Cary /'k??ri/ is the seventh largest municipality in North Carolina. Cary is 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 after Raleigh and Durham. The town's population was 135,234 as of the 2010 census (an increase of 43.1% since 2000), making it the largest town and seventh largest municipality statewide. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town's population to be 151,088 as of July 1, 2013. Cary is currently the second most populous incorporated town (behind only Gilbert, Arizona) in the United States. 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. Cary is often considered one of the safest cities in the US, due to its extremely low crime rate.
Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the three primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region even though today Cary is the 3rd largest municipality in the metropolitan area. The regional nickname of "The Triangle" originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, primarily located in Durham County, four miles from downtown Durham. RTP is bordered on three sides by the city of Durham and is roughly midway between the cities of Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and three major research universities of NC State University, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Effective June 6, 2003, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) redefined the Federal statistical areas and dismantled what had been for decades the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, MSA and split them into two separate metro areas. This resulted in the formation of the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area and the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area.
The Research Triangle region encompasses OMB's Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina. As of 2012, the population of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill CSA was 1,998,808. The Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as of Census 2010 was 1,130,490.
Geography
Located in the Piedmont region of the eastern United States, Cary is near North Carolina's Research Triangle. 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. The topography of the town is hilly.
Cary is in the Humid Subtropical climate zone. It receives hot summers and mildly cold winters. Temperature extremes here range from the negatives to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hurricanes and tropical storms can affect Cary, usually after weakening substantially from being over land. Some, such as Hurricane Fran in 1996, have caused great damage in the area. Nearly all of Cary is in western Wake County, with neighborhood-sized sections in the northeast corner of Chatham County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.5 square miles (112.6 km²). 42.1 square miles (109.0 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (3.17%) is water. More recent Cary records show that as of 2010 the town has a total area of 55.34 mi².
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 went through the town, linking Bradford's Ordinary to 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. 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 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.
In addition to the Page-Walker Hotel, the Carpenter Historic District, Cary Historic District, Green Level Historic District, Ivey-Ellington House, and Nancy Jones House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Demographics
According to the 2010 Census, there were 135,234 people and 55,303 households in the town. As of 2013, the population has increased to 151,088. The population was 73.1% White, 13.1% Asian, 8.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 2.6% were from two or more races. In addition, 7.7% were Hispanic or Latino, of any race.
The median household income for Cary as of 2011 was $110,609.
Prosperity
Over two-thirds (68.0%) of Cary residents (aged 25 and older) hold an associate degree or higher, and 60.7% of adults possess a bachelor's degree or higher. Cary has one of the lowest crime rates (79% less than North Carolina) in the state for municipalities of its size. The home ownership rate (owner-occupied housing units to total units) is 72.8%.
In 2013, Cary moved up in the latest rankings of safe U.S. cities and is now considered the third-safest among municipalities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999 behind Amherst, New York, and Irvine, California. according to CQ Press, publisher of the annual "City Crime Rankings 2008-2009: Crime in Metropolitan America."
Cary's reputation as a bedroom community for affluent transplants from outside the South has led to humorous backronyms for its name such as "Concentrated Area of Relocated Yankees." 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's population were born outside the United States.
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), Lori Bush (at-large), and Ed Yerha (at-large).
On October 9, 2007, Harold Weinbrecht defeated then-mayor Ernie McAlister in the Cary, North Carolina, mayoral election of 2007. Citizen concern over the effect rapid growth was having on the town, especially on roads, schools, and the environment, led to McAlister's ouster.
On December 26, 2009, The Nation published an article on secret prisons in the United States run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement where suspected illegal immigrants can be held indefinitely before deportation. It was alleged that at least one of these secret federal prisons is located in an office building in Cary. A part of the federal government's Department of Homeland Security, ICE has leased an office in Cary off Evans Road for more than 10 years. This location does not house detainees overnight. Other than protesters picketing the facility, there have been no issues associated with the Cary ICE office.
Mayors
Read left to right.
Climate
Economy
Notable businesses
- 3Dsolve - Simulation software used in training by military, recently purchased by Lockheed Martin
- American Airlines - Major U.S airline with reservation center in Cary.
- Caterpillar Inc - Building Construction Products (BCP) division.
- Cotton Incorporated - Industry trade-group.
- Cumulus Networks - Linux Network Operating System Company
- Deere & Company - Lawn care and turf products Manufacturing.
- Deutsche Bank Global Technologies - Support operations for Deutsche Bank AG.
- Dex Media - Print and Digital marketing company
- Epic Games - Video game developer
- Kellogg - multinational food manufacturing company with plant in Cary.
- IntelliScanner Corporation - Home and small business organization products
- Lord Corporation - Diversified technology company
- Oxford University Press - Global publishing company
- The Pantry - Convenience store
- Research In Motion - Makers of Blackberry smartphones.
- SAS Institute - Large software company and Cary's largest employer
- Western Wake Medical Center - Private hospital
- Siemens - Engineering, Energy and Healthcare
- MetLife - Major US Insurance Company-Support operations
- Educated Design & Development, Inc. - Global leader in product safety test equipment and calibration
Top employers
According to the Town's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the town are:
Education
Public schools
Cary public schools were established in the late 19th century and are now part of the Wake County Public School System. Based in Cary, the Wake County Public School System is the largest public school system in North Carolina.
- High Schools
- Cary High School
- Green Hope High School
- Middle Creek High School
- Panther Creek High School
- Middle Schools
- Davis Drive Middle School
- East Cary Middle School
- Mills Park Middle School
- Reedy Creek Middle School
- West Cary Middle School
- Elementary Schools
- Adams Elementary School
- Alston Ridge 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
- Mills Park Elementary School
- Northwoods Elementary School
- Oak Grove 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
- Grace Christian School
- Hopewell Academy
- Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic School
- Resurrection Lutheran School, K-8th grade
- Landmark Christian Academy, K3-10th grade
Higher education
- Wake Technical Community College
Transportation
Public transit
Public transit within the town is provided by C-Tran, with six fixed-routes. There is also a door-to-door service for the senior citizens (60+) 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".
The Maine-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route 1 passes through suburban Cary, as does N.C. Bicycle Route #2, the "Mountains to Sea" route.
Mountain bike trails are available just north of Cary in Lake Crabtree County Park. Information on other trails in the area is available at www.trianglemtb.com.
Pedestrian
Cary Greenways and Trails maintains a network of sidewalks and paved trails connecting neighborhoods and parks throughout the 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 north of Cary via Interstate 40 between Cary, Raleigh and Durham, serves Cary and the greater Research Triangle metropolitan region. Raleigh-Durham offers more than 35 destinations, serving approximately 9 million passengers per year.
Freeways and primary routes
- Interstate 40
- U.S. 1
- US 64
- State Highway 54
- State Highway 55
- State Highway 751
- State Highway 540
- Cary Parkway
- Kildaire Farm Road
- Walnut Street (which appears on some maps as Cary-Macedonia Road)
- High House Road
- Harrison Avenue
- Maynard Road Loop
- Davis Drive (links to Research Triangle Park)
- Holly Springs Road
Public recreation
- Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
- Page-Walker Hotel
- WakeMed Soccer Park, where the Carolina RailHawks play.
- William B. Umstead State Park
- USA Baseball National Training Complex
- Thomas Brooks Park
- Sk8 Cary Skate Park
- Fred G. Bond Metropolitan Park
- Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
- MacDonald Woods Park
- Walnut Street Park
Tennis
- Cary Tennis Park
- Recreation Club of Lochmere
Golf
- Lochmere Golf Club
- Prestonwood Country Club
- MacGregor Downs Country Club
- SAS Championship
Events
Cultural
- Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival
- Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival
- Cary Diwali Celebration - Festival of Light
- Ritmo Latino Music, Art and Dance Festival
- NC Eid Festival
- Cary Band Day
Sports
- 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship
- 2009-2014 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship
- 2011 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships
- 2012 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Tennis Championships
- Home to the Carolina Railhawks of the North American Soccer League
Honors and designations
- Money Magazine Best Place to Live #5 in the Nation in 2006. At that time it drew favorable comments as a family oriented, green city, though some consider it boring.
- Cary is also home of the USA Baseball National Training Complex
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
Notable people
- Jesse Boulerice - former National Hockey League player
- Marshall Brain - founder of the HowStuffWorks website
- James Goodnight - co-founder and CEO of SAS Institute
- Nathan Macias - former member of the Texas House of Representatives; lived in Cary while in the United States Air Force
- Walter Hines Page - former United States ambassador to the United Kingdom
- Bevin Prince - actress from One Tree Hill
- John Sall - co-founder of SAS Institute
- Aaron Ward - former National Hockey League player
- Glen Wesley - former National Hockey League player
- Evan Rachel Wood - actress, Thirteen, True Blood, "The Conspirator"
- Kay Yow - former head coach of the women's basketball team at North Carolina State University
- Rysa Walker - award-winning author of the Chronos Files series
See also
- I-85 Corridor
References
External links
- Official website
- Cary Chamber of Commerce
- Cary on the Triangle Wiki
- Cary Downtown - Heart of Cary
Interesting Informations
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