Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh was chosen as the site of the new capital in 1788, as its central location protected it from attacks from the coast. It was officially established in 1792 as both county seat and state capital (incorporated on December 31, 1792 – charter granted January 21, 1795). The city was named for Sir Walter Raleigh, sponsor of Roanoke, the "lost colony" on Roanoke Island.
Raleigh and Gaston / Seaboard Coast Line Building
The first train to arrive in Raleigh came in 1840, five years after the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad was chartered. The railroad was sold under foreclosure and taken over by the State of North Carolina in 1845. Private stockholders were later able to acquire a controlling interest from the state, in 1867. The building was commissioned while the railroad was under state control and construction of two stories was started in 1861. A third and final story had been added by 1891. The Raleigh and Gaston Railroad and several associated railroads formed the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1893, and later merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1967.