Cary, North Carolina

town in North Carolina, United States

Cary is the second largest city in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. At the 2020 census, Cary had a population of 174,721.[3] As of 2007, Cary was the 8th fastest growing city in the United States.[4]

Cary, North Carolina
Cary Town Hall
Cary Town Hall
Motto: 
"Live Inspired"
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°46′55″N 78°49′12″W / 35.78194°N 78.82000°W / 35.78194; -78.82000[1]
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
Counties
Founded1750
IncorporatedApril 3, 1871
Named forSamuel Fenton Cary
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager government
Area
 • Total61.05 sq mi (158.12 km2)
 • Land59.94 sq mi (155.24 km2)
 • Water1.11 sq mi (2.88 km2)  1.82%
Elevation410 ft (120 m)
Population
 • Total174,721
 • Rank150th in the United States
7th in North Carolina
 • Density2,915.03/sq mi (1,125.49/km2)
DemonymCaryite
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
27511–27513, 27518, 27519
Area code919, 984
FIPS code37-10740[1]
GNIS ID2406229[1]
Websitewww.carync.gov

History

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Cary began in 1750 as a settlement called Bradford's Ordinary. About 100 years later, the North Carolina Railroad was built between New Bern and Hillsborough and the railroad went through the settlement. Allison Francis Page, a farmer and lumberman, and his wife, Catherine Raboteau Page bought 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land surrounding the railroad in 1854 and named it Cary. Page made the first streets in Cary and built a sawmill, a store and a post office. In 1868, he built a hotel for railroad passengers coming through Cary. Cary officially became a town on April 6, 1871, and Page became the first mayor.[5]

Education

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There are many schools in Cary. The public schools are run by the Wake County Public School System. There are also many private schools, both religious and non-religious. Private schooling and home schooling are popular among many Cary residents.

Transportation

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The Town of Cary operates a local bus system called GoCary. It was called C-Tran until 2016. Cary also has an Amtrak station and is just a few miles away from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Cary has many bike trails and many neighborhoods have sidewalks, so it is a good place to walk or ride a bike.

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cary, North Carolina
  2. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "QuickFacts: Cary town, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  4. "The 258 fastest growing U.S. cities". cnn.com.
  5. "About Cary : Looking Back". Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2008-03-07.