Save a house, save a part of the history of Apex...

Save a house, save a part of the history of Apex...

Historic Cash Home in Downtown Apex NC

The Apex Baptist Church has decided that having a few more parking spaces is more important that saving a historic home located at 112 S Salem Street in Apex. The home in these photos is the 1910 Cash House located next door to the church building. It is one of the oldest homes in the Town of Apex and was built in the very early years of the town.

The church Deacons say that additional parking spaces are much more important now than continuing to have the historic home available for Church activities or to remain a part of Historic Downtown Apex. The Deacon group also refuses to listen to the many community and church members that want the home kept for the church and community. Since the home was sold to the church in 1985, it has been used for classroom space and other church activities and outreach ministries. As of this writing a decision has been made to destroy the home and a demolition permit has already been obtained from Town of Apex.

1910 Cash Home in Historic Downtown Apex

If you want a historic home to restore, or have a friend or acquaintance that might, please call the church as soon as possible and ask if they will give or sell it to you and wait to allow you time to have it moved. The word on the street is that they have tried to find someone that would move the house but have failed to do so and say they do not have a place to move it to or can afford to do so.

The town is widely known for its "small town look and feel" and has been named one of the best places to live in 2013. One of numerous features of the town is having a number of preserved historical homes, many of which are on the Apex Historical Society annual home tour in each December. Seems like the new, younger Deacons in the church do not have the same values the town is known for and are willing to tear down this home that has been part of the Historic Downtown Apex district since 1910.

Even if you do not have a place to have the home moved to, demand that the church keep the church until a new owner can be found and it can be moved to a new site.

Call the church today (919-362-6176) and ask them to save the home and keep it protected and preserved for all of Apex. Tell the church and Deacons that the home is a part of the culture of the town and must be preserved for future generations.

Want to learn more about Apex?

Interested in learning more about the historic side of Apex?

Check out the Apex Historical Society. A local organization made up of members ranging from original residents that always lived here to relative newcomers interested in learning more about the history of the community and surrounding area. Read more...

New Hope Valley Train Ride

Taking a great train ride only a few minutes south of Apex in the central North Carolina area offers a fun afternoon for the whole family as well as a look back at a piece of North Carolina's train heritage.

We decided to take this trip on my wife's birthday and invited our children and their families for an outing on the hottest spring day in 2008. All fifteen of us arrived at the agreed upon time at the New Hope Valley Railway parking lot and boarded the caboose of the train loaded with some two hundred other brave souls. The crowd quickly filled the two covered cars, the open car and the two cabooses and the crowd cheered when the train engineer began blowing the horn to signal the start of the ride.

Tickets for the one hour ride through remote farmland to New Hill and back to Bonsal were $9.00 per adult and $6.00 per child (ages 2-12) in 2008. Check the NHVR website for current pricing and schedules before making the drive. Rides are offered monthly on selected days from May through December and during holiday times.

While at the railroad park, check out the local train museum beside the boarding area and the display of small trains beside the parking area. Directions to the train location are posted on the NHVR website and the trip provides a short scenic drive through a rural area of southern North Carolina. Head south through Apex on old US 1 until you arrive in Bonsal, then follow the signs to the railway site.

Read more about the NHVR from a recent news article...

News & Observer
June 2, 2008
Sabine Bollmer, Staff Writer

Train fans climb aboard historic railway

BONSAL - The No. 17 steam engine left the tiny Bonsal train station shortly after noon Sunday, pulling three cars filled with more than 200 riders.

A dark plume billowed out of the locomotive's smokestack. Streaks of white steam shot up as the whistle blew. The New Hope Valley Railway's first steam engine ride of the season took off on its bumpy and noisy nine-mile trip.

Among those on board were a little boy wearing a Thomas the Tank Engine T-shirt, a grandmother in a colorful Indian sari and a woman in a wheelchair. Read more...

More on saga of neglected Apex sheep

A second report reveals more on the life and troubles of the sheep owned by David Watts of Apex. He claims "so many lambs were born this year that he was a little overwhelmed, but denied he abused his flock." It would seem more like he wasn't able to provided adequate care all along and isn't up to facing reality. The veterinarians remarks indicate "some in the flock showed signs of serious neglect that had been continuing for many months, probably years."

Following the rescue at the Apex house police and animal care personnel visited his farm in Chatham County they found a smaller group of animals that were in reasonably normal condition for the most part. Watts claims he planned to eventually move the neglected sheep to the farm but didn't get around to it.

Read the latest report with remarks from the veterinarian that helped with the rescue operation...

News and Observer
March 28, 2007
Michael Biesecker and Toby Coleman, Staff Writers

Lambs just kept coming, owner says
77 sheep seized; 60 more are found

APEX - The suburban shepherd who shared his downtown Apex house with 77 sheep said that so many lambs were born this year that he was a little overwhelmed, but denied he abused his flock.

"It was just bad timing for me," David Watts said Tuesday. "I just got hit with the extra animals this year that needed extra supervision."

Veterinarian Kelli Ferris, who examined the sheep that Watts surrendered to Wake County animal control officers Monday, said that some in the flock showed signs of serious neglect that had been continuing for many months, probably years.

So far, 30 of the sheep have been euthanized after it was determined they were too sick to recover. Read more...

Mordecai House - Visit the Wake County site

Raleigh's Mordecai House - an interesting local site to visit. See website below for hours and prices for tour.

Take the photo tour!


From the Mordecai House web page on Raleigh's website...

City of Raleigh, NC, website
March 19, 2007

Mordecai Historic Park

The Mordecai house and grounds were once the seat of one of the largest plantations in Wake County, encompassing more than 5,000 acres. Today, the Mordecai House is one of the oldest residences in Raleigh and the oldest on its original foundation.

The home was originally built in 1785 by Joel Lane but the house takes its name from Moses Mordecai, who married into the Lane family. After Moses' death in 1824, his second wife Nancy used money from his will to hire William Nichols, then State Architect, to enlarge the original house. Read more...