Apex

History

In 1869, the Chatham Railroad, connecting Chatham County with Raleigh, was completed. At the highest point of the line, which railroad workers dubbed the "apex of the grade", existed a pond. Trains leaving out of Chatham would stop at the pond to replenish their water. A community began to grow around the stop. At the time, this community was known as "log pond". The name "log pond" almost certainly derives from the fact that the pond, which much resembled a small swamp, was covered in trees and vegetation, just like much of the surrounding area. People later called this area Apex, due to its position on the Chatham Railroad. The town of Apex was officially incorporated in 1873. As for the pond, it was eventually drained by culverts and ceased to exist by 1900. The town center was rebuilt and stands to this day, now one of the most intact railroad towns in the state. At the heart of town stands the Apex Union Depot, originally a passenger station for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and later home to the locally supported Apex Community Library. The depot now houses the Apex Chamber of Commerce. Apex suffered mild setbacks during the Great Depression era, but growth began again in earnest in the 1950s. The town's proximity to Research Triangle Park spurred additional residential development, yet the town managed to preserve its small-town character. During the 1990s, the town's population quadrupled to over 20,000, placing new demands upon Apex's infrastructure. Apex has continued to grow in recent years. A sizable shopping center was built at the intersection of Highway 55 and US 64, and several new neighborhoods have been built as the town grows toward the west. In October 2006, a chemical explosion and fire in a waste-processing facility prompted the evacuation of…

Geography

The town is a suburb of both Raleigh and Research Triangle Park (RTP). It is situated to the southwest of Raleigh with direct highway access via US 1. Apex is south of RTP with direct highway access via NC 540. Apex crests the watersheds of both the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers. |source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020) }}

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  70,516
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  66,985
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  59,041
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  58,914
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  53,646
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  50,874
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  49,323
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  45,716

Largest nearby schools

• Apex Friendship High
  High · Apex · 2,772 students · 21:1 ratio
• Apex High
  High · Apex · 2,500 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• Panther Creek High
  High · Cary · 2,435 students · 20.6:1 ratio
• Cary High
  High · Cary · 2,145 students · 17.6:1 ratio
• Holly Springs High
  High · Holly Springs · 2,140 students · 19.8:1 ratio
• Athens Drive High
  High · Raleigh · 2,062 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Green Level High
  High · Cary · 2,052 students · 20.3:1 ratio
• Green Hope High
  High · Cary · 2,001 students · 19.8:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2019-03-26
  8 km E of Archdale, North Carolina