HISTORY

After Loflin’s proposal for the play was accepted by the town’s 150th anniversary committee last year, COVID-19 happened. To write an original stage production takes time and planning, which is difficult to accomplish when most participants are homebound. With much of Cary’s history already documented and available, Loflin decided to ask the community to help write Cary’s stories—from home. She and her primary partners, the Cary Players, worked with the public to bring what is believed to be the country’s first-ever crowdsourced written production about the importance of a place on stage.

The Town of Cary, Cary Playwrights’ Forum, Page-Walker Arts and History Center, and the Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel, are also involved with this ambitious endeavor. But a big part of this historical undertaking wouldn’t be possible without support from the descendants of Cary’s founding families and others who have lived in the town for many years. People have shared artifacts, personal diaries and stories. The play will honor these families, their ancestors and many others by sharing their remarkable stories onstage. “The Story of Cary” presents an opportunity to learn about and appreciate Cary’s early years—not just as a stopover between cities, but as a place that went through challenges and extraordinary experiences to become the beloved town it is today.

Projects related to “The Story of Cary” and Cary’s sesquicentennial celebration are listed at cary150.org. Commemorative cards showcasing some of the town’s lesser known stories were released around Cary’s official anniversary date of April 3, 2021. Printed by Cary’s International Minute Press, these collectable cards are being distributed for free through local Cary businesses.

Loflin anticipates rolling out a “Cary History Happened Here” sign program as well, through which residents and visitors can use their mobile phones to take a self-guided tour of designated historical locations. A downloadable tour is currently available at cary150.org.

Anyone interested in writing stories, auditioning, sponsoring or learning more about Cary’s history can visit “The Story of Cary Stage Production” Facebook page and/or contact Loflin via email at amazingplacepros@icloud.com or Facebook Messenger. Stay updated the latest developments about the production via

• Cary was a finalist to be North Carolina’s capital, as well as the home of the University of North Carolina. • The original Cary Academy was a private boarding school founded in 1896 and located where the Cary Arts

Center stands today. Later, it became Cary High

School—the first publicly funded school in North

Carolina. It became the model for the state. • The earliest known inhabitants of present-day areas that include Cary were Tuscarora Native Americans. • World War I “Top Gun” hero Lt. Belvin Maynard buzzed

Cary High School to the delight of all—flying so low the kids could see his dog, Trixie, sitting next to him. • Cary is the second-largest town in the U.S., following

Gilbert, Arizona.

Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel

Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel

Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel

Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel

Town of Cary