Wake County is the state's second largest in area, at 866 square miles. It was named after Margaret Wake, the wife of Royal Governor William Tryon, the man who defeated the rebellious "Regulators" in Alamance County in 1771. Tryon later moved back to England in 1778 after it became evident the Colonials would be victorious.
Wake's county seat is Raleigh, which is also the state's capital. As with most Southern capitals, it has a colorful history. The city began its life as a tavern in 1771. Fires destroyed much of the town three times, and the Reconstruction era after the War Between the States saw carpetbaggers and scalawags gain control of the General Assembly.
As the New South rose in the late 19th century, Raleigh shared in the benefits of economic growth. Cotton mills and tobacco warehouses, North Carolina staples, fed the economy of Wake County for decades. With the waning of textile mills and the tobacco industry, Raleigh, like Richmond further up I-95 has become a town where government is the biggest industry.
Though it values its rich history, the capital city is now a modern metropolis complete with high-powered college sports at North Carolina State University and a major professional sports franchise in the Carolina Hurricanes NHL club.
Wake County combines the best of urban living in Raleigh, with all the entertainment, arts and recreation that come with it, with the best of suburban and rural living in the towns of Cary, Garner, Wake Forest, Wendell, Zebulon, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Apex, Morrisville, Rolesville and Knightdale.
Helpful Wake County links
