Garner, NC

The railroad that created Garner still crosses a downtown where a former high school now serves as a theater and civic complex. State leaders selected the area for a North Carolina Railroad station in 1847, a wood-and-water stop appeared before 1870, and a post office named Garner's Station opened in 1878. The settlement incorporated in 1883, lost its charter in 1891, and was reincorporated as Garner in 1905 after acquiring a depot. Cotton and tobacco shaped the early economy, while a route to Raleigh that became U.S. 70 helped redirect later development beyond the old center. Garner remains entirely within Wake County on Raleigh's south side and is part of the Research Triangle region. Historic downtown now brings several everyday public facilities close together. The 1923 Garner High School building contains 45 senior apartments and the 471-seat Garner Performing Arts Center, which presents professional music, theater, dance, and comedy as well as productions by the volunteer Towne Players.

Nearby, the 40,000-square-foot Garner Recreation Center has three basketball courts, an elevated walking track, multipurpose rooms, an outdoor trail, a field, and an inclusive playground. On Buffaloe Road, the adjoining White Deer and Lake Benson parks form another center of activity. White Deer covers 96 acres, with two miles of paved trails, playgrounds, a wildflower meadow, and a nature center with live and preserved North Carolina animals. Lake Benson Park adds 64 acres of open space, 1.8 miles of trails, playgrounds, a dog park, the Garner Veterans Memorial, and grounds used for town events. At the nearby boathouse, residents can rent canoes and kayaks or fish from the dock when the seasonal facility is open.