The Charlotte Observer traces its roots back to March 22, 1886, when the Charlotte Daily Chronicle began rolling off the presses. The paper challenged the then-ruling faction of the Democratic party in North Carolina, trumpeted the region's growing industrialization, and engaged in a fierce competition with another local publication, the Charlotte Daily Observer. After a brief political rivalry and a series of flame wars on a primitive, steam-powered Internet, the Daily Chronicle reigned victorious when the Observer folded in 1887. The Chronicle claimed the defeated paper's name and set the stage for more than 125 years of trusted reporting on city, state, national, and international news.

Residents of Charlotte keep up to speed on the crime, education, politics, and sports stories that affect their city day to day, while an extensive living and entertainment section highlights up-and-coming bars and restaurants, as well as cultural events and concerts. Opinion pieces dish out insightful commentary on national issues of the day, and online editions deliver constant access to news through any computer, tablet, or smartphone.