Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina is a mid-sized community with lovely scenic landscape and moderate temperatures.  Fuquay Springs, originally a resort town built around mineral springs, and Varina, a railroad town known for its tobacco, came together to form the hyphenated town of Fuquay-Varina in 1963.

Varina immortalized a love story.  J.D. Ballentine was the first schoolmaster of Fuquay Springs. A soldier in the Confederate Army, he began receiving letters from a young lady who signed her name “Varina”.   To promote troop morale, many young southern ladies wrote to the soldiers.  As it was not proper to write to unknown young men, the problem was solved by all of them signing the name “Varina”.   Many Confederate soldiers sought their “Varina” after the war.  Mr. Ballentine found his and convinced her to marry him. He continued to call her Varina throughout their married life, and when made postmaster of a small nearby community, he named it “Varina”.

Since the merge, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina boasts two distinct historical downtown areas.

According to Census 2000 data, Fuquay-Varina is home to 7,898 residents; however, more recent polls indicate a current population of approximately 10,300 residents. Located in beautiful Wake County, (population 627,846), Fuquay-Varina, NC is poised for considerable growth over the next few years.  Eight square miles define the borders of this incorporated North Carolina town.

Businesses that range from small family establishments to international corporations drive Fuquay-Varina’s prosperous economy.  The local base of employment balances the agricultural and tobacco trades with cutting-edge businesses and high-tech industries.  Close proximity to the resources in Raleigh and the renowned Research Triangle Park contributes to the success of the area.  Residents of Fuquay-Varina earn an average median income of $42,903, which is slightly above the national average.

The schools in Fuquay-Varina, affiliated with the Wake County Public School System, operate award-winning programs at their five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina also offers a private Montessori school and a K-12 parochial school. Residents seeking higher education benefit from convenient access to all ten of the Triangle colleges and universities. These include the fine facilities of Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Recreation is abundant in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Eighteen-hole golf courses, hiking trails, tennis courts and a variety of additional sports programs and facilities found throughout the local parks and recreational facilities, provide year round activities to the community.  Fuquay-Varina’s charming downtown district, currently undergoing a major revitalization project, offers fast food, fine dining and several unique shopping opportunities. When completed, the downtown area will be the “Varina Commercial Historical District”. Historical sites in the area include the Ballentine Spence House, Fuquay Mineral Springs and several additional sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fuquay-Varina, NC is a thirty-minute drive from the dazzling capital city of Raleigh. Raleigh provides an amazing array of entertainment, historic and recreational venues that attract thousands of tourists from North Carolina and all over the world.  Known as the “Smithsonian of the South”, Raleigh provides visitors with twenty free museums, including the North Carolina Museum of Art and the NC Museum of History.  The variety of shopping establishments in Raleigh is astounding.  There are nine major retail areas, including three massive malls and a wealth of shopping centers.  Raleigh also offers live concerts, exciting Broadway performances, amateur and professional sporting events, in addition to the various Capital City historic sites.

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina continues to progress while maintaining an appealing village atmosphere.  As part of the prestigious Triangle region, Fuquay-Varina is consistently listed as one of NC’s most enviable places to live, work and raise a family.