Apex Historic District
The Apex Historic District is the historic commercial and residential center of Apex, North Carolina, a satellite town of the state capital Raleigh. The district revolves around Salem Street, the main thoroughfare in downtown Apex. In 2007, CNNMoney.com ranked Apex as the 14th best place to live in the United States. The report cited the Historic District as one reason for the award and described the district as "quaint, impressively intact, and with an array of commercial and residential buildings now serving visitors and residents alike." On March 17, 1994, the Apex Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district boundaries were expanded in 1995, 2002, and 2008, and include Hunter, Center, Chatham, Cunningham, Holleman, and Hughes Streets. History The town of Apex was incorporated in 1873, and named for being the highest point on the Chatham Railroad line between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida. The town's residential and commercial buildings were constructed near the Apex Union Depot on Salem Street. During the next several decades, Apex became the rail, trade, and shopping destination for western Wake County. In February 1905, a fire broke out in the commercial area of downtown Apex and destroyed several