The capital and 2nd largest city of North Carolina, Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks” due to its many oak trees. The city was named after Sir Walter Raleigh. As of July, 2009, the population of Raleigh was roughly 405,791. The city covers over 142 square miles. Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Located in the northeast central area of North Carolina, the city is in the area known as the fall line where the North American Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain meet. The landscape of Raleigh has many rolling hills sloping eastward towards the coastal plain. The climate of the city is humid subtropical. The temperatures are relatively moderate in the spring and fall, summers are warm, and winters are mild and wet. There are occasional periods of drought with water use being restricted. Hurricanes have hit the city; the most recent hurricane to damage the area was Isabel in 2003. Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University. There are also several private colleges in the city, which are Meridith college, Peace College, Shaw University, St. Augustine's College, and Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.
In 1788, the city was chosen as the new state capital of North Carolina. Officially, Raleigh became the capitol of the state and the county seat in 1792. The city was chosen because of its proximity to a popular tavern among state legislators, “Isaac Hunter's Tavern.” The city is one of few that was planned and built specifically for serving as a state capitol.
A fire in 1832 destroyed the state capitol. The first railroad in the state delivered granite two years later for the rebuilding of the capitol. The building was completed in 1840 along with the new Raleigh & Gaston Railroad Company. The end of the civil war brought the right of education to African Americans. Many freed men migrated to Raleigh and Shaw University was opened in 1865 as the first African-American college of the south. Estey Hall was constructed as the first building for African-American women. Leonard Medical Center was the first 4 year medical school for African-Americans in the country. A new constitution for the state was passed in 1900. This legislation had voter registration rules that made it more or less impossible for blacks and poor whites to vote. By 1908 no blacks were allowed to vote. The African-Americans did not get this right back until 1965. This came with the African-American Civil Rights Movement. By 1967, Clarence E Lightner was the first black city councilman; he went on to become the first black mayor in 1973.
The city has seen much growth over the years. There are plans for a high-speed-rail to run back and forth from the city's core. 2008 saw Raleigh named in the top 10 list of places to live.
One of Raleigh's more prestigious neighborhoods is Brier Creek. The homes in this neighborhood line the Arnold Palmer Championship Golf Course. The houses in this neighborhood range from carriage homes to executive houses, the price range is $300,000 to $450,000. If you are looking to live downtown, then there are apartments, condos, and homes available. This area offers the luxury of being near everything downtown offers, from dining to entertainment. Depending on what type of dwelling you are looking for you will pay anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000. Near highway 70 Crabtree Valley offers several neighborhoods.
The prices for homes in some of the more established neighborhoods of the area range from $130,000 to $280,000. Bridgeton Park and Pinecrest park offer more expensive residences priced between $280,000 to $570,000. East Raleigh offers homes around golf course communities. The older neighborhood homes range from $97,000 to $250,000. There are newly developing neighborhoods with easy access to the country club. These homes are priced from $110,000 to $160,000. If you are looking for the typical southern dwelling on the tree lined street, then you will want to look inside the Beltline, or Old Raleigh. There are houses from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, lining the streets. These cost anywhere from $120,000 to $240,000. One of the most popular areas right now is the Five Points. These homes range from $200,000 to $600,000. If you are interested in living in Raleigh, then you will find a location and house that meet your family's needs and styles.
Some of the most popular jobs in Raleigh include management, professional, sales, office, and service operations. 75% of the people living in Raleigh work for companies, while 15% work for the government and only 4% are listed as self employed. The job market in Raleigh currently has high listings for software development jobs, sales associates, cashiers, and project management jobs. The industry base of Raleigh includes telecommunications, food processing, financial services, electrical and medical fields. The average salary of the city is $42,000 and the average median income per household is $48,000.
The research triangle is the most successful research parks in the country. This area researches high-tech and biotech development. The city offers a major shipping point for the eastern part of the state and a wholesale distributing point for the grocery business. Some of the companies that have their headquarters in Raleigh include Golden Corral, Cisco, Carquest, Red Hat, IBM, and Progress Energy. Unemployment in Raleigh was 8.2% as of July 2010. The rate has fallen since February when it hit its high of 11.2%.
When you think of food in the south, there are some favorites of the area such as sweet tea, barbecue, and home-style vegetables. You will also think of southern hospitality and you will not be disappointed when you visit one of the many restaurants Raleigh has to offer.
Saint Jacques offers fine European cuisine that doesn't disappoint. The food is exquisite with a wide variety of choices. The restaurant also offers some of the finest wines from France. Neomonde Baking Company Café & Market offers a family-friendly dining experience that is very popular in the city. This restaurant features cuisine from the Middle East. Opened in 1977 by the Selah brothers from Lebanon, the restaurant offers foods such as tabbouleh, and stuffed grape leaves. The sandwiches come in homemade bread of any variety you can think of. A great place to have a business dinner is Sullivan's Steakhouse. The restaurant offers a beautiful décor, an fully stocked cigar humidor, and a large liquor collection. There is a grand piano playing in the background for that extra ambiance. The specialty here is obviously steak, choosing which one is the tough part. There is also a seafood menu available. If you are looking for southern barbecue, the Pitt won't disappoint. Located downtown in a former warehouse, this restaurant offers some of the best barbecue in a laid back atmosphere.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is the oldest established museum in the state. This museum is the most visited attraction in the entire state with over 700,000 visitors per year. The museum offers 4 floors and a special exhibits area for visitors to enjoy. The museum is planning an 80,000 square foot addition set to open in 2011.
The Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts consists of the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Meymandi Concert Hall, A.J. Fletcher Opera Theatre, Kennedy Theater, and Lichtin Plaza. This plaza is the main venue for all performing arts in the city. It is the place to go if you are looking for entertainment. The North Carolina Museum of History offers permanent exhibits relating to the states history. This includes the Sports Hall of Fame. The sports hall of fame takes up 4000 square feet of the museum. Some notable items on display in this area include Richard Petty's race car, a warm-up suit from Jim Valvano, Arnold Palmer's Ryder Cup golf bag, and the basketball uniform of Meadowlark Lemon from the Harlem Globetrotters.
When visiting Raleigh, there are a few places that you do not want to miss. The first is the history museum that has already been mentioned. Another must-see place is the Mordecai Historic Park. Located in the heart of downtown, this park offers a visit to the Mordecai house and Andrew Johnson's birthplace. There is a trolley tour on Saturdays.
If you are looking for a fun way to tour the city, you might want to consider the Triangle segway tour. This offers a unique way to visit the city's many attractions. The North Carolina Museum of Art offers visitors a chance to see collections of art through the ages. The main feature of the museum is the outdoor area. This 164 acres of land is more than just open fields. The area is scattered with different works of art, allowing you to see nature and art at the same place. The Marbles Kids Museum offers a great place for families to spend the day. The museum offers a hands-on learning exhibition for kids of all ages. Offering fun “play” based exhibits for the kids to explore; this is a place you won't want to miss if you are visiting the city as a family.
ComedyWorx and Goodnight's Comedy Club offer two venues for a night-out filled with great comedic relief. If you are looking for a sports bar, then consider going to Babineau's. This bar offers pool, video games, and darts, along with a full-service bar and great food. If you need a family friendly sports bar to watch the game, then the place to go is the Carolina Ale House. There are 46 televisions available to watch any game you want. The restaurant offers a great menu with a wide variety to meet all your cravings.
The Solas LoungeSolas offers a unique venue for any occasion. There are 3 levels offering a different atmosphere for whatever you are interested in. The first level is the main dining room and lounge, the second level offers comfortable seating to relax in and enjoy some drinks. If you want some privacy reserve a booth on the roof. These tables come with a table side bar stocked for your personal needs. Looking for a club that caters to the gay and lesbians? Legends offers the perfect place for new dance tracs, live entertainment, and female impersonation. Rum Runners offers a whimsical atmosphere with live dueling pianos on the venue every evening. This place is a high energy fun place to hang out.
One of the most fun places to shop is Father & Son Antiques. This is a 4-storey building filled with eclectic memorabilia. The store has a wide variety of items from disco dresses to Mexican wrestling masks. The store is filled with fun unique items for purchase. The city offers a flea market that has over 20,000 square feet of shopping space. The market is indoor-outdoor and any flea market lover will enjoy everything this area has to offer.
The State Farmers Market gives you the unique opportunity to shop for fresh local produce. Sitting on 75 acres there are restaurants, garden shops, and craft shops. The market also has a variety of meat and cheeses. Hosting over 50 specialty shops, the Cotton Factory is the place to shop for creative gifts, Crystal Creek Jewelry, and items from local artists.
Raleigh is home to a number of spas if this is part of your vacation itinerary. B Roman Skin and Body therapy offers a day spa at its finest. The owner has over 20 years of experience and guarantees you to leave feeling refreshed. The Blue Water Spa was named the “Best Medical Spa in America” by Skin Inc. The spa provides a full list of treatments and one of their specialties is pre-natal massages.
There are also a number of fitness centers available for you to choose from. Seaboard Fitness offers personal training, strength training, and cardiovascular equipment; it is located in the downtown area. Planet Fitness is a unique gym where a membership gives you unlimited access to tanning and massage chairs, along with the use of the gym of course. Gateway Yoga offers you a place to practice your yoga and relaxation techniques to keep your spirit, mind, and body healthy.
Raleigh offers a number of places to stay while you are visiting. The Carolina Inn owned by the University of North Carolina offers parents of students a great place to stay. With a gorgeous lobby and in room massages, this hotel is a wonderful place for anyone to stay.
The Umstead Hotel & Spa offers a great place to visit and relax. The hotel offers a peaceful surrounding with a passion for nature. The beautiful setting offers a peaceful place to relax after enjoying all of Raleigh's sites. Homestead Raleigh-Northeast offers a place to stay that is close to everything that downtown has to offer. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is nearby along with a shopping center and the state capitol.
For parents and families, their child's education is one of the most important things they'll come across. The public schools in Raleigh, North Carolina, are operated under the Wake County Public School System. Uncommon for many schools in the US, several of Raleigh's elementary and middle schools are under a year round school calendar.
Though odd to many outsiders, the Wake County School district is noted for its integration efforts. The Raleigh school system is based on income levels reported by families and maintains of goal of having no more than 40% of a school's student body at the low income level. However, this has resulted in many students from poor and suburban neighborhoods attending schools of the opposite economic status. Raleigh hosts over 150 public schools with three schools "optional" schools. Despite the current organization of students, current elected board members have made it clear that one of their primary goals is to bring Raleigh schools to more of a neighborhood system versus the current income based one. The school district's website keeps a record of each schools national test results and Federal Yearly Progress records, with the majority of schools achieving a score of 95% or higher.
For those seeking higher education, Raleigh hosts two public universities; North Carolina State University and Wake Technical Community College. Wake Technical contains a curriculum consisting of general education classes and vocational training programs such as plumbing, welding, and automotive systems. Raleigh is also home to several private colleges and universities including Meredith College and Peace College, both of which are women's liberal arts college. Raleigh is also home to Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law which maintains one of the highest rates of passage on the Bar Exam, as well as its graduates being able to achieve passing scores on Bar Exams of other states.
Getting around Raleigh is made easy by several methods. Raleigh supports an intercity rail, public transit, bicycle routes, and of course state highways. Raleigh's intercity rail is provided by Amtrak and is one of the busiest in the south. Amtrak provides service from Raleigh to cities such as Charlotte, NC, New York City, Washington D.C, and even Miami, Florida. Raleigh also utilizes Greyhound as an alternate method of intercity transportation.
Several state highways connect Raleigh to various parts of the city as well as surrounding areas. I-40 will take you through the southern parts of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Wilmington. I-440 loops around central Raleigh and I-540 will run around the outer edges of the city. Within Raleigh are also Route 54 which goes along the western side of town, Route 50 which services Raleigh along a north and south route, and Route 98 which services the most northern parts of Raleigh. Bicyclists would be happy to know that Raleigh supports a bike friendly atmosphere. Several portions of Raleigh have bicycle routes running through them including, US Bicycle Route 1, NC Bicycle Route 2 and Route 5, as well as roads with lanes dedicated as bicycle only. Most of the public buses running through Raleigh are also equipped with racks for cyclists to use.
The public transit system in Raleigh throughout the city as well as the surrounding cities of Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, as well as a free fare line that circles through the downtown area. There is also a vanpool and rideshare program that exists to serve the city's larger employers and its citizens with long commutes. North Carolina State University also provides its own public transit system which offers free fare to users riding through to the universities various campuses in the area.
Raleigh is the capital of the state of North Carolina. It is governed by a city council made up of eight members, including the Mayor. Of the eight members, three are “at large” members, and there is one from each of the five districts in Raleigh. Raleigh is one corner of the so-called “Research Triangle” in North Carolina, which also includes Durham and Chapel Hill. The task of the City Council is to set City policy, enact laws and adopt the City budget each year once it is finalized. City Council meetings are open to public and are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
The City Council hires a City Manager to handle the running of the City, a City Clerk to handle record-keeping, and a City Attorney who acts as legal counsel for the City and its departments. City Departments include Parks and Recreation, which is responsible for maintaining Raleigh's large number of parks, greenways, trails and other facilities; Police; Fire; Public Works, which handles planning, design and construction of public transportation options from pedestrian traffic to mass transit and parking structures; and Finance. Raleigh's libraries are part of the Wake County Public Library system. It is a system of 20 regional and branch libraries and one library administration building. Raleigh is also home to both branches of the State Library of North Carolina. The City is home to Raleigh-Durham International Airport which serves more than 35 domestic and international destinations. It is the second largest airport in North Carolina. Raleigh schools are part of the Wake County Public School district and the Durham County School District in the Durham County section of Raleigh. The Wake County Public School District is made up of 163 schools. Raleigh is also home to the Carolina Hurricanes professional hockey team, formerly the Hartford (Connecticut) Whalers.
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