NEWS RELEASE                                  FIRST
                                            CHARTER
P. O. Box 228, Concord, NC 28026-0228   CORPORATION
(704) 786-3300 * FAX (704) 788-6031     For Information Call:
                                        Lawrence M. Kimbrough
                                        (704) 786-3300


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Concord, North Carolina
December 21, 1995


     First Charter Corporation, Concord, North Carolina, the
holding company for First Charter National Bank, announced that
its merger transaction with Bank of Union became effective today.

     As previously announced, First Charter will acquire all of
Bank of Union's outstanding capital stock in a tax-free
transaction, and Bank of  Union will be a separate subsidiary of
First Charter Corporation.  Bank of Union shareholders will
receive 0.75 shares of the common stock of First Charter for each
share of Bank of Union common stock.

     The common stock of First Charter Corporation is traded on
the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "FCTR."  For
information, contact:  Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. (Larry Biggers,
1-800-929-0747), J. C. Bradford Co. (Carl Cline 1-800-222-1082)
and Wheat First Securities, Inc. (Robert Phillips, 1-800-289-
2671).