, May 1 at The Square at Trade and Tryon. Drummers will gather at 7:30 for the special occasion of a full moon on May Day. Nelson believes that the Sun in Taurus Full Moon is the most powerful full moon of the year. Buddhists call this the Wesak Full Moon and believe the Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and left this world all under the Full Moon of Taurus.
Each Full Moon is an opportunity for revelation and for healing body, mind and soul.
In Steve Nelson fashion, here’s one more tidbit before we go while we’re on the subject of Taurus. In the Earth zodiac, Charlotte is in the 30th degree of Taurus. The final degree of a sign brings the qualities of that sign to full expression. Taurus rules banking and the arts. Charlotte is now the second largest banking hub in the U.S. and raises more money for the arts than any other city in the country. Oh yeah, the Sun - it’s in the 30th degree of Taurus each year on May 20th.
Questions? Contact Steve at SteveNelson@carolina.rr.com.
~ Celina Mincey
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