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Sunday, February 05, 2012
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Holly Springs Information |
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 Holly Springs is a phenomenal place for those wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle and heavy traffic, but still want to be within short driving distance of Apex, Raleigh and Cary! Squeezed in between the ever-growing cities of Fuquay-Varina and Apex, Holly Springs is green and hilly and nowhere near as developed.
Residents enjoy quiet evenings, very little traffic noise on the outskirts, and a small-town Southern atmosphere, much like that which many Northerners seek! In the summer of 2007, a CNN Money poll showed Holly Springs was ranked the 22nd Best Small Town to live in! Neighbors still great each other on the streets, strangers smile when you walk by and area subdivisions neighbor local farms.
Much like Apex, Cary and Fuquay-Varina, all towns experiencing growth from the heavily populated Raleigh and RTP areas, Holly Springs is rapidly growing. The town of less than 1,000 in 1990 was estimated at 17,500 in 2006. After the population growth reported from the 2006 census, Holly Springs gained the title of "The fastest growing town in The Carolinas,” according to Wikipedia.
History
 Holly Springs was named for its 40-foot holly trees that shadowed the freshwater springs, some of which still feed into creeks and ponds today! It was in colonial times when small clusters of homes and businesses were attracted to the original “holly springs.” The area that was once Tuscarora hunting ground then had commercial was peppered with homes, a store, a combination school/church, a sawmill and a cotton gin. Another location formed at the crossroads of two roads – one that travels to Smithfield and the other to Hillsborough. The crossroads, the location that later became downtown Holly Springs, was where Archibald Leslie opened a tailoring business and store. Leslie, a Scottish settler, built a 180-acre estate with a freshwater spring.
The main house on the property still stands today, as the Leslie-Alford-Mims House, which is visible from Main Street. The home itself played a storied part in the Civil War. The Union troops occupied the home during the war, which stripped the Holly Springs of fighting-age men and strangled the economy and progress of the town. Near the end of the Civil War, when a flank of the Union Army was sent to stop retreating Confederate troops, the Union troops stayed at the Leslie house. Unlike many other local homes, the Leslie house was spared from soldiers’ raids.
After the Civil War, the Chatham Railroad was run through Apex and encouraged prosperity there rather than Holly Springs. It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th Century that progress returned to town. It was then that Holly Springs added a public water system and added streetlights. Then, in 1985, a sewer plant was completed and attracted textile and other larger companies, boosting the economy and therefore revenue to expand utilities. It snowballed from there, attracting even more companies and notably the Sunset Ridge golf course community.
Location
Holly Springs is located in Southwest Wake County, just 15 miles from Raleigh, the North Carolina state capital. It is 18 miles from Research Triangle Park, 25 from Durham, 30 from Chapel Hill and eight miles outside of Cary. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 23 miles from Holly Springs.
The annual temperature in the small town is 60 degrees, 41 in January and 75 in June. The area gets about 44.9 inches of rain on average, 7.5 inches of snow and the elevation is 434 feet.
Holly Springs is located at 35°39′16″N, 78°49′29″W (35.654583, -78.824624)GR1, and according to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.5 miles.
Education
The Holly Springs schools are supported by Wake County, which boasts the second largest system in North Carolina. It was ranked #3 by Forbes Magazine (February 2004) on the Top Ten List for Best Education in the U.S. Biggest Cities.
The following schools are located in Holly Springs: Holly Grove Elementary, Holly Ridge Elementary, Holly Springs Elementary, Holly Ridge Middle, Holly Springs High and Middle Creek High. Another Educational Opportunity is Community Partners Charter High School.
Demographics
• The Median Household Income in 2000 was $69,550.
• The Median Age was 30.7
• Owner-Occupied House Rate: 85.7%
• Average Value of Residential Properties: $173,l16
• Per capita income for the town was $28,580
• 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line
As of the census of 2000, the racial makeup of the town was 77.14% White, 18.65% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.02% of the population.
Educational Attainment
• High school graduate or higher: 92.2 percent
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 50.7 percent
• Graduate or professional degree: 12.2 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau-Census 2000, Wake County Revenue Dept., U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Tax Rates & Fees
If you live in the corporate limits of Holly Springs, your tax rate is 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation plus the county rate of 60.4 cents per $100, for a total tax of $1.134 per $100 in 2007.
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.
Sales taxes in Wake County are 2.5%, and the North Carolina state taxes are 4.5% for a 7% sales tax total.
Parks & Recreation
 The town’s parks and recreation department is still in its youth, as it is less than 10-years old. Bass Lake Park is another new edition. The 90-acre park opened in 2004. It offers canoes, small boats and fishing equipment for rent while enjoying the lake that is stocked with an assortment of fish. There’s a 1.25-mile trail along the water. There’s also a facility available for retreats, meetings and other events. The park sponsors events such as family moonlight canoe trips, single-mingle canoe paddles and owl prowls, all of which continue to attract residents.
Parrish Womble Park is a 46-acre park with baseball fields, soccer facilities, a fishing pond & shelter for picnics, an amphitheatre, walking trails, playground equipment, a volleyball court and horseshoe pits! Parrish Womble Park stands now where tobacco farms once flourished.
Just up Avent Ferry outside town limits, Harris Lake County Park offers is a beautiful accent to the area. The park has biking and hiking trails, a stocked catfish pond, docks, a disc-golf course, volleyball courts and several picnic shelters in addition to restroom facilities. There is also a boat ramp, an A N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission area that offers access to the lake. Bass, crappie, catfish and many other have been caught in the lake. Sportsmen use the fringing public lands to hunt waterfowl, deer and other game.
Annual Events
HollyFest is held on the final Saturday in October. It includes free kids’ rides, food, arts & crafts, a 5k, fireworks and music. It is considered a highlight of Holly Springs community life!!
Another annual event is the Kiwanis Club Haunted Schoolhouse in October. Volunteers decorate the community center, and locals tour the facility for plenty of Halloween-style hijinx. Young children can enjoy the event, too, with early evening hours for a friendly tour, free face painting and hayrides.
Main Street Christmas, sponsored by the Town Chamber of Commerce, invites residents to visit Town Hall to decorate the Christmas tree, take hayrides around the downtown block and listen to local Christmas carolers. Santa Claus, too, pays a visit and Mrs. Claus reads children’s stories and dishes out cookies and milk. The Happy Holly Days Parade takes place in December along Main Street. Annual entries include everything from local school marching bands and Town officials to unique groups, such as youth from the local gymnastic, dance and martial arts schools.
Restaurants
The Bass Lake Ale House, a North Carolina Restaurant chain, is a popular spot for Holly Springs Residents. It features a large selection of imported, local and microbrewed beers in addition to a full menu of lunch and dinner meals. There is live music at the ale house the last Thursday of the month in the summer.
Other popular food spots include Sweet Basil, a Thai restaurant on 55, and Michelangelo’s Pizza, also on 55. On the fast-food end, there is a Wendy’s and a Sonic on Main Street and a Subway on Holly Springs Road out by Sunset Lake Road.
Other Attractions
Since its inception in May of 2007, Holly Springs Town Center plays host to a local farmer’s market. Every Saturday from 8 a.m.-noon several farmers and area merchants set up shop in Holly Springs. They sell plants, fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, bread, coffee, farm-fresh free range eggs and more! The farmers market runs from May to October.
More to come!
Two larger commercial businesses have already begun construction in the Holly Springs area. In addition to the new strip mall with Lowe’s Foods, Dollar Tree, Blockbuster and more, the town will soon have another strip mall featuring a Wal-Mart Super Center off Highway 55.
In July of 2006, it was announced that the pharmaceutical giant Novartis would be building a manufacturing facility that will employ about 350 who produce flu vaccines using new technologies. The facility will go on 167 acres in Holly Springs Business Park off N.C. 55 Bypass. Construction started in 2007 and the first phase scheduled for completion by late 2008. Novartis' investment was estimated to be at least $267 million and eventually could reach $600 million.
Famous People from Holly Springs
A Holly Springs product, Ariel Harris, was a member of the 2006 UNC Women's Soccer Championship team.
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