Before the Civil War, William Johnston served as president of Charlotte's first railroad, the Charlotte & SC Railroad. After the war, he rebuilt that line and extended it to Augusta, GA, creating the fastest route between New York and the deep South. He was instrumental in connecting Charlotte by rail early to two seaports, Charleston and Wilmington, allowing the small village to grow rapidly. After retiring from railroad management, he served four terms as a transformative Mayor of Charlotte, built the popular Buford Hotel for the region's rail and mill leaders, and co-organized the Commercial National Bank which, through mergers, evolved into today's Bank of America. Beyond these economic contributions, William Johnston successfully proposed an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution to broaden the state's religious tolerance, and also oversaw the creation of Charlotte's first grade school for African-American children. (Recipient of a 2020 Award of Excellence from the North Carolina Society of Historians)