1. On September 18, 1850, James B. Clay, son of former US Senator Henry Clay, delivered a speech in Charlotte advocating for the Compromise of 1850 which would temporarily ease tensions between North and South regarding issues of slavery and statehood.

2. In 1927, on September 18, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic motorway stretching 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, was held at Cumberland Knob in Alleghany County.

3. On September 18, 1959, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) held its first day of classes with an enrollment of 278 students.

4. The Battle of Cumberland Church, a Civil War battle in which Union forces repelled a Confederate attack, took place on September 18, 1864, near Farmville, North Carolina.

5. On September 18, 1985, Hurricane Gloria made landfall in North Carolina, causing extensive damage along the coast and inland areas. The storm caused power outages, flooding, and downed trees in multiple counties.