Apex

Resting alongside North Carolina’s Eno River where I-85 meets I-40 is a town dedicated to preserving the past, reveling in the community, and gazing toward the future . . . Hillsborough. Once the capital of Colonial North Carolina, Hillsborough is the ever- flourishing small town standing proud as the seat of Orange County. With just one stop to the Visitor’s Center the texture of the past is palpable; historic markers populate the streets, like fence posts on a farm. Here Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered the largest Confederate army to General William T. Sherman, leading to the end of the Civil War.

The sense of community is made evident with events such as the famed annual Hillsborough Hog Day, Last Fridays, the Occaneechi Saponi Spring Pow Wow Festival, Walkable Hillsborough, and Revolutionary reenactments. The downtown district features more than 100 homes, churches, and buildings from the late 18th and 19th century. What makes home buying in this area so unique is the abundance of choices. You can pick a home with charming architecture from the late 1700’s or one with all the modern amenities built just last year.

And for new families, Hillsborough is home to 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools with most rating high in parental satisfaction. This small town with big history is the ideal setting to settle down and move forward. As the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough states: “Living in Hillsborough is not about isolating the past in a time capsule. It is about managing change; integrating the old and new in ways that improve the quality of life in our community; and maintaining the unique qualities that make Hillsborough such a great place to live, work, and visit.”