Page-Walker Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Page-Walker Hotel
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The Page-Walker Hotel
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 119 Ambassador St., Cary, North Carolina |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | c. 1868 |
| Architect | Allison Francis Page |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003339 |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1979 |
The Page-Walker Hotel, also known as the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, is a special place in Cary, North Carolina. It used to be a hotel, but now it's a historic house museum and a center for art and history. Allison Francis Page, who founded the town of Cary, built this hotel around 1868. It was designed in a style called Second Empire. Later, J. R. Walker bought it. Allison Page's son, Walter Hines Page, became a famous journalist and diplomat.
A Look Back: The Hotel's Story
For many years, from 1868 to 1916, the Page-Walker Hotel was a busy place. Passengers traveling on the Southern and Seaboard Air Line trains would stay there. After 1916, the building was no longer a hotel. It became a boarding house, where people could rent rooms, and later a private home.
By 1980, the building was empty and started to fall apart. But the Cary Town Council decided to save it! They bought the property. Then, many helpful volunteers worked hard to fix up the outside of the hotel. They made it look just like it did when it was first built.
What's Inside: A Museum and More!
Today, the Page-Walker Arts & History Center is home to the Cary Heritage Museum. This museum helps tell the story of Cary. The center also has art galleries where you can see different exhibitions. There are special rooms for learning and an archive gallery with old documents. You can also find a historic smokehouse and a beautiful garden on the property.
Because of its history and importance, the Page-Walker Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 1979. This means it's recognized as a very important historic site.
Fun Today: Events and Art
The Page-Walker Arts & History Center is still a lively place! It hosts many different events, like weddings. Every year, they have a special art contest called "Paint the Page." Young artists from grades 8 to 12 are invited to draw or paint something about the building that inspires them. It's a great way for students to connect with local history and art.
