Historic Preservation
Preserving the Past for the Future
The Town of Cary recognizes the value of preserving the town’s rich history for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. Town staff take historic resources into account in the development of land use plans, and address specific preservation issues in specific area plans. Staff also provide comments as part of the comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning process, and provide comments on development plans during the plan review process.
The Town is committed to integrating historic preservation planning into daily land use planning, encouraging development in a manner that respects the best of the past, and building sound preservation policies for the future following the recommendations of the adopted Historic Preservation Master Plan.
Current Projects
Historic Resources Survey – coming soon
Designated Historic Properties
Within Cary’s planning jurisdiction, there are currently three types of historic designations: properties listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places, properties listed as contributing to a National Register Historic District, and properties designated as Cary Historic Landmarks.
National Register Properties in Cary
Cary Historic Landmarks
Other Useful Links
The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel
The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel is a non-profit volunteer organization with a long history of community service in Cary. The Friends’ stated mission is to “enrich the community by serving as guardian for the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, by advocating preservation of Cary historic sites, by archiving history and facilitating history education, and by promoting the cultural arts.”
Wake County Historic Preservation Program
The Wake County Historic Preservation Commission (an 11-member government commission appointed by the Wake County Board of Commissioners), has jurisdiction through an inter-local agreement over historic landmarks and local historic districts in Cary and in nine other Wake County towns. The county’s historic preservation program and commission are funded by Wake County government and currently staffed by Capital Area Preservation, Inc., a private, nonprofit preservation organization. The goals of the county's historic preservation program are to “safeguard the heritage of the county, including its municipalities, by preserving districts and landmarks that embody important elements of its culture, history, architectural history or prehistory; and to promote the use and conservation of such districts and landmarks for the education, pleasure and enrichment of the residents of the county and state.”
Capital Area Preservation, Inc.
Capital Area Preservation (CAP) is a private, non-profit organization headquartered in Raleigh but serving all of Wake County, whose mission is to “secure a place for our historic resources in Wake County’s future through programs of protection, promotion and education.”
North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office
The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office assists citizens, institutions, and government entities with the identification, evaluation, protection, and enhancement of historically and architecturally significant properties in North Carolina. The agency carries out state and federal preservation programs and is a section within the Division of Historical Resources, Office of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
Preservation North Carolina, Inc.
Preservation North Carolina (PNC) “promotes and protects the buildings and landscapes of our state’s diverse heritage.” This private, non-profit organization is headquartered in Raleigh, but maintains four additional offices throughout the state. PNC advocates for preservation state-wide through a variety of projects and programs including an award-winning Endangered Properties Program. They also maintain a list of design consultants and building professionals who supply preservation services.
National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archaeological resources. Visit the Web site to search the National Register database, find out how to nominate a property to the National Register, or learn about the benefits and incentives of listing.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that works to save historic places across the country.
For more information, contact:
Anna Readling, Senior Planner
Town of Cary Planning Department
P.O. Box 8005
Cary, NC 27512
919-469-4084
anna.readling@townofcary.org
