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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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Fuquay-Varina Information |
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Fuquay-Varina is a cozy, small-town alternative to Cary / Durham / Chapel Hill living. As a smaller town a little bit further out (from Raleigh-Durham International Airport), the town offers land and homes with more acreage and more “house” for less money. If you don’t mind driving and you want less traffic and a big back yard, this may be what you’re looking for.
The town, pronounced few-kway va-reena, is a 30-minute drive south of Raleigh. Economically, the town initially grew due to tobacco trade and agriculture, but has seen recent population growth and real estate development due to its proximity to the Research Triangle Park.
Loaded with restaurants and peppered with large chain stores, Fuquay-Varina has most of what you need and some of what you want in retail terms. The friendly, small-town atmosphere and ever faithful southern hospitality are obvious here.
The hyphenated name, Fuquay-Varina, reflects the dual heritage of two communities and the story of a couple's romance that led to their marriage and the communities coming together.
Today, high-tech industries and innovative businesses balance the town's economy, blending economic development and community preservation. It’s a well-known fact the “town fathers” want to maintain the village character associated with Fuquay-Varina. A planned revitalized downtown may offer specialty shops, restaurants, professional offices, and second-story residences, along with ample parking and pedestrian-friendly streets.
History
The history of Fuquay-Varina is a two parter, as it was once two towns.
Fuquay Springs
It is believed to have started in 1663 during the reign of King Charles II of England when a charter was granted to the territory now known as the Carolinas to eight Lord's Proprietors. This area of North Carolina was first known as "Piney Woods" and the residents were known to be Sippihaw Native-Americans.
As the story is told, the first to settle in Fuquay Springs was William Fuquay of France. Fuquay bought 1,000 acres for 50 cents an acre. His son, Stephen, married a Sarah Austin of Wake County and built a home on Pine Street. The town is believed to be named after their son, David Crockett Fuquay. David and Louisa (his wife) lived in Sippahaw, and bore six sons. One of their sons, Stephen, was a proprieter of a large plantation discovered a spring. He used it for drinking water, and soon became convinced that the mineral water had valuable healing properties. Word spread and the springs developed a reputation.
Summer tourists began coming to the area, using several small hotels that had been built. But it wasn't until the early 1900s that the popularity of the spring reached its peak. Meanwhile, one of the buildings built near the springs was a two-room private schoolhouse overlooking the springs at which a J.D. Ballentine was the first schoolmaster. He enlisted in the Confederate Army during Civil War and the romantic interest which led to the name Fuquay-Varina started.
Varina
To promote the morale of southern troops, young women wrote to the soldiers during the civil war and Ballentine received letters from a girl who signed her name "Varina." Eventually, she told him her real name -- Virginia Avery. Later, they met and fell in love. Ballentine continued to call his wife Varina. The couple settled in Sippihaw after the war and opened a post office and Ballentine acted as postmaster. The couple also opened a general store called the Varina Mercantile Company. The town developed around the company.
At this time, mineral water was in vogue and visitors came from miles around to enjoy the springs. Several commercial ventures were established and the Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Durham and Southern Railroad brought customers to the area on a daily basis.
The Town of Sippihaw was renamed Fuquay Springs in 1902 and incorporated in April 17, 1909, encompassing in its town limits the Varina business section and the Varina railroad junction. At this point, the dividing line between Fuquay Springs and Varina was virtually indistinguishable, but both continued to develop as separate communities. Varina later reestablished its own post office with the help of the local congressman, but the town was never incorporated.
By 1910 the Varina Union Station was built in Varina, the town obtained its own post office, and the Bank of Varina was founded in 1914.
By the 1920s, the two communities boasted five tobacco warehouses, a cotton buyer, and fifteen stores. The area became a trade and market center for Southern Wake, Harnett and Johnston Counties the early 20th Century. While residents began joining together in combined congregations at churches, the two towns maintained separate identities and post offices until 1963 when they eventually joined to become Fuquay-Varina.
Location
Fuquay-Varina is a town in Wake County, in the Raleigh-Cary metro area. The community was named from the merger of adjacent towns of Fuquay, named for early setters, and Varina, named for the wife of Jefferson Davis. The communities merged in 1963.
• The latitude of Fuquay-Varina is 35.584N.
• The longitude is -78.8W. Elevation is 394 feet.
Education
Fuquay-Varina's public schools come from the Wake County Public School System. There are five elementary, two middle and one high school within the towns borders or close by. There’s also a Montessori school and K-12 Christian School. Several Wake County universities are within driving distance, including Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC-Cetner, NC-State, Peace College, St. Augustine’s, Shaw and Wake Technical Community College (which is located eight miles north of the city).
Demographics
The estimated population, in 2003, was 10,089.
In the census of 2000 there were:
* 7,898 people
* 3,122 households
* 2,126 families
* $42,903 was the median household income
* $49,531 median family income
* Male median income $35,497
* Female median income $28,551
The racial makeup of the town was 70.63% White, 24.40% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.94% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were at least 7.38% of the population, but because of the amazing growth of the illegal population, probably much more.
The per capita income for the town was $20,268. About 9.0% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Tax Rates & Fees
If you live in the corporate limits of Fuquay-Varina, your tax rate is 52 cents per $100 of assessed valuation plus the county rate of 60.4 cents per $100, for a total tax of $1.124 per $100.
Property is appraised every eight years. The assessed valuation is 100% of the appraised value. The county property tax rate is 60.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Parks & Recreation
Fuquay-Varina, like much of North Carolina, takes pride in its parks and lakes. Falcon Park, Action Park, Library Park, South Park, Honeycutt Road Park, Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Park, Fuquay Mineral Spring Park, Fleming Loop Soccer Complex, Kinton Soccer Field, Ransdell Soccer Field, Ballentine School Park and Wake Chapel Fields make up F-V’s proud list of recreation areas!
The Parks and Recreation Department in Fuquay-Varina hold a few adult sports leagues, including tennis (age 18 and older) and softball leagues (also 18 and older).
The newest park in town is the Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park, which has 28 acres of gorgeous land and a 70-foot elevation differential. The land borders drainage into Kenneth Branch, a permanent stream flowing across the park from west to east.
Annual Events
Every year the city has Christmas parade.
Business
Fuquay-Varina's business varies from small, family-owned stores to large international businesses. The moderate climate, ideal geographic location, and proximity to institutions of higher learning, as well as an emphasis on culture and recreation, attract a plethora of businesses.
It's close proximity to Raleigh & Cary has made Fuquay-Varina a thriving community, and an alternative to home buyers wanting even more housing choices, and in many cases, more acreage.
There are also two golf course communities, including Crooked Creek & Bentwinds. Crooked Creek is newer and homes start in the upper $200s up to a million. Bentwinds is a more established community with traditional roots. School parks at the Fuquay-Varina Elementary School and the Willow Springs Elementary School are also available for public use.
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