Historic Cary home reopens for tours after being moved to a new location two years ago

Two years after being relocated, one of Cary's oldest historic homes will reopen to the public for tours this week. 

The Ivey-Ellington House was moved to 310 S. Academy St. across from The Mayton Inn in downtown in February 2023 as part of a development project. 

Built in the 1870s, the home was previously located at 135 W. Chatham St.

An example of Gothic Revival architecture, it was one of four Cary properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Relocating the home meant the home did not quality for that designation anymore. 

Tours will be happening on Wednesdays, starting Aug. 6, from noon to 2 p.m. Volunteers tour guides will delve into the home's architecture, its residents and history. 

Ivey-Ellington Waddell House's history

The home's location and style represent the very origins of Cary. Gothic Revival style architecture tended to crop up in connection with the railroad, and Cary was a major railroad town. It’s one of 16 towns that sprang up around the county between 1871 and 1927, including, but not limited to nearby Apex, New Hill and Holly Springs.

Built right within that time frame in the early 1870s, its first known owners were Thaddeus and Mary Esther Downes Ivey, who owned the house from 1893 until 1898.