Cary, NC- To celebrate the birthday and the life of Dr. Martin Luther King this coming weekend, the Town of Cary has a slate of activities called Dreamfest for the whole family.

The celebrations range from fun to informative. There will be remembrances from community leaders as well as the Annual March in downtown Raleigh.

Saturday Jan 15

On Saturday, Jan. 15 (Dr. King’s actual birthday),  Page-Walker Arts and History Center in downtown Cary will host “The Journey Continues” from 2-4 pm.

The band Sweet Potato Pie will perform a free concert. Awards will be presented for the Student MLK Art Contest.

Sunday Jan 16

“Dream of Unity Observance” will be held Sunday, Jan 16,  from 6-8 pm at the Herb Young Community Center, on Wilkinson Avenue in downtown.

In a “Tribute to Dr King,” local religious and secular leaders will remember the life and work of MLK, Jr.

The event is open to persons of all faiths and beliefs.

Monday Jan 17

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is officially observed on Monday, Jan 17. Downtown Raleigh is holding the 30th Annual MLK Commemorative March.

Town of Cary is providing round trip transportation from the Town Hall. Space is limited, so reserve your spot by calling 919-460-4963 or emailing Rob at rob.garner@townofcary.org

From the blog of  Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, covering the week of October 31, 2010.

This week was a busy week with several events and a council meeting.

The Love Affair with Trains and Cary

Monday’s first event was the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cary Depot. I met several State and Federal officials at the train station in Raleigh. After a short reception, we boarded the train to Cary. As we arrived in Cary and departed the train, the Cary Band played “I’ve been working on the Railroad.” Getting off a train with a band playing was a unique and surreal experience for me. I thought that only happened in the movies. Anyway, it was a great treat and made me proud to represent Cary.

There were plenty of speeches for the ceremony. Congressman Price started and recognized the federal funds that make this project possible. Then it was my turn. I gave welcoming comments. Here are excerpts from my greetings:

… Some of you may not realize it, but today’s Cary would not exist if it weren’t for the railroad.  Our first developer way back in the mid-1800’s got a tip that the NC Railroad might be running a line from New Bern to Hillsborough.  That developer, Frank Page, bought up 300 acres and built a hotel right next to the tracks.

Well, I think we can all agree that Page’s gamble sure paid off.

Now as our Page Walker Arts and History Center, the restored building stands just a block from where we are now, helping to anchor today’s community in the foundation of our past.  And with more than 143,000 people calling Cary home, we’ve become one of the safest and best places to live, work, and do business in America.

Today, we mark a new chapter in our love affair with trains as we celebrate the expansion of this passenger station in the heart of our community.

I want to thank both the Federal and State governments for their support of this project and tell you just how proud we are to be working with you once again. …

I was followed with comments from NCDOT Secretary of Transportation Gene Conti and Joseph Szabo from the Federal Railroad Administration. Then we all grabbed a shovel, posed for pictures, threw dirt and posed for more pictures. All in all it was a great time for me.

After the ceremony I went home, squeezed in a four mile run, packed a suitcase and headed to Winston Salem. The NCLM (North Carolina League of Municipalities) was holding their fall conference in Winston Salem. That evening I attended a reception and dinner where I was able to meet with elected officials from around the state.

Regional Issues

Tuesday morning I was the featured speaker in a session called “Local Networking Equals Legislative Results.” My talk was about the Mayor’s Association deciding to create a legislative agenda to present to the Wake County delegation in this year’s short session. It is important to know that in the short session only non controversial local bills can be introduced. Our agenda was a unanimous proposal that was ratified by all Wake County municipalities. As a result, we had an item that was not only supported by all the Wake County legislative delegation but co-sponsored across party lines by eight of nine representatives. The NCLM thought this was impressive and that was the main reason they invited me to speak. After I spoke, we broke up into small groups for an exercise to figure out ways to gain support to solve regional issues around the state.

After speaking I jumped in my car and headed back to Cary. On the way I made agenda calls to all the council members about Thursday’s council meeting. I was only able to contact council members Adcock and Portman. The only issue that seemed like it would generate discussion was a proposed substitute financial agreement for the Village Square development in Amberly.

Cary Development

Once I arrived in Cary, I attended the Agenda Meeting with managers and directors. There were a lot of presentations planned for Thursday’s meeting so we discussed that, the Village Square financial agreement, and the affordable housing plan.

After the agenda meeting I met with the town manager and the Mayor Pro-Tem to catch up on issues. Our town manager had been out of the country for a couple of weeks so we were overdue for a discussion.

Wednesday afternoon I taped the November episode of Cary Matters with council member Portman. The main topic was on the rezoning process. Questions and Answers included the Annie Jones Greenway renovation and leaf collection.

Ethics

Wednesday evening I participated in a work session on ethics. This is now required of all municipal officials since being passed last session by the General Assembly. The requirement includes a 2 hour webinar which was created by two School of Government experts on ethics and law. After the webinar the council was tasked with rewriting their ethics policy to be more in line with the new state guidelines. After an hour of this combined with a couple hours of the video we were spent. So we gave the attorney guidelines and asked her to write a draft for us to review.

Honoring Outgoing Board and Commission Members

Thursday afternoon the council and staff honored the outgoing board and commission members with a reception. It was great to meet the people who have sacrificed their time to serve the town. Cary is blessed to have so many dedicated individuals interested in serving.

Council Biz

Thursday night’s council meeting went as predicted. After about an hour of presentations the only two discussion topics were the affordable housing plan and the financial agreement for Amberly’s Village Square.

Cary Band Day

Friday night I attended the Cary Band Day Alumni Celebration. I was honored to meet the Grand Marshall of this year’s parade, Robert Henry Duarte. While most people have known him for 18+ years I had just met him. But his personality made me feel like I had known him for years. Robert works as a custodian by day and in his spare time as a brick mason. He has held these two jobs for years to put his wife through divinity school. According to all that know him he always has a smile on his face. God bless you and all you do Robert.

Saturday morning I attended the 52nd Cary Band Day parade. All though the parade was small it still was a lot of fun. I know there is interest in growing the participation. I have offered to help in any way I can.

Robert Duarte, Grand Marshall of the 52nd Annual Cary Band Day. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

LL B-Ball

After lunch I attended the final little league game of the Town of Cary D-Bats which the council sponsored. I was lucky to have my picture made with the team and was able to stay and watch most of the game. The players and coaches seemed to have a lot of fun and even created a tradition of eating apples to enhance their luck. Very interesting.

Alfresco Arts

I left the little league game and headed over to the corner of Maynard and Chatham (where Lowe’s is located) for the dedication of the first installment of “Arts Alfresco” from Cary Visual Arts. This piece of art, created by Brad Spencer, was made of brick and also served as benches. Three figures of people are included in the piece which is very detailed. It is a great addition to the town’s growing artwork collection. I salute our continuing partnership with Cary Visual Art and all they do for our community.

More Bands

Saturday night I headed over to Cooper Field at Cary High School to watch the band competition. I was able to watch several high school bands and the exhibitions by Cary High’s band and NC State’s band. Afterward, I was part of the group that presented several trophies to the winners. It was a good time but it was a late evening putting me home between 12:30 and 1:00 AM. This was particularly tough since I had a full day of work on Sunday at SAS to make up for the time I missed while in Winston Salem earlier in the week.

Email – Morrisville Parkway

Emails this week included information from staff. One item of interest was the schedule for the Morrisville Parkway Railroad Grade Separation project. Construction of this project is expected to begin May of 2014 and finish around the end of 2016. These dates are very tentative but the project will certainly create headaches for those that live in this area. Although this will have a significant impact there will be little Cary officials can do since this is a NCDOT project that is located in Morrisville.

Email – Cable Fees

Another email this week informed council about Time Warner’s planned increase of its fees which is roughly $3 per month. According to information this will take effect on our next statement. Here is a statement from staff on this issue:

“We’ve been notified of an upcoming rate increase by Time Warner Cable.  As a reminder, the Town of Cary is no longer authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to regulate rates.  In addition, the company now operates under a State franchise agreement, not an agreement with the Town of Cary.  In short, there is nothing we can do to impact this issue.

And even though the franchise is now with the State, the State (NC Attorney General’s Office) also doesn’t regulate rates (http://ncdoj.gov/Consumer/Internet-Mail-Cable-TV/Cable-TV.aspx).  Rate complaints should be filed with the FCC:  http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cablerates.html.”

Email – Cary Population

This week’s email also included the quarterly report from Town Manager Ben Shivar. One comment of interest included:

“Based on the number of Certificates of Occupancy issued, the Town of Cary’s population is estimated at 142,176 as of October 1, 2010, an increase of 4,693 people (+ 3.41%) since the October 1, 2009 estimate. Cary’s population has increased by 47,613 people (+50.35%) since the 2000 Census.  The Town has averaged a 4.86% annual population growth rate from October 1, 2005 until October 1, 2010.”

Other Things…

Emails this week included a lot of complaints such as the amphitheater noise levels, Apex’s Motiva proposal, our bio solids program, the Kildaire Farm Road project, demolition of a dilapidated house, a notice about not paying a water bill, and our program to assist employees with housing.

I am looking forward to a slower week next week. I will finally have a day off from my job at SAS and being mayor for the first time several weeks. The only problem is my wife will be in Europe.

Well that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 7th.

If you’d like to send me a note, I’d love to hear from you:

• Personal comments please send to augustanat@mindspring.com.
• All Town of Cary business - please email me at Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org

Cary residents father and son duo : McHenry Horns

Cary, N.C. - The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel have announced this years Winter Concert Series. Always popular (and always sold out), season tickets are still available but going fast.

Winter Concert Series

The series kicks off on Sunday, October 17 and it looks like we are in for another season of eclectic and outstanding programs.

All performances, with the exception of Love Bits & Bites, will be held on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 PM at The Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop—in the Heart of Cary.  The Main Gallery of the Page-Walker Arts & History Center is the perfect intimate setting to showcase all of the uniquely talented and diverse artists who will be performing this year.

Sunday, October 17:  Classical Interlude – Solo, Duet & Ensemble

This concert will feature performances by:  Eric Dyke, North Carolina Symphony Double Bass Player; McHenry Horns, Bill and Matthew McHenry who are father and son French horn players from Cary (Matthew is at Green Hope High School); and the Raleigh Civic Symphony and Chamber Orchestra Ensemble players.

Sunday, November 21:  Little Windows (Mark Weems and Julee Glaub)

Little Windows, returning for a second appearance at the Winter Concert Series, creates a mix of Appalachian and Irish music, and traditionally-based originals, with a special focus placed on unaccompanied ballads.  Mark Weems and Julee Glaub tour together nationally and abroad with a focus on the art of the pure voice with tight harmonies in traditional songs.  Instrumentation includes guitar, fiddle, banjo, flute, piano and bodhrán.

Sunday, December 19:  Mountain Aires

Mountain Aires is a group of young acoustic musicians from Wake County, North Carolina.  Their award-winning style reflects a mature sense of creativity, beauty and excitement.  The group plays a unique blend of traditional acoustic music, including bluegrass, Celtic, folk, old-time and holiday tunes.

Sunday, January 16:  Brian Reagin (Carole J. Wright Memorial Concert)

Brian Reagin, noted violinist and Concertmaster of the North Carolina Symphony, returns as a crowd favorite to the Winter Concert Series.  Reagin, who captivated audiences with his brilliant performance at both the 2007 and 2008 Winter Concert Series, will treat concert-goers to a classical repertoire on his Lorenzo and Tomasso Carcassi violin made in Florence, Italy in 1763.

Sunday, February 20:  Cary Players’ Love Bits & Bites 2011 – The Sixth Sense

A favorite Cary Players holiday tradition, this sixth-annual production of the PG-13 Valentine’s Day show Love Bits & Bites is an all-new collection of scenes, one-acts and songs that celebrate the charm, magic and mystery of love (sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet, often funny).  Two acts on each of two floors of the Page-Walker Arts & History Center will be performed.  The audience will change floors at intermission (after enjoying mouth-watering complimentary chocolate confections and coffee)!

The Friends anticipate that they will sell out quickly. Concert patrons are encouraged to purchase their season tickets as early as possible to ensure their seat at each of these events.

Cary, NC – For antiques junkies, TV programs such as The Antiques Road Show delight audiences each week with the surprising treasures hiding in their homes.  Now Cary citizens and the Triangle can share in the excitement of that experience .

Real Life History Detective
Friday, Sept 17

“Discovering the Past through Objects: Adventures of a Real-Life History Detective” on Friday, September 17, is a program sponsored by the Friends of Page-Walker Hotel.

Wes Cowan, star of the PBS television series History Detectives,  will offer his unique perspective on the evolving role of historical and archival institutions, the changing landscape of the antiques market, and share some of the interesting adventures he’s encountered.

The program begins at 7:00 PM in the Main Gallery of the Page-Walker Arts & History Center on the Cary Town Hall Campus.  The cost is $30 per person, and includes a wine, cheese and dessert reception.  Click here for Tickets

Friends of Page-Walker Antiques Appraisal Fair
Saturday, Sept 18

If you have been wondering whether that “priceless antique” you’re holding onto  is really worth something, here is an opportunity to discover if it’s a treasure!  Wes Cowan and his team of expert appraisers will examine fair-goers’ items and give a verbal appraisal of their value.

During the Fair, Cowan and his team will evaluate:

• Historical Americana, including political memorabilia, early photography, documents and manuscripts;
• Decorative Arts, including pottery, glassware and china; and
• Paintings
• Sculpture
• Works on Paper.
• Please note that fine jewelry, stamps, coins and firearms WILL NOT be appraised.

Fair Info

The Friends’ Antiques Appraisal Fair runs from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM inside the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.

The cost is $10 per item, and each person can have up to three (3) items appraised.  To avoid long lines and delays, tickets to this event are being sold in 30-minute intervals.  A purchase confirmation must be presented at the door for admission to the Fair. Get Tickets.

Details about what to Bring

When bringing an item to be reviewed, attendees are asked to include any related handwritten or typed identifying information about their collectible.

Rather than transporting a large piece of furniture, they should bring a drawer and/or a photograph.  All items must fit through a standard door, and participants must be able to move or carry their item(s) throughout the event; sorry, no dollies or carts will be provided.

Fair-goers may need to use stairs or an elevator to participate, and are asked to bring a small, lightweight portable chair if they have difficulty standing for long periods of time.  Refreshments and box lunches will be available for sale to Fair guests while they wait.

“The Friends of the Page-Walker are thrilled to welcome such an esteemed expert as Wes Cowan to Cary for these first of their kind events,” said Friends’ President, Ed Yerha.  “Considering Wes’s reputation and the popularity of antiques appraisal events in general, a sell-out is expected.”  Yerha encourages anyone who wants to participate to purchase tickets early.For

All Proceeds Benefit FOPW

All of the proceeds from both the Wes Cowan program and the Antiques Appraisal Fair will benefit the Friends’ ongoing historic preservation and archival efforts.  Both events are being co-sponsored by the Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.

For this and other events happening in the Town of Cary, click on our Calendar Tab. If you would like to add an event, please contact Lindsey Chester

Story by Lindsey Chester. 

Cary, NC- As reported last week, The Cary Players debuted “Ruby Red,” a new work by playwright Phil Lowden over the weekend.I had the pleasure of attending the Thursday opening night performance at Page-Walker Arts and History Center. The play had two additional shows, Friday night and a Saturday  Matinee at the Herb Young Community Center.

The play was staged as a bedroom farce of the first order and had the audience howling with laughter at some of the portrayals of feuding relatives and spatting spouses.

When Lloyd, the curmudgeonly neighbor dies, he has willed his entire estate to Ann, the woman next door. As she plans for the luncheon after the funeral, Lloyd’s grown children begin to arrive with increasingly hilarious results, topped off with a winning performance by Lyman Collins as “Poke,” the ultimate redneck, married to pregnant and pigtailed Abby, played by Mika Hu Vard.

Ann (played by Joanna Herath)  and her husband Jack (Tracy Fulghum) are having marital and money troubles which center around her wish to live in her family home and his trouble keeping a job he loves. The sudden inheritance coupled with a developer willing to purchase their land seem the answer to Jack’s money woes. Arguments ensue.

I won’t spoil the plot denouement, but suffice it to say that everyone lives happily ever after, while the audience witnesses punches, husbands thrown out, a daughter running off to be married and new friends falling in love. A dream sequence, where the dead speak words of wisdom to the actors, was a break from the laughter, and did a great job of changing the pace of the plot.

This play was produced during a time when the Cary Players are usually “on vacation”. I hope this summer’s original programming, which highlights local talent,  becomes a regular part of their repertoire.

News on CaryCitizen is sponsored by The Meat House.

Friday, June 11:
Starlight Concert Series: Moment’s Notice. Page-Walker Arts & History Center Garden, 7:30 p.m.
FREE. Drift away to an eclectic mix of high-energy jazz with Bobby Moody and friends! For your comfort, please bring a blanket or lawn chair. For more, call (919) 460-4963.

Saturday, June 12:
Summerfest featuring Tiempo Libre
Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 5 p.m.
A night of Latin fire! Cuban jazz ensemble Tiempo Libre headlines this program of music from Spain, Central America and South America. Come early and participate in the popular Instrument Zoo, where kids can try out and play various instruments! Ticket prices and more at www.boothamphitheare.com.

Sunday, June 13:
Triangle Wind Ensemble – Sertoma Amphitheatre in Bond Park, 6 p.m.
FREE. The Triangle Wind Ensemble delights with some of its favorite pieces from their current season. For more, call (919) 469-4061 or visit www.trianglewind.org.

See ya ’round town!

Flowers at Page-Walker Herbfest

Cary, NC- Herbfest was a big hit with the public on Saturday, with perfect weather for the first-ever event. I went early with my 10 year old daughter, Emma.

Sponsored by the Friends of Page Walker, the festival was held on the grounds of the  Page-Walker  Arts and History Center in their beautiful gardens with everything in bloom.

The idea was to bring together citizen gardeners, professional plant and herb growers, horticultural experts and homesteaders for education, inspiration, commerce and fun. The pleasure of growing things in your garden and serving them on your table is both edible and spiritual.

Local artists and vendors were invited to share their offerings in the big garden behind the old hotel. I was taken with a Karen Dillard, of Dillardville, who creates birdhouses using reclaimed wood, and another seller who made homemade natural soaps in her kitchen.

There were fun things for the kids including the Cary Teen Council volunteers who painted Emma’s face for free. Under a tent in the shade, a musical combo was playing some cool music.

I met Erin DiDiano, the president of the Herb Society of Wake County and Lisa Treadaway who owns The Little Herb House in Southern Wake. Lisa not only grows and sells herbs, but also teaches culinary and medicinal courses using the herbs from her garden.

Lisa Treadaway who owns the Herb House in Southern Wake County

It was a beautiful event on a perfect day. I learned a few things, bought something and came away with renewed enthusiasm for my garden. Everyone in the crowd seemed to share my feeling.

I’m looking forward to watching Herbfest grow next year!

Historic Dry Ave - photo illustration by Hal Goodtree

CARY, NC – Each May, the Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel examine Cary’s historic properties and report their status to the greater community in a program entitled “What Have We Got to Lose?”  This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.

Preserving Town History

In what promises to be an engaging and educational evening, this year’s program will showcase properties in Cary’s three historic districts, as well as “structures with stories” – buildings in Cary that have historical significance because of the people associated with them, and the “inside scoop” about those structures that long-time Cary residents have shared.

Highlights of this popular annual presentation include a description of the historic and architectural significance of the properties by Members of the Friends’ Historic Preservation Committee, as well as notable tidbits about former owners and their place in Cary’s history.  The program also laments the loss of certain properties, such as the Barbee-Williams Farm and the Sears Farm, among others.

“As we present our annual inventory, we draw on the importance of safeguarding the heritage of Cary’s historic districts,” said Bob Myers of the Friends’ Historic Preservation Committee.  “The Friends’ objective for the evening is to enlighten our citizens that there is much to save, but also much that could be lost.”

Friends of Page-Walker Programs

The Friends of the Page-Walker present four programs each year in the Historic Preservation Series. The programs—which are free and open to the public—start at 7:30 p.m. and are held at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, on the Town Hall Campus.  Light refreshments are served following each program.  Attendees are encouraged to stay to continue the conversation and make new friends.

The Historic Preservation Committee meets the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.  To learn more, contact Bob Myers at (919) 254-1476 or bob.myers@friendsofpagewalker.org.

The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel is an all-volunteer, non-profit, membership organization whose mission is to enrich the community by serving as a guardian for the Page-Walker Arts and History Center, by advocating preservation of Cary historical sites, archiving history and facilitating history education, and promoting cultural arts. For membership information, contact Peggy Van Scoyoc at (919) 461-0443 or president@friendsofpagewalker.org.

For this and other interesting events happening around town, visit the CaryCitizen Calendar. If you would like us to add your event to the Calendar, email Lindsey Chester.

Page-Walker garden. Photo illustration by Hal.

Illustration by Jerry Miller

Cary, NC – If you’ve ever wondered how the town of Cary came into existence, you’d have to start your search with Allison Francis (Frank) Page.

Page was a big man with strong opinions. According to Tom Byrd in Around and About Cary,

“Frank Page believed in God, high thinking, plain living and hard work. His Methodism was of the most authentic Wesleyan brand. He would not allow employees to curse, and he did not approve of theatre-going, dancing, dicing, and card playing. But his most cherished abomination was alcoholic beverages.”

Robert Page III, Frank’s great grandson, added this description:

“He was six feet five at a time when people were shorter on average than they are today. He wore a beard and, frankly, he looked fierce.”

The Early Years

Born in 1824 in northern Wake County, Frank Page’s first job was as a lumberjack, rafting logs down the Cape Fear River. In 1849, he married Catherine (Kate) Raboteau Samuel, and in 1854 they bought 300 acres of land straddling the railroad tracks where Cary’s town hall sits today.

Frank opened a dry goods store, taking advantage of his close proximity to the railroad. In fact, although the tracks ran in front of his house, the closest scheduled stop was the station at Morrisville.

What Page had was a sidetrack, built to allow eastbound and westbound trains to pass each on the single line railroad. Goods and passengers could embark or disembark at what was then called “Page’s Turnout.”

The First Mention of a Place Called Cary

In 1856, the same year the railroad began operating, Page established a Post Office inside the store. It’s the first instance historians have discovered of the name “Cary” to denote the area. Post Office records list a “Cary Post Office,” started on March 25, 1856, with “A.F. Page” as postmaster. Think about that next time you mail a letter.

Frank Page, Lumberman

But Page’s main enterprise was timber. At first, he had a water-powered mill located in the area we now know as Umstead Park. In  all likelihood, Page shipped his lumber out of Morrisville Station. By 1863, he had acquired a steam powered mill and relocated his operation near his house.

The Civil War

According to Burton J. Hendrick in The Life & Letters of Walter Hines Page, Frank thought the Confederacy “a foolish enterprise.” But he owned four slaves and ran his sawmill round the clock for the Confederacy.

The end of the war bankrupted Page, as it did many North Carolina businessmen. Around and About Cary relates an anecdote from the time:

“A destitute family watched one day with bitter amusement while Mrs. Page made a pair of curtains out of worthless $100 Confederate bills.”

Reconstruction

But Page was an enterprising man and he began to rebuild his wealth quickly. He won a seat in the post-war North Carolina General Assembly. And by the end of the 1860′s, Page was reaping the rewards of Cary’s first land-boom. Property he purchased for $7 an acre was selling for up to $200.

The new found prosperity allowed Frank and Kate Page to donate land for a railroad station near his sawmill. In 1868, they built today’s Page-Walker Hotel for train passengers. Frank laid out the central district of the town in 1869. In 1870, he donated the land and some lumber to help found a private boarding school where Cary Elementary sits today.

How Cary Became Cary

Samuel F. Cary

Frank had the town incorporated in April of 1871 and became its first mayor. He named the town in honor of Samuel Fenton Cary, a national temperance leader and politician from Ohio. Legend has S.F. Cary visiting the area on his temperance crusade in the 1850′s, although no records exist to corroborate the story.

A newspaper account in The (Raleigh) Telegram places Samuel Cary in the State Capital during February of 1871 to deliver a series of “grand temperance lectures.”  Cary had been a Union officer, rising to the rank of General. Page named the town after him anyway, his abhorrence for alcohol trumping any bitterness over the war.

General Cary never returned to North Carolina. But as a devout prohibitionist, Page established the town as a “dry” municipality, where the sale of whiskey was forbidden within two miles of town limits, upheld until 1964.

Tobacco

Once again, Page’s fortunes took a turn for the worse, eventually driving him from the town he established to seek his fortunes elsewhere.

Tobacco consumption had skyrocketed after the Civil War. Page saw an opportunity and built a three story, all brick,  80×80 tobacco factory on the present site of the Fire Administration Building. Unfortunately, the Panic of 1873 swept the country just as the building was completed.

No records show that the factory ever operated. It’s not listed in an 1877 business directory. By 1880, Page was probably in debt for the substantial sum of $10,000.

The Pages Leave Cary

Frank and his son Robert began looking for new lumbering opportunities in the Sandhills. On February 14, 1880, Page loaded his sawmill on a special train and relocated it to 640 acres in Moore County that he purchased for $3.50 an acre. Page moved the family to his new house Aberdeen in early 1881.

Frank Page Rises Again

The Pages did well in their new environment. The family expanded their enterprises to include railroading, banking and real estate. In 1884 he sold the Page Hotel to J. R. Walker. Frank had the town of Aberdeen incorporated in 1889.The resort town of Pinehurst is built on 5,000 acres of cut-over Page land.

Last Years

In 1893, Page moved to Raleigh. According to Samuel Ashe in A Biographical History of North Carolina, Page built the Park Hotel because he wanted to see “a first class hotel without a saloon” in the State Capital. He also built an opera house, and Page Hall, a dormitory for boys at the Methodist Orphanage.

Kate died in 1897. But Frank, now age 74, was not done living. Surprisingly for such a strict, authoritarian man, Page “took to driving fast horses,” according to Robert Page III, as quoted in Around and About Cary. Even worse, he remarried within 15 months of Kate’s death. The lucky bride was 37 year old Lula Brookshire McLeod. The purchased the home of A.S. Merrimon, the late chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Needless to say, the family was not particularly welcoming to the new Mrs. Page.

Frank died on October 16, 1899, at the age of 75. Despite his last will dictating burial in Raleigh’s Oakwood Cemetery as directed by the second Mrs. Page, Frank’s sons traveled to the Capital, reclaimed the body, and buried him beside his first wife Kate in Aberdeen.

Frank Page’s Legacy

The Page Walker Hotel (now the Town’s Arts and History Center) stands as the largest physical representation of Frank Page. The Page homestead burned to the ground in 1970. Frank Page’s smokehouse still stands behind the Page Walker Center.

But Frank Page’s greatest legacy may have been his enterprising spirit. A practical man, he was also a risk-taker and a dreamer, imagining a community where there was just a railroad turnout.

A plaque dedicated to the memory and accomplishments of Frank Page stands outside the entrance to Town Hall.

Frank Page's smoke house

Hal Goodtree also contributed to this article. With grateful thanks to Tom Byrd and Jerry Miller for their scholarly work in Around and About Cary, available for purchase at The Page Walker Arts and History Center.

Cary, NC -  The half-century after World War Two saw a gathering steamroller of growth in Cary – residential, commercial and recreational.

The Fifties and Sixties

Clyde Evans

Charles Evans bought land in Cary in the 1800s, and his son Clyde bought more. In the 1950s, Clyde sold parcels to other black families when nobody else would all along Evans Road (named for the family). Clyde’s grandsons later developed Evans Estates.

In 1957, Ralph and Daphne Ashworth bought Henry Adams’ drugstore. Their son Paul still runs it today and Ralph works for him. They also opened a string of Hallmark card shops.

The first supermarket in Cary opened up in June of 1950. It was a Piggly-Wiggly at the corner of Chatham and Academy.

In 1960, a new Cary High School was built on Walnut Street. It was the first school in Wake County to be desegregated in 1963 and became a model for other schools to follow across the South.

The Seventies & Eighties

The development of Kildare Farms as a residential community was a signature event in the 1970′s. It was Cary’s first planned unit development (PUD), dwarfing the scope of anything that had come before it. Iits original plan called for 2,950 families.

The first Lazy Daze Festival was on August 24, 1977. The first organizer was our good friend Jerry Miller.

Illustration by Jerry Miler

The 1980′s saw Cary’s first Industrial Performance Districts (IPD). MacGregor Park, Weston and Regency all came online in the 1980′s, employing thousands of people and bringing an industrial tax base to the town.

Bond Park opened in 1985.

Science & Technology

Research Triangle Park’s opened in 1960 when Cary’s population was 3,400. In 1970 it had grown to 7,300, and today 140,000 people call Cary home, thanks to RTP and industry that came to Cary itself.

Born out of NCSU, SAS Institute, with its many popular business software products, became Cary’s largest employer in 1980. It is one of the largest technology companies in the world and a perennial leader on “best of” lists.

The 1990′s

Western Wake Med  opened in December of 1991, giving Cary a much-needed hospital. The Cary YMCA opened less than one month later.

The Cary Water Treatment facility on Jordan Lake opened in 1993.

Preston, which had been envisioned in the 1980′s, became a success when Dr. James Goodnight, CEO of SAS, took the project under his wing. It became the town’s largest development in acreage and included the largest golf course in the Triangle.

Shopping – The Half-Billion Dollar Explosion

Both Cary Towne Center and Crossroads Plaza opened in 1991. Cary Towne Center had previously been Cary Village Mall (opened in 1979), but competition spurred the owners to suoersize the project from 325,000 square feet to 1.1 million.

Along with other retail developments in town, they increased retails sales in Cary from $15 million in 1972 to $540 million in 1992.

A Sense of History

The Page-Walker Hotel was restored by 1995 to become Cary’s cultural arts and history center. The Cary Heritage Museum on the third floor opened in 2000.

The Scope of Change

In 1970, town limits encompass one square mile. Today 55 square miles are within town limits.

In 1971, Cary had only one ball field. Now there are 22 parks, 2,300 acres of open space and 174 miles of walking trails.