Crowdsourcing history: "The Story of Cary" allows locals to see their own stories on stage

But history isn't just these 'big' moments. Much of a community's history is comprised of those small, quiet stories that never get told – the personal stories and photographs tucked away in attics and basements around the city.

These are the stories Dr. Katherine Loflin wants to highlight in an upcoming play called "The Story of Cary," which will be unveiled as part of the town's 150th Anniversary Celebration.

Loflin has been involved in a similar play, which told the stories of Holly Springs.

"I saw people change the way they felt about Holly Springs in two hours. People crying," she said. The emotional impact of the storytelling even resulted in the preservation of a historic house, which may have otherwise been lost to the ages.

Loflin played a real person from Holly Springs' past: George Benton Alford's second wife: Texana.

"It was personal for me, playing a real person," she said. Her experience stepping into the role of Texana actually connected her with Texana's real-life granddaughter, who lives in California.

Although Texana's granddaughter is in her 80's, she still refers to Loflin as "Grandmama," and they talk regularly.

"The connection is real, personal and powerful -- seeing your own stories played out on stage," said Loflin. "I still visit and clean Texana's grave."

Loflin wants "both the headline-grabbing well-known tales and the little-known, smaller but poignant ones too," saying she hopes to focus on how even smaller-seeming events impacted the everyday lives of Cary citizens.

It could be a simple story, like remembering the thrill of seeing the book-mobile riding around Downtown Cary during the summer, before the Cary Library was established.

It could be childhood memories of the taste of an Ashworth's hot dog and cherry soda.

It could be your favorite teacher from Briarcliff Elementary School.

It could be your memories of putting together luminaries at Christmas with your church or family.

"The script is currently being written by people like you," said Loflin. She said she needs stories from any era in Cary history, including modern times.

After doing years of research in what makes people love where they live, Loflin said the impact of these stories can resonate beyond the play itself.

"What makes people love where they live is the softer sides of place -- the culture, the history, the aesthetics," she said. "It's feeling like you belong there – because you understand enough about the place to develop that attachment. Something happens in our mind where we see our future as tied to the city's future -- and we behave differently. "

As people remember and internalize the community's stories, they begin to feel more connected with their home – which could lead to greater rates of volunteerism, historic preservation and even economic growth by supporting local businesses.