Raleigh

In 1959, regional leaders, led by then Governor Luther Hodges established the Research Triangle Park. Their concern was referred to as "brain drain". The regions three great research universities, Duke, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina, tended to earn a diploma and then leave the state. State and local leaders surmised that a "Research Park" would keep the talent in North Carolina. After its fledgling start, The Research Triangle Park (RTP) attracted the IBM Corporation, which relocated 10,000 employees to the area.

Those early visionary leaders have been proven correct. RTP has become the heart of the region and the soul of its economic engine. The Research Triangle Park has become a world epicenter of technological innovation, research institutes and R&D companies. Over 170 global companies have a presence in RTP, which has created a culture of scientific advancement. Today, over 40,000 people work at RTP.

Not only did the region retain a multitude of talented graduates, but also RTP began to attract increasingly large numbers of newcomers relocating to the region. The research community, in conjunction with the universities created and spun off other companies, which stayed in the region. As jobs increased, the real estate, development and homebuilding industries spawned new home developments, which attracted even more people.

At the founding of RTP, Raleigh's population was 94,000. By 1970 it was 122,000 and grew to 150,000 by 1980. But those numbers pale in comparison to what happened next. Progressive and farsighted mayors, city councils and business leaders crafted policies and plans that preserved and advanced the quality of life that made Raleigh a family-oriented city. The result was an upward spiral of new residents and municipal amenities. By 2000, Raleigh's population had grown to 276,000 and by 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau reported almost 404,000 residents, an astounding increase of 46%!

Raleigh is now the 43rd largest city in the United States and one of the country's fastest growing cities. But it isn't just the capitol city that has grown. The Research Triangle region has expanded from 1,126,000 at the turn of the millennium to over 1,743,000 by 2010. The Research Triangle is now the nation's fastest growing metropolitan area.

Becoming the toast of the nation's research activity and population growth adds to Raleigh's rich past and historical heritage. The city is the namesake of Sir Walter Raleigh, a cohort of England's Queen Elizabeth I. He was instrumental as the sponsor of colonization of the New World, particularly North Carolina and Virginia. The city history began with the formation of Wake County in 1771, named for Margaret Wake Tryon, wife of Governor William Tryon.

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's location was chosen, in part, for being within 11 miles 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.

Raleigh was spared significant destruction during the Civil War, but due to the economic problems of the post-war period and Reconstruction, it grew little over the next several decades. The Civil Rights Act of 1965 enriched the city's 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. During the 1970's and 1980's the "Beltline" (now Interstate-440) was built around Raleigh, and became the harbinger of the soon-to-come urbane transformation.

Today, Raleigh boasts a strong economy, due in part to being the seat of state and county government. Raleigh's industrial base includes banking/financial services; electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; and pharmaceuticals.

The new millennium ushered in a stream of superlatives, awards and accolades. Raleigh was featured prominently in many "Top 10 Lists", citing its four seasons, business climate and quality of life. Major magazines, like Money, Time and Fortune have called Raleigh:

*The Best Place to Live and Work in the Nation
*The Best Business Climate
*The Best Place in the U.S. for Educational Opportunities *The Number One Most Sustainable Mid-Size Community *The Number One Healthiest Housing Market
*The Number One Fastest Growing North American City *The Number One City for Quality of Life
*The Number One Top Public Schools in the U.S.
*The Number Two Biggest Brain Magnet in the U.S.
*The Number Three Most Innovative City

The ease of getting around the City of Raleigh is almost always pleasing to those hailing from larger metropolitan areas. Newcomers also find humorous the driving-in-the-snow skills of Raleighites. Because the winter weather is so mild, snowfalls are infrequent, leaving the native Carolinians somewhat terrified by frozen precipitation. The laugh is returned, however, when newcomers experience the power of their first coastal hurricane.

Retiring to Raleigh is a significant factor in the city's growth; the aforementioned mild weather and four glorious seasons draw people from around the nation and world for their golden years. Raleigh is the recipient of world-class healthcare. The once unassuming Wake County Hospital has grown to WakeMed, an impressive juggernaut of medicine. The research and training hospitals and medical school of The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill provides regional healthcare through Rex Hospital and the world-renowned Duke University Medical Center operate Duke Raleigh Hospital.

All-in-all, people who relocate to Raleigh overwhelmingly do not leave, learning and accepting what natives have know for 250 years - this is the best place in the country to live.

So here you are. You have made your choice to move to North Carolina, specifically to the Greater Research Triangle area. Good choice! Many people have decided that living here will provide the very best lifestyle available, including buying a home in Raleigh, landing the best employment and even finding the best schools and/or or higher education. Thousands of people have made the decision to relocate to the Research Triangle, just like you. A newcomer will find why the Greater Research Triangle has ranked as one of the best regions in North Carolina to live or work, to buy the best real estate, to start a business, to raise a family, or even to retire.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN RALEIGH

Exploring life in Raleigh is a good decision, and here are fun things to know:

*Andrew Johnson - The nation's 17th President was born in the kitchen of an Inn in Raleigh in 1808.

*North Carolina State Capitol - is the main house of government of of North Carolina. Housing the offices of the Governor of North Carolina, it is located in the state capital of Raleigh on Union Square at One East Edenton Street. The cornerstone of the Greek revival building was laid with Masonic honors by the Grand Master of the State Simmons Jones Baker on July 4, 1833. Construction was completed during 1840

*Shaw University - was the South's first African-American college, began classes in 1865.

*Progress Energy Performing Arts Center - Experience the most elegant, immersive suite of live-performance venues in the Southeast. Indulge your love of theater, opera, ballet and other live entertainments, in performance halls and centers designed around each unique art.

Fletcher Opera Theatre - The A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater is the epicenter for opera and dance in North Carolina. This 600-seat theater offers an intimacy perfect for such performances; with the farthest balcony seat less than 70 feet from the stage.

Memorial Auditorium - Opened in 1932, Memorial Auditorium is the crown jewel of North Carolina performing arts. Over the years, this richly historic theater has played host to a dazzling spectrum of artists and performances. Just a sample of the list quickly becomes dizzying: Sinatra, Gillespie, Baryshnikov, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughn, Itzhak Perlman, Natalie Cole and Prince. Broadway blockbusters like Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Disney’s The Lion King, Jersey Boys, Miss Saigon, and Rent have also been staged here.

Betty Ray McCain Art Gallery - This unique gallery, nestled within the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, is the proud home of the North Carolina Artists Exhibition, a collection of work by state artists, selected each year by respected local museum and gallery directors from hundreds of submissions.

Meymandi Concert Hall - The North Carolina Symphony calls this remarkable, 1700-seat venue home. And it’s easy to see why. Its 65-ft ceiling, unique shoebox shape, narrow sides, shallow balconies and lack of proscenium all work together to deliver the warmest, clearest and most immersive sound experience possible. National and international artists and performers now speak of this hall’s remarkable acoustics.

Lichtin Plaza - This elegant two-acre plaza in front of the Progress Energy Center is the ideal, open-air space for festivals, concerts and tented social gatherings and functions.

Kennedy Center - The new 170-seat, 40 x 60-foot black-box experimental theater fuses intimacy with energy, the deeply personal with the universal theater experience. The KD & Sara Lynn Kennedy Theatre provides performance space for innovative groups including Hot Summer Nights.

*Walnut Creek Amphitheatre (Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion) - is an outdoor amphitheater in Raleigh, North Carolina that specializes in hosting

large concerts. The amphitheater is part of a 77-acre complex located on the west bank of Walnut Creek, southeast of Raleigh near the I-40/US 64/I-440 (Beltline) interchange.

*North Carolina Symphony - is an American orchestra with sixty-nine full time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the The Opera Company of North Carolina. In 2007, the organization celebrated its 75th anniversary.

*The North Carolina Opera - was formed in 2010 from the merger of Capital Opera Raleigh and The Opera Company of North Carolina. It is dedicated to presenting operatic performances at the highest level throughout the Triangle.

*North Carolina Theatre - has a vision to preserve the unique American art form of musical theatre, to provide broad access to the arts and to entertain and engage diverse audiences. The Theatre's focus on producing major Broadway musicals of universal appeal on the City's downtown stage, Memorial Auditorium.

*North Carolina State Fair - is an annual fair and agricultural exposition held in Raleigh. The North Carolina Agricultural Society at a site east of Raleigh first held the North Carolina State Fair in 1853; it has been celebrated continuously since then. Held for 10 days in mid-October, the fair annually attracts over 800,000 North Carolinians. As of 2008, the fair has added an additional day and now lasts 11 days. In 2010, the fair broke an attendance record with 1,091,887.

*Carolina Ballet - is one of America’s premiere arts organizations. Launched as a professional dance company in 1997 under the direction of Artistic Director/CEO Robert Weiss, Carolina Ballet has since garnered critical praise from the national and international media, staged 75 world premiere ballets, and toured internationally in China and Hungary.

*Theatre in the Park - is a community theatre located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The theatre's Executive Director is Ira David Wood III, father of actress Evan Rachel Wood. Ira David Wood III is famous for his musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Wood is also famous for playing Ebenezer Scrooge for all thirty-four years of "A Christmas Carol's" production.

*Marble Kids Museum - is a nonprofit children's museum located in downtown Raleigh, in the Moore Square Historic District. Its mission is to "inspire imagination, discovery and learning through extraordinary adventures in play and larger-than-life IMAX experiences." It was created through the merger in 2007 of two existing children's museums: Exploris and Playspace and today offers "unique hands-on interactive experiences that inspire children to be creative thinkers and active learners."

*North Carolina State University - is a public, coeducational, land grant university with 33,000 students, making it the largest in North Carolina.

*Pullen Park - is a 72-acre public park, west of downtown and adjacent to North Carolina State University. e park features picnic areas, a concessions stand along with several small rides including the Pullen Park Carousel, train, and kiddie boats. Pedal boats are also available for rent seasonally on the park's large pond. The Pullen Aquatic Center, Pullen Arts Center and Theatre In the Park are also located on the park grounds. It is one of the most famous and known parks around the Raleigh/Durham area.

*North Carolina Museum of Art - houses one of the finest collections of art in the Southeast, a collection that includes paintings and sculpture representing 5,000 years of artistic achievements from antiquity to the present. The Museum features more than 40 galleries as well as more than a dozen works of art in its 164-acre Museum Park.

*Downtown Raleigh - has experienced an amazing transformation from a one- way 1960's pedestrian mall to a gleaming and exciting venue of places to work, live and play. The downtown boats a wide array of restaurants, high rise towers, condominiums and regular entertainment.

*Raleigh Convention Center - is a 500,000 square foot convention and exhibition center in downtown Raleigh. The west-facing wall of the new convention center boasts a large public art piece called the 'Shimmer Wall' that contains LED lights in the form of an oak tree, for which the city is nicknamed the 'City of Oaks'.

*William B. Umstead State Park - is a 5,439 acre Park, offering hiking, bridle and bike trails, boat rentals, camping, picnic areas and educational programs

*Oakwood - is a neighborhood in downtown Raleigh, on the National Register of Historic Places, and known for itsHistoric Oakwood Cemetery, its many Victorian houses and its location close to the Mordecai Plantation Manor. Located near the Governor's Mansion and the State Capitol, during the 19th century Historic Oakwood was home to prominent members of Raleigh's society. Oakwood is also well known for its Christmas Candlelight Tour, which opens private historic residences to the public, and the Garden Tour, which allows the public to see the vast gardens worked on by the Oakwood Gardening Club.

*North Carolina Museum of History - is located in downtownRaleigh. Permanent exhibits focus on the state’s military history, decorative arts, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and more. Visitors will see a variety of short- term and traveling exhibits. Admission is free.

*Carolina Hurricanes - is a professional, National Hockey League franchise team based in Raleigh, playing in the 18,680-seat RBC Center. In 2006, the "Canes" won their first world championship Stanley Cup.

*North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences - This museum is the oldest established museum in North Carolina and the largest museum of its kind in the Southeast. It has about 700,000 visitors annually, making it the most visited attraction in the state.

*Raleigh City Museum - is located in the historicBriggs Hardware Building on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh and has a number of exhibits and programs that are free to the public.

*Cameron Village - is an historic shopping center opened in 1949, and quickly became the premier shopping area in Raleigh. It is also considered the first shopping center to be built between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. It is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

RALEIGH'S GOOD LIFE

It has become almost routine for Raleigh to be praised as a wonderful place to live. Residents' testimonials, articles and various organizations bestow glowing reviews and accolades about living here. With these superlatives publicized for so long, the Research Triangle area's fame as a great place to live has been a magnet attracting people, like you, to explore and relocate.

This sense of the Raleigh good life is expressed on the website of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce:

"Nestled among the native long-leaf pines in the heart of the Tar Heel State lies a band of progressive, prosperous communities with a quality of life second to none. We have a quality of life that has landed Raleigh and the families of communities that make up the Research Triangle region of North Carolina among the nation’s best places to live, start a business, raise a family, and earn a world- class education.

"The Research Triangle, or Triangle, as we like to call our area of North Carolina, gets its name from our geographic region anchored by North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Duke University in Durham, and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill - three of the nation’s top research universities.

"At the center of our region is Research Triangle Park, the nation’s largest planned research development community where you’ll find some of the world’s largest corporations, as well as promising start-ups working side-by-side.

"Raleigh and its neighboring communities are centrally located both within North Carolina and along the East Coast of the United States and boast a thriving business community, active arts population, and a quality of life that has consistently been ranked among the best in the country ... but don’t take our word for it.

"Perhaps our best spokespeople are our residents. A recent survey showed an astounding 96 percent of newcomers with children said they would move to the area again if they had it to do all over. And unlike most metro areas in the U.S., Raleigh and the Triangle have all the amenities of big-city life without the high cost of living."

RALEIGH'S NEIGHBORS

Raleigh is one of 32 sister communities in the Greater Research Triangle region:

Angier

Apex

Benson

Butner

Carrboro

Cary

Chapel Hill

Clayton

Creedmoor

Durham

Franklinton

Fuquay-Varina

Garner

Henderson

Hillsborough

Holly Springs

Knightdale

Louisburg

Mebane

Morrisville

Oxford

Pittsboro

Raleigh

Rolesville

Roxboro

Selma

Siler City

Smithfield

Wake Forest

Wendell

Youngsville

Zebulon

WHY MOVE TO RALEIGH?

Raleigh and her neighboring communities share several common benefits. The first great reason to live in the Greater Research Triangle is a wonderful climate.

Spring and summer are filled with a bouquet of blossoms that flood the visual and olfactory senses. Parks and beautiful homes treat citizens and visitors alike with colors as if from the palette of a great landscape painter. The fall blazes with glorious colors so awesome that it almost takes your breath away. The winters are mild, and every now and then, the students get a day off for a light snow. It rarely gets below freezing. How could anyone not like the weather and climate in Raleigh, North Carolina?

The second reason to live in Raleigh is that it is a great place to buy a home. Raleigh real estate is affordable. Newcomers can choose between well-established homes for sale or new homes in outstanding new home communities. You can choose a lot and build a custom home. Simply select a homebuilder from the many in Greater Research Triangle. A qualified REALTOR®, real estate agent, mortgage broker or loan officer can assist in the home purchase process and can guide you through the process of finding and buying real estate in Raleigh.

Schools are another reason Greater Research Triangle is a wonderful place to live. Oh yeah - families especially love the schools in Raleigh. In fact, some of the best schools in Greater Research Triangle are found in Raleigh. The Wake County Public School System, frequently cited for several outstanding programs, services Raleigh. Raleigh schools are considered safe places for students. But there are not only excellent public schools in Raleigh, but outstanding private schools, as well.

EDUCATION IN RALEIGH

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

To better help you select the best schools in Raleigh, North Carolina, read what the Wake County Public School System says on its website:

"WCPSS is North Carolina's largest school district. In recent years, Wake County's school population has grown by thousands of new students each year. As a result, WCPSS is constantly opening new schools and it has had a direct impact on where many children attend school. In the past, student assignment was a yearly decision aimed at filling new schools, reducing crowding at existing schools, minimizing bus rides and promoting diversity goals. This year for the first time, the Board of Education approved a three-year assignment plan for 2009-2012. By using better technology to predict growth and information from our school construction program, this new plan will provide families with more advanced notice of school assignments for their students.

"WCPSS offers a wide variety of magnet school programs offering innovative approaches to learning (Creative Arts and Sciences, Gifted and Talented, Active Learning & Technology, International Baccalaureate, Leadership, Montessori, Museums, and Year-Round programs, for example). Entry into these programs is by lottery. You should familiarize yourself with the available programs to determine if there's one particularly suited to your child."

Wake County Public School System

PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH A RALEIGH ADDRESS:

Elementary Schools:

Baileywick Road Elementary School

Banks Road Elementary School

Barwell Road Elementary School

Brassfield Elementary School

Brentwood Elementary School

Brier Creek Elementary School

Brooks Elementary School

Bugg Elementary School

Combs Elementary School

Conn Elementary School

Dillard Drive Elementary School

Douglas Elementary School

Durant Road Elementary School

Forest Pines Elementary School

Fox Road Elementary School

Fuller Elementary School

Governor Morehead Elementary School

Green Elementary School

Harris Creek Elementary School

Hilburn Drive Elementary School

Hunter Elementary School

Jeffreys Grove Elementary School

Joyner Elementary School

Lacy Elementary School

Lead Mine Elementary School

Leesville Road Elementary School

Lynn Road Elementary School

Millbrook Elementary School

Mount Vernon Elementary School

North Forest Pines Drive Elementary School

North Ridge Elementary School

Oak Grove Elementary School

Olds Elementary School

Partnership Elementary School

Pleasant Union Elementary School

Poe Elementary School

Powell Elementary School

River Bend Elementary School

Root Elementary School

Smith Elementary School

Stough Elementary School

Swift Creek Elementary School

Sycamore Creek Elementary School

Underwood Elementary School

Vance Elementary School

Wakefield Elementary School

Washington Elementary School

Wilburn Elementary School

Wildwood Forest Elementary School

Middle Schools:

Carnage Middle School

Carroll Middle School

Centennial Campus Middle School

Daniels Middle School

Dillard Drive Middle School

Durant Road Middle School

East Millbrook Middle School

East Wake Middle School

Governor Morehead Middle School

Leesville Road Middle School

Ligon Middle School

Martin Middle School

Moore Square Museum Middle School

Mount Vernon Middle School

River Oaks Middle School

Wakefield Middle School

West Millbrook Middle School

High Schools:

Athens Drive High School

Leesville Road High School

Millbrook High School

Needham Broughton High School

Phillips High School

Sanderson High School

Southeast Raleigh High School

Wake Early College of Health and Science

Wakefield High School

William G. Enloe High School

CHARTER SCHOOLS IN NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina charter schools are independent public schools that exist to offer Raleigh students, parents and educators choices in teaching, learning methods and environments. An emphasis is placed on innovation and accountability with improved student achievement the common goal.

There are now nearly 5,000 public charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia, educating more than 1.6 million public charter school students. North Carolina public charter schools are intended to improve North Carolina's traditional public school system.

Any Raleigh charter school, while independently operated, must meet four requirements, like any other North Carolina public school:
*Tuition-free and open to every student who wishes to enroll; *Non-sectarian, and do not discriminate on any basis;

*Publicly funded by local, state and federal tax dollars like other public schools; *Held accountable to state and federal academic standards.

LIST OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN RALEIGH:

Casa Esperanza Montessori, grades K-6

Endeavor Charter School, grades K-8

Exploris Middle School, grades 6-8

Hope Elementary Charter School, grades K-5

Magellan Charter School, grades 3-8

PreEminent Charter School, grades K-8

Quest Academy, grades K-8

Raleigh Charter High School, grades 9-12

Torchlight Academy, grades K-5

PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH A RALEIGH ADDRESS

Private schools, also known as independent schools or non-state schools, are not administered by Raleigh, North Carolina, or the Federal government; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition, rather than relying on public funding. Raleigh students can get a scholarship into a private school, which makes the cost cheaper, depending on a talent the student may have, such as a sport scholarship, art scholarship, academic scholarship.

List of Private Schools in Raleigh:

Advent Christian Academy, grades PK-12

Al-Iman School, grades PK-8

Atlas International School, grades PK-8

Body of Christ Christian Academy, grades K-3

Bonner Academy, grades 5-8

Cardinal Gibbons High School, grades 9-12

Cathedral School, grades PK-8

Chesterbrook Academy North Raleigh, grades PK-3

Faith Lutheran School, grades K-9

Follow the Child Montessori School, grades PK-5

Friendship Christian School, grades PK-12

Gethsemane SDA School, grades K-8

Grace Christian School, grades PK-12

Love Christian Center Academy, grades K-12

Mass Jewish Community Day School, grades K-2, 4-5

Montessori School of Raleigh, grades PK-9

Neuse Christian Academy, grades K-12

North Raleigh Christian Academy, grades K-12

Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School, grades K-8

Raleigh Christian Community School, grades PK-8

Raleigh Christian Academy, grades PK-12

Ravenscroft School, grades PK-12

Rejoice Academy and Performing Arts School, grades K-12

St. David's School, grades K-12

St. Mary's School, grades 9-12

St. Raphael Catholic School, grades K-8

St. Thomas More Academy, grades 91-2

St. Timothy's School, grades K-8

Stevens Prep Academy, grades 5-12

Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities

The Fletcher Academy, grades 1-12

The Franciscan School, grades K-8

The Raleigh School, grades PK-5

The Trilogy School, grades 2-12

Trinity Academy of Raleigh, grades K-12

Upper Room Christian Academy, grades K-8

Vital Link is Cross Link, grades PK-1, 3-4

Wake Christian Academy, grades K-12

Word of God Christian Academy, grades K-12

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES IN AND NEAR RALEIGH

Higher education in the Greater Research Triangle region is another great reason to live in Raleigh, North Carolina. The local colleges and universities contribute more than just classrooms, by also bringing the best in sports and cultural offerings to the Research Triangle communities at large. If your life calls for upper level learning, choose from the following list of universities, colleges and community colleges:

Duke University

Raleigh Technical Community College

Johnston Community College

Raleigh College

Meredith College

North Carolina Central University

North Carolina State University

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

St. Augustine’s College

Shaw University

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Vance-Granville Community College

Wake Technical Community College

William Peace College

So, whether you are researching the Greater Research Triangle region and getting a feel for living here, or if you are learning about your education options, or if you have definitely decided to purchase a home in Raleigh, even if only from across town- congratulations, and...

Welcome HERE to Raleigh, North Carolina