THE MANY POINTS OF OUR TRIANGLE Calling Southwest Wake County Home BY KELLY MCCALL BRANSON
Looking across the lake at Bond Park in Cary on an autumn morning Photo by Wileydoc/shutterstock.com
For the second installment in our series exploring the towns and villages that make up the greater Triangle area — outside its official points of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill — we’ll take a look at Southwest Wake County.
From the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad line, to magical healing springs to a town with two historic downtowns, to one that’s really a small city, the area just south and west of Raleigh is more than just bedroom communities for the “big city;” These are towns with distinct identities, unique features and loads to offer — great schools, safe neighborhoods, cultural and recreational opportunities, eclectic shopping and a smorgasbord of dining and drinking choices.
Not a Village Anymore With a population of more than 170,000, Cary is no longer a sleepy little town. In fact, Cary has nearly triple the residents of Chapel Hill. This booming Triangle community has a long history — starting in 1750 as a settlement called Bradford’s Ordinary, Cary was named by its first developer, mayor, postmaster and railroad agent, Allison Francis “Frank” Page, for a prohibition crusader from Ohio named Samuel Fenton Cary. Incorporated in 1871, Cary was, in fact, a dry community for nearly 100 years.
Photo Courtesy of 12 Oaks
It wasn’t until the development of Research Triangle Park in the 1960s that Cary really took off. Its population has tripled in the past 25 years, and its residents represent a broad cross section of the country and the world. Less than 30% of Caryites were actually born there, and 20% of its residents are from outside the U.S. This great diversity makes Cary the ultimate melting pot of cultures. Cary has been named one of the “hottest” cities in America, one of the best places to live, one of the best small cities, one of the safest and — no surprise, given its proximity to Research Triangle Park, and three major research universities — one of the top tech cites in the country. These days, one of Cary’s greatest assets is its phenomenal sports venues and facilities. The 150-acre WakeMed soccer park features a 10,000-seat
Coca Booth Amphitheater, Cary | Photo by Wileydoc/shutterstock.com
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