History of Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh was born as what is known as a "planned" city, which would suggest that somebody wanted it and that there are probably those who love it very much. Which of course is good. Unplanned cities very often grow up to have complexes, insecurities and such. Raleigh has no such. It is today a big open town, easy to come to know but not the sort of municipality you end up getting particularly intimate with.

A few words on Raleigh's history:

The city was conceived in 1792, and was named at birth Wake Crossroads. Its original mission was to serve as aplace for those traveling north to south or vice versa to stop for a rest and perhaps a drink or two (this was way before .08 became the legal limit). Long about this same time, the North Carolina General Assembly decided the Crossroads would be a great place to set up permanent residence, and a thousand-acre plot of land was purchased from local businessman Joel Lane - a tavern owner, church builder and very popular guy - and initial plans were laid out for a city, modeled on the nation's capital at the moment, Philadelphia. Both the bars and the state government remain in what is today known as Raleigh, to mixed regard and varying effect.

Completed in 1840, the North Carolina Capitol building is, by its own admission "one of the finest and best-preserved examples of a major civic building in the Greek Revival style of architecture." It really is a lovely building, and a National Historic Landmark, and is open to the public. Come the Civil War, it was here at the capitol building that state legislators signed the Ordinance of Secession in the House of Commons Chamber. According to the above-mentioned website, "As soon as it was signed, a handkerchief was waved from the window of the office of the Speaker of the House. When that signal was given, a great celebration began on the building's Union Square, including a 100-round artillery salute and music from a military band. Legend has it that the first blood shed for North Carolina during the war occurred that day as a bulldog, startled by a gun salute, severely bit one of the cannoneers of Manly's Battery in the seat of his pants."

On April 26, 1865, after Gen. Johnston surrendered 90,000 of his Confederate troops to Sherman at Bennett farmhouse near Durham, Lt. George Carr Round of the Union army climbed to the top of the capitol dome and sent to the Union troops bivouacked in and around Raleigh the last signal message of the Civil War: "Peace on earth, good will to men." - a nice sentiment, though things didn't exactly work out that way.

But Raleigh came out of the Civil War in good shape. (For a cool bird's-eye-view map of Raleigh in 1870, go to www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/raleigh/earlyhistory.htm and click on the high-resolution map.) It remained, though, a small town until the 1920s, at which point it began to bustle, soon developing into the commercial nexus of the eastern part of the state. Agriculturally, the economy switched from cotton to tobacco, and the railroad was built up to connect Raleigh to the surrounding rural communities and beyond. Many of the small towns of eastern North Carolina that today remain small towns - their character and architecture - were fashioned in these early years of the century, courtesy of the railroad and tobacco. Unfortunately, many more of those towns are now cookie-cutter bedroom communities serving Raleigh and Research Triangle Park.

By the end of World War II, Raleigh had begun its steady advance into the urban center that it is today, with the surrounding area remaining predominantly rural, as it did until the birth of Research Triangle Park (see above).

The arrival of suburban life was heralded in 1949 with the opening of the southeast's first shopping mall, Cameron Village, which continues to more or less thrive.

Along with the business of state government, education is a major enterprise in Raleigh. In addition to North Carolina State University, Raleigh is home to Shaw University, St. Augustine's College, Peace College, Meredith College and Wake Tech Community College. Both Shaw and St. Augustine's were established shortly after the end of the Civil War - in 1865 and 1867, respectively - to educate freed slaves; Shaw was the first such institution established in the country for that purpose. Shaw is also the site of Estey Hall, the first building ever constructed for the purpose of providing higher education to African-American women, in 1874; the building still stands today.

According to the National Register of Historic Places:

"From the late 1940s through the 1960s, Raleigh was a proving ground for the architectural movement known as Modernism. Modernist design, characterized by simplicity of form, minimal ornamentation and innovative use of materials, drew from the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and noted European designers. The number of architecturally significant residences and offices built in the city attest to the movement's impressive local impact.

This was in large part due to the establishment, in 1948, of the North Carolina State University School of Design, which attracted a number of influential modernist architects. The most prominent of the structures to rise from this movement was Dorton Arena, completed in 1952, designed by the Polish architect Matthew Norwicki, who helped rebuild Warsaw after WWII. Dorton continues to this day to be considered one of the most elegant livestock-judging facilities in perhaps the entire world (see North Carolina State Fair).

The School of Design is more recently notable as the home of The Center for Universal Design, founded in 1989 by disability-rights activist and visionary architect Ron Mace. Mace is the father of "universal design," an architectural concept by which physical environments and products are designed to be of greatest access and utility to everyone, regardless of ability, age or status in life. Mace's work was elemental in the crafting of a mandatory building code for accessibility in North Carolina, in 1973, the first such in the country, and of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Raleigh, North Carolina

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Raleigh (pronounced /ˈrɔːliː/ RAH-lee) is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks” for its many oak trees. It is the second most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte.^[3] The estimated population on January 1, 2009 was 385,507.^{[3] [4]} According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation.^[5]

Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the three historically primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region. The regional nickname of "The Triangle" originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, located between the cities of Raleigh and Durham. The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau's Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Raleigh-Durham-Cary in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina. The estimated population of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA was 1,635,974 as of July 1, 2007, with the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) portion estimated at 1,047,629 residents.^[6]

Most of Raleigh is located within Wake County, with a very small portion extending into Durham County^[7]. The towns of Cary, Garner, Wake Forest, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale, Wendell, and Rolesville are some of Raleigh's primary nearby suburbs and satellite towns.

History

18th century

In December 1770, Joel Lane successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly to create a new county, resulting in the formation of Wake County. The county was formed from portions of Cumberland, Orange, and Johnston counties. the county gets its name from Margaret Wake Tryon, the wife of Governor William Tryon. The first county seat was Bloomsbury.

Raleigh was chosen as the site of a new state capital in 1788. It was officially established in 1792 as both the new county seat and the new state capital. The city was named in 1792 for Sir Walter Raleigh, sponsor of the Colony of Roanoke. The "Lost Colony" is commemorated at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

The city's location was chosen, in part, for being within 10 miles (16 km) of Isaac Hunter's Tavern, a popular tavern frequented by the state legislators. No known city or town existed previously on the chosen city site. Raleigh is one of the few cities in the United States that was planned and built specifically to serve as a state capital. Its original boundaries were formed by the downtown streets of North, East, West and South streets. It was planned to be laid out in an axial fashion, with four public squares and one central square.^[8]

The North Carolina General Assembly first met in Raleigh in December 1794, and quickly granted the city a charter, with a board of seven appointed commissioners (elected by the city after 1803) and an "Intendant of Police" (which would eventually become the office of Mayor) to govern it. In 1799, the N.C. Minerva and Raleigh Advertiser became the first newspaper published in Raleigh. ^[9] John Haywood was the first Intendant of Police.^[10] Raleigh's Historic Oakwood contains many houses from the 1800s that are still in good condition.

19th century

Raleigh, North Carolina in 1872

In 1808 Andrew Johnson, the nation’s seventeenth President, was born at Casso’s Inn in Raleigh. The city's first water supply network was completed in 1818, although due to system failures the project was abandoned. 1819 saw the arrival of Raleigh's first volunteer fire company, followed in 1821 by a full-time fire company.

In 1831, a fire destroyed the State Capitol. Reconstruction began two years later with quarried granite being delivered by the first railroad in the state. Raleigh celebrated the completions of the new Capitol and new Raleigh & Gaston Railroad Company in 1840.

In 1853, the first State Fair was held near Raleigh.

The first institution of higher learning in Raleigh, Peace College, was established in 1857.

After the War began, Governor Zebulon Baird Vance ordered the construction of breastworks around the city as protection from Union troops. During General Sherman's Carolinas Campaign, Raleigh was captured by Union cavalry under the command of General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick on April 13, 1865. After the Confederate cavalry retreated west , the Union soldiers followed, leading to the nearby Battle of Morrisville.^[11] The city was spared significant destruction during the War, but due to the economic problems of the post-war period and Reconstruction, it grew little over the next several decades.

North Carolina State Capitol, c 1861. Governor David S. Reid is in the foreground

North Carolina State Treasurers Office in State Capitol, c 1890s

After the Civil War ended in 1865, African Americans were able to be educated and men could become involved in politics. With the help of the Freedmen's Bureau, many freedmen migrated from rural areas to Raleigh. Shaw University, the South's first African-American college, began classes in 1865 and was chartered in 1875. Shaw's Estey Hall was the first building constructed for the higher education of black women, and Leonard Medical Center was the first four-year medical school in the country for African Americans.

In 1867, Episcopal clergy founded St. Augustine's College for the education of freedmen. In 1869, the state legislature approved the nation’s first school for blind and deaf African Americans to be located in Raleigh. And in 1874, the city's Federal Building was constructed in Raleigh, the first Federal Government project in the South following the Civil War.

In 1880, the newspapers News and Observer combined to form The News & Observer. It remains Raleigh's primary daily newspaper. The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as North Carolina State University, was founded as a land-grant college in 1887. The city's Rex Hospital opened in 1889 and housed the state's first nursing school. The Baptist Women's College, now known as Meredith College, opened in 1891, and in 1898, The Academy of Music private music conservatory was established.

In 1900, the state legislature passed a new constitution, with voter registration rules that disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites. Added to earlier statutory restrictions, the state succeeded in reducing black voting to zero by 1908. It was not until 1965 that the majority of blacks in North Carolina would again be able to vote, sit on juries and serve in local offices.

20th century

Intersection of Fayetteville and Martin Streets, c 1908	Fayetteville Street during the 1910s. The North Carolina State Capitol can be seen in the background
Construction of the Commercial National Bank building, c 1912	Martin Street business district, c 1915

From 1914-1917, an influenza epidemic killed 288 Raleigh citizens. The state of North Carolina lost a total of 5,799 men in the World War I.

In 1922, WLAC signed on as the city's first radio station, but lasted only two years. WFBQ signed on in 1924 and became WPTF in 1927. It is now Raleigh's oldest continuous radio broadcaster.

The city's first airport, Curtiss-Wright Flying Field opened in 1929. That same year, the stock market crash resulted in six Raleigh banks closing.^[9]

During the difficult 1930s of the Great Depression, government at all levels was integral to creating jobs. The city provided recreational and educational programs, and hired people for public works projects. In 1932, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium was dedicated. The North Carolina Symphony, founded the same year, performed in its new home. From 1934-1937, the federal Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the area now know as William B. Umstead State Park. In 1939, the State General Assembly chartered the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority to build a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham, with the first flight occurring in 1943.

In 1947, Raleigh citizens adopted a council-manager form of government, the current form.

Raleigh experienced significant damage from Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

In 1956, WRAL-TV became the first local television station.

With the opening of the Research Triangle Park in 1957, Raleigh began to experience a population increase, resulting in a total city population of 100,000 by 1960. ^[9]

Following passage of the federal Voting Rights Act, one of the main achievements of the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) and the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency, political participation and voting by African Americans in Raleigh increased rapidly. In 1967, Clarence E. Lightner was elected to the City Council, and in 1973 became Raleigh's first African-American mayor.

In 1976, the Raleigh City and Wake County schools merged to become the Wake County Public School System, now the largest school system in the state and 19th largest in the country.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the I-440 beltline was constructed, easing traffic congestion and providing access to most major city roads.

The first Raleigh Convention Center (replaced in 2008) and Fayetteville Street Mall were both opened in 1977. Fayetteville Street was turned into a pedestrian-only street in an effort to help the then-ailing downtown area, but the plan was flawed and business declined for years to come. Fayetteville Street was reopened in 2007 as the main thoroughfare of Raleigh's downtown.^[9]

The 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak of November 28, 1988 was the most destructive of the seven tornadoes reported in Northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia between 1:00 AM and 5:45 AM. The Raleigh tornado produced over $77 million in damage, along with four fatalities (two in the city of Raleigh, and two in Nash County) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 miles (135 km) long, and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide at times.^[12]

In 1991, two large skyscrapers in Raleigh were completed, First Union Capital Center and Two Hanover Plaza, along with the popular Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Southeast Raleigh.

In 1996, the Olympic Flame passed through Raleigh while on its way to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Also in 1996, Hurricane Fran struck the area, causing massive flooding and extensive structural damage.

In 1999, the RBC Center arena opened to provide a venue for the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes and NC State Wolfpack men's basketball teams.^[9]

21st century

In 2001, the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex was expanded with the addition of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theatre, Betty Ray McCain Gallery and Lichtin Plaza.^[9]

Fayetteville Street reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006. A variety of downtown building projects began around this time including the 34-story RBC Bank Tower, multiple condominium projects and several new restaurants. Additional skyscrapers are in the proposal/planning phase.

With the opening of parts of I-540 from 2005-2007, a new 70-mile (110 km) loop around Wake County, traffic congestion eased somewhat in the North Raleigh area. Completion of the entire loop is expected to take another 15 years.

In 2008, the city's Fayetteville Street Historic District joined the National Register of Historic Places.

Also in 2008, Raleigh has featured prominently in a number of "Top 10 Lists," including those by Forbes, MSNBC and Money Magazine, due to its quality of life and business climate.

Old Raleigh Municipal Airport

Note: The information here was gathered from various sites & sources.