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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) – Asking about American history can stir up a hornet’s nest, especially if you’re at a particular park in Charlotte.
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If you’re lucky, a question about the Revolutionary War is an intro to a sweet pack of pooches.
We found Command Canine training pets in the park with a curious name.
“I’m at the Hornet’s Nest Park,” said dog trainer Nick Hedrick.
Why is it called that?
“Maybe the Charlotte Hornets?” he figured.
“I have absolutely no idea,” admits head trainer Maggie Gruner.
We explored the origin of the city’s identity at Atkins Library on the campus of UNC Charlotte.
To commemorate America 250, the exhibit“Charlotte: A Hornet’s Nest of Rebellion” delves into something many just take for granted. It will be available to the public until July 6.
Dawn Schmitz and Andrew Pack are the co-curators.
“We wanted to highlight the history of the hornet in Charlotte and what it’s meant to people over the years,” Pack told Queen City News.
“The question of why Charlotte is called a hornet’s nest and why the hornet and its nest are all over Charlotte-Mecklenburg,” Schmitz says.
“The ‘hornet’s nest’ remark was attributed to General Cornwallis as he was exiting the city,” Schmitz explained. “He called Charlotte a ‘hornet’s nest of rebellion,’ based on how hard of a time the British had fighting the war here.”
The Atkins Library collection includes a book written by British commander Sir Banastre Tarleton.
“[The Charlotte area was] more hostile to England than any other in America,” Schmitz reads.
Pack showed us a photo of McIntyre Farm, the site of a skirmish in 1780 called the “Battle of the Bees.” It unfolded when the British tried to loot the place. As if gunfire from Patriots weren’t enough, bees entered the chat.
“The British soldiers accidentally turned over a bee’s nest, and so the bees started swarming everywhere, stinging them,” Pack says.
For two centuries, the Queen City has been abuzz about the Hornets comparison.
“Several sports teams carry the name of the Hornets, honoring the Revolutionary War heritage. From 1901 to 1973, there was a minor league baseball team in Charlotte,” said Pack.
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Then in 1988, the Charlotte Hornets became an NBA team, and after a short stint in New Orleans, once again in 2014.
“So many people kind of around Charlotte, they may have seen the symbol somewhere on the sports teams names or on police cars or the county seal, but they have no idea what the origin of it was,” he says.
The display also shows how hornets were used to make political points.
“During the immigration operations last year, this artwork was distributed widely, and it depicts Queen Charlotte with hornets buzzing around her,” said Schmitz.
Of course, Hornets are known for being territorial and willing to defend their territory.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to be known as a group of people who stand up for themselves,” Schmitz says.
“I’d say it’s a point of pride to show people that Charlotte had an important contribution during the Revolutionary War,” said Pack.
“That’s a very strong name,” said Gruner, the dog trainer we began this story with.
Back at the park, the story of how Hornet’s Nest Park got its name seems to strike a chord.
“And I love a city that’s got some grit to it and that has its own real identity, so I think that’s awesome,” Gruner says.
It’s a stinging endorsement appreciated by historians and, yes, dog trainers.
Thankfully, there’s no worry about the chance of a hornet’s nest of rebellious pooches.
“[The dogs] have no reason to overthrow us; we’re trying to work together, ha,” Gruner said with a laugh.
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