Cary, North Carolina
From City Information and Stats by PapaWidget
| Town of Cary | |||
| — Town — | |||
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| Nickname(s): Technology Town of North Carolina[1] | |||
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| Coordinates: 35°46′44″N 78°48′1″W / 35.77889°N 78.80028°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | North Carolina | ||
| Counties | Wake, Chatham | ||
| Founded | 1750 | ||
| Incorporated | April 6, 1871 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Harold Weinbrecht | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 43.5 sq mi (112.6 km2) | ||
| - Land | 42.1 sq mi (109 km2) | ||
| - Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2) 3.17% | ||
| Elevation | 480 ft (146 m) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 134,000 | ||
| - Density | 2,246/sq mi (867.2/km2) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP Code | 27511-27513, 27518, 27519 | ||
| Area code(s) | 919 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-10740[2] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1019552[3] | ||
| The town was named for Samuel Fenton Cary | |||
| Website | www.townofcary.org | ||
Cary (pronounced /ˈkɛəri/) is a large town in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle behind Raleigh and Durham. Cary is a suburb of Raleigh. The town's population was 94,536 at the 2000 census, but the Census Bureau estimates that its population had grown to 134,000 by 2009, making it the largest town and seventh largest municipality statewide.[4] According to the US Census Bureau, Cary was the 5th fastest growing municipality in the United States between September 1, 2006, and September 1, 2007.[5] The census bureau more recently rated the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area as the fastest growing municipality in the U.S. between 2007 and 2008.[6]
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Geography
Cary is situated at the heart of North Carolina's Research Triangle Region. It is edged on the north and east by Raleigh, on the north and west by Research Triangle Park and Morrisville, on the south by Apex and Holly Springs, and on the west by the Jordan Lake area. [7] The majority of Cary is in western Wake County, with a small part in Chatham County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.5 mi² (112.6 km²). 42.1 mi² (109.0 km²) of it is land and 1.4 mi² (3.6 km²) of it (3.17%) is water. More recent Cary records show that as of 2007 the town has a total area of 52.79 mi².[7]
History
Today's Cary began in 1750 as a settlement called Bradford's Ordinary. About 100 years later, the construction of the North Carolina Railroad between New Bern and Hillsborough placed Bradford's Ordinary on a major transportation route. Allison Francis "Frank" Page is credited with founding the town. Page was a Wake County farmer and lumberman. He and his wife, Catherine "Kate" Raboteau Page bought 300 acres (1.2 km2) surrounding the railroad junction in 1854 and named his development Cary after Samuel Fenton Cary (a former Ohio congressman and prohibitionist he admired). Page became a railroad agent and a town developer. He laid out the first streets in Cary and built a sawmill, a general store and a post office (Page became the first Postmaster). In 1868, Page built a hotel to serve railroad passengers coming through Cary. Cary was incorporated on April 6, 1871, with Page becoming the first mayor. [8] In 1879, the Raleigh and Augusta Air-Line Railroad (later the Seaboard, now CSX Transportation) arrived in Cary from the southwest, creating Fetner Junction just north of downtown and spurring further growth.
In the early years Cary adopted zoning and other ordinances on an ad-hoc basis to control growth and give the town structure. Beginning in 1971, the town created a Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning to accommodate population growth related to the growth of Research Triangle Park nearby. A PUD allows a developer to plan an entire community before beginning development, thus allowing future residents to be aware of where churches, schools, commercial and industrial areas will be located well before such use begins. Kildaire Farms, a 967-acre (3.9 km2) Planned Unit Development in Cary was North Carolina's first PUD. It was developed on the Pine State Dairy Farm by Thomas F. Adams, Jr. Adams named a section of Kildaire Farms "Farmington Woods" in their honor. The local government has placed a high value on creating an aesthetically pleasing town.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year |
Population |
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| 1940 | 1,141 |
| 1950 | 1,496 (31%) |
| 1960 | 3,356 (124%) |
| 1970 | 7,640 (128%) |
| 1980 | 21,763 (185%) |
| 1990 | 43,858 (102%) |
| 2000 | 94,536 (116%) |
| 2007 | 125,460 (33%) |
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 94,536 people, 34,906 households, 25,132 families residing in the town. The population density was 867.2/km² (2,246.0/mi²). There were 36,863 housing units at an average density of 338.2/km² (875.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.17% White, 6.15% African American, 0.27% Native American, 8.08% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.28% of the population.
There were 34,906 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.18.
The age distribution was 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 38.6% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $75,122, and the median income for a family was $88,074. Males had a median income of $62,012 versus $38,819 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,974. About 2.1% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over. According to the Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, median incomes had risen to $89,702 (household) and $111,556 (family).[9]
Prosperity
In terms of higher education, 68.0% of adult residents in Cary (ages 25 and older) hold an associate degree or higher, and 60.7% of adults possess a baccalaureate degree or higher. Cary has the most Ph.D.s per capita in the U.S. for towns larger than 75,000 people.[citation needed] Cary has one of the lowest crime rates in the state for municipalities of its size.[10] The home ownership rate (owner-occupied housing units to total units) is 72.8%.
In 2001, Town of Cary was declared the fourth safest of 327 large municipalities in the nation in the 8th Annual Morgan Quitno Safest (And Most Dangerous) City Award.[11]
The town's reputation as a bedroom community for transplants from outside the South has led to backronyms for its name such as "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees."[12] Data from the 2000 Census shows 29.2% of Cary residents are native to North Carolina. 55.2% were born in other states. Additionally, 15.6% of the town population were born outside the United States.[13]
Government
Cary has a council-manager government; the mayor and council members serve a four year term, with half of the council seats being up for election each odd-numbered year. Four of the six council seats are elected by district; the remaining two seats are at-large representatives.
The current town council consists of Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Representatives Jennifer Robinson (District A), Don Frantz (District B), Jack W. Smith (District C), Gale Adcock (District D), Erv Portman (at-large), and Julie Aberg Robison (at-large).
On October 9, 2007, Harold Weinbrecht defeated then-mayor Ernie McAlister.[14][15] Citizen concern over the impact rapid growth was having on the town, especially on roads, schools, and the environment, led to McAlister's ouster.[16]
Mayors
- From 1871 to Present
Read left to right.
| Name | Years | Name | Years | Name | Years | Name | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. F. Page | 1871 | J. H. Adams | 1884 | R. J. Harrison | 1887 | John Nugeer | 1897 |
| E. C. Hayes | 1900 | A.R. McGarrity | 1902 | R. J. Harrison | 1903 | H. B. Jordan | 1903 |
| N. C. Hines | 1910 | J. M. Templeton, Jr. | 1912 | G. S. Leacock | 1914 | T. H. Taylor | 1916 |
| W. G. Crowder | 1916 | E. P. Bradshaw | 1921 | W. H. Atkins | 1921-25 | G. H. Jordan | 1925 |
| E. P. Bradshaw | 1925 | Dr. F. R. Yarborough | 1927-28 | A. N. Jackson | 1928-29 | H. H. Waddell | 1929-33 |
| Dr. J. P. Hunter | 1933-35 | M. T. Jones | 1935 | T. W. Addicks | 1935 | L. L. Raines | 1935-37 |
| R. W. Mayton | 1935-37 | Robert G. Setzer | 1947-49 | H. Waldo Rood | 1949-61 | Dr. W. H. Justice | 1961-62 |
| James Hogarth | 1962-63 | Dr. E. B. Davis | 1963-69 | Joseph R. Veasey | 1969-71 | Fred G. Bond | 1971-83 |
| Harold D. Ritter | 1983-87 | Koka E. Booth | 1987-1999 | Glen Lang | 1999-2003 | Ernie McAlister | 2003-2007 |
| Harold Weinbrecht | 2007-present |
Business
Largest Employer in Cary:
- SAS Institute - Largest privately-held software company in the world
Businesses based in Cary:
- 3Dsolve - Simulation software used in training by military, recently purchased by Lockheed Martin
- Bear Rock Foods - Regional restaurant chain with Cary headquarters
- Geotek Mapping (Municipal GIS Utility Mapping & Land Surveying)
- Cotton Incorporated - Industry trade-group.
- Dancik International - Software Company
- Epic Games - Video game developer
- Global Knowledge - Corporate & technical education provider
- Infineon Technologies - Physical, engineering and biological research
- IntelliScanner Corporation - home and small business organization products
- Lord Corporation - diversified technology company
- R. H. Donnelley - Directory and mailing list publisher
- Western Wake Medical Center - Hospital
Education
Primary and secondary education
History of Cary Elementary and Cary High Schools Established in the late 1800s.
High schools
- Middle Creek High School
- Cary High School
- Green Hope High School
- Panther Creek High School
Middle schools
- Davis Drive Middle School
- East Cary Middle School
- Reedy Creek Middle School
- West Cary Middle School
Elementary schools
- Adams Elementary School
- Briarcliff Elementary School
- Carpenter Elementary School
- Cary Elementary School
- Davis Drive Elementary School
- Farmington Woods Elementary School
- Green Hope Elementary School
- Highcroft Drive Elementary School
- Kingswood Elementary School
- Northwoods Elementary School
- Penny Road Elementary School
- Reedy Creek Elementary School
- Turner Creek Elementary School
- Weatherstone Elementary School
Private schools
- Cary Academy, private middle/high school
- Cary Christian School
- Resurrection Lutheran School Currently k-5
- St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School
- Grace Christian School
Higher education
- Wake Technical Community College
Transportation
Public transit
Public transit within the town is provided by C-Tran. There are three fixed-routes: North-South, East-West and the Maynard Loop. There is also a door-to-door service for the elderly (55+) and riders with disabilities. Triangle Transit operates fixed-route buses that serve the metropolitan region and connect to the local municipal transit systems in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
Intercity rail
Amtrak's Silver Star, Carolinian and Piedmont passenger trains stop at the Cary Amtrak station. They offer service to Charlotte, New York City, Miami, and intermediate points.
Bicycle
The League of American Bicyclists has designated Cary one of the fourteen recipients of the first Bicycle-Friendly Community awards for "providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation". Cary Bicycle Plan
Pedestrian
Cary Greenways and Trails maintains a network of sidewalks and paved trails connecting neighborhoods and parks throughout town. These greenways place strict requirements on environmental conditions to preserve a park-like atmosphere. In addition, standard sidewalks and paths exist throughout the town.
Air
The Raleigh-Durham International Airport, located northwest of downtown Raleigh via Interstate-40 between Raleigh and Durham, serves Cary and the greater Research Triangle metropolitan region. Raleigh-Durham is a focus city for American Airlines and a hub for American Eagle Airlines.
Freeways and primary routes
- Interstate 40
- U.S. 1
- US 64
- State Highway 54
- State Highway 55
- Interstate 540
- Cary Parkway
- Kildaire Farm Road
- Walnut Street (which appears on some maps as Cary-Macedonia Road and as Western Boulevard Ext., apparently part of a planned connection of Walnut Street to Western Boulevard in Raleigh.)
- High House Road
- Harrison Avenue
- Maynard Road Loop
- Davis Drive (links to Research Triangle Park)
Recreation
- Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
- Page-Walker Hotel
- WakeMed Soccer Park, where the Carolina RailHawks play.
- William B. Umstead State Park Cary's North Harrison Avenue ends at the Reedy Creek Entrance.
- USA Baseball National Training Complex, 4 Baseball Fields including Stadium Center Field with seating for 1,754
- Thomas Brooks Park, 4 Baseball/Softball Fields (lighted), Batting Cage, 2 Basketball Slabs (lighted), 2 Soccer Fields
- Sk-8 Skate Park, 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) outdoor street course made up of rails, banks, grind ledges, quarter-pipes and half-pipes from 3 to 9 feet (2.7 m) tall with pro shop, concession area, restrooms, covered viewing area. Summer skateboarding camps.
- Fred G. Bond Metro Park, 310-acre (1.3 km2) Park with Bond Lake, Boathouse, Ropes Course, Trails, Athletic Fields, Playgrounds
- The Cary Ice House, Indoor Year Round Rink offering Hockey and Figure Skating
- Triangle Aquatic Center, 72,000 sq ft (6,700 m2), the largest public aquatic facility in North Carolina, 3 Pools including competition pool with 1,000 seat seating, cafe, swim shop
- Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, Unique stand of Eastern Hemlock Trees located at 2616 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC
- Jelly beans Super Skate Center of Cary, off of Buck Jones Road ( Near crossroads )
Tennis
- Cary Tennis Park, 30 Championship Hard Tennis Courts with Stadium Court, 1 Backboard Court, Pro Shop, Snack Bar, Locker Rooms, All Courts Lighted
- Lochmere Swim & Tennis Club, 10 Lighted Tennis Courts, Clubhouse
- Kildaire Farms Sports & Fitness Club, 7 Lighted Clay Courts, 6 Lighted Hard Courts, Proshop
Golf
- Lochmere Golf Club, 18 Holes
- Prestonwood Country Club, 54 Holes of Championship Golf, 6 Clay Tennis Courts, 9 Hard Courts, Swimming Pool, Clubhouse
- McGregor Downs Country Club, 18 Holes, 8 Clay Tennis Courts, 3 Hard Courts, Swimming Pool, Clubhouse
- SAS Championships, Champions Tour, 2.1 Million Purse, Every September, Prestonwood Country Club
Honors and awards
Events
- Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival
- Cary Band Day High school band competition and parade, held since 1958
- Cary Road Race, Every April includes a 10K, 5K, and 1 Mile Fun Run
- Run for Life, includes a 5K and 1 Mile Run
- 2008 Division I Women’s Soccer College Cup
- 2009 Division I Women’s Basketball Regional
- 2009 Division I Men’s Soccer College Cup
- 2010 Division I Women’s Soccer College Cup
- 2010 Division II Baseball Championship
- 2011 Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships
- 2012 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships
Sister cities
Cary has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
Markham, Ontario, Canada
County Meath, Ireland
Hsinchu City, Taiwan
Le Touquet, France
Residents (former and current)
- Former Cary citizen Walter Hines Page was a U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.[1]
- Cary resident Marshall Brain is the founder of the HowStuffWorks website. He is also a published author and a futurist who believes that robots will have taken over unskilled jobs by 2050. [2]
- Cary resident David Potorti became a peace activist following the death of his brother James in the World Trade Center attack of 2001. He is a founding member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
- Cary resident Deborah Gonzales is a novelist who writes under the names Sabrina Jeffries, Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas. [3]
- Cary residents Aaron Ward and Jesse Boulerice are former Carolina Hurricanes players who have made their homes here. [4]
- Cary resident Kay Yow was the head coach of the women's basketball team at North Carolina State University. [5]
- Cary resident Bobby Clampett was a former professional golfer.
- Former Cary resident Katelyn Clampett is a singer-songwriter.
See also
- The Triangle (North Carolina)
- I-85 Corridor
References
- ^ Official webpage
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Subcounty population estimates: North Carolina 2000-2006" (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2007-06-28. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2006_37.csv. Retrieved on 2008-05-28.
- ^ New Orleans Population Continues Katrina Recovery; Houston Leads in Numerical Growth, U.S. Census Bureau News, 2008-07-10
- ^ US Census Press Release, March 19, 2009
- ^ a b Guide to Services
- ^ About Cary : Looking Back
- ^ Cary town, North Carolina — Income in the Past 12 Months (In 2007 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
- ^ Bourne, Joel. "Suburbia Unbound". National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0106/feature7/index.html. Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
- ^ CARY, NC RANKED 4TH SAFEST IN U.S.
- ^ Money Magazine Article - Part 2
- ^ Cary town, North Carolina - DP-2. Profile of Selected Social Characteristics: 2000
- ^ Weinbrecht ousts McAlister in Cary
- ^ Weinbrecht Wins Upset in Cary Mayoral Race
- ^ http://www.carynews.com/front/story/7348.html[dead link]
- ^ 2006, Money Magazine Best Place to Live #5 in the Nation
- ^ 2008, NCAA selects Cary, NC as a Top Six “NCAA Championship City” for pilot program
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cary, North Carolina |
- Town website
- Cary News
- Cary Magazine
- Cary Chamber of Commerce
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