Cary in Wake County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Marcus Baxter Dry House

Cary Historic District

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

1. Marcus Baxter Dry House Marker

Inscription.
is listed in the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
c. 1905

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.

Location. 35° 46.977′ N, 78° 46.927′ W. Marker is in Cary, North Carolina, in Wake County. Marker is at the intersection of Faculty Avenue and Dry Avenue, on the left when traveling north on Faculty Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Faculty Ave, Cary NC 27511, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 110 Dry Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); 114 Dry Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Sams-Jones House (within shouting distance of this marker); Henry Adams House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Heater House (about 300 feet away); The Beddingfield House (about 300 feet away); The Woodlief House (about 400 feet away); The Coggin-Taylor House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cary.

Regarding Marcus Baxter Dry House. Excerpt from the National Register nomination

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for the Cary Historic District:

Facing the former Cary High School to the east this one-story, frame house was the home of Marcus Baxter Dry, long-time principal of the school. Similar to many such homes built around the tum of the century in Cary and throughout Wake County, with its triple-A-roof and simple Victorian details, the house is marked by four-over-four and six-over-six sash windows, a wrap-around porch with simple square posts and balusters, and patterned shingles in the gables.

Marcus Baxter Dry served as Cary High School's principal from 1908 to 1942. In addition to being known widely as an innovative educator, Dry was instrumental in the construction and modernization of the school's buildings during his tenure. The current school building, which now serves as Cary Elementary School, was constructed ca. 1939 by the Works Progress Administration just a few years before Dry's retirement. This building replaced a 1913 brick building, also constructed under the leadership of Dry.

Also see . . .
1. Cary Historic District (PDF). National Register nomination for the district, which was listed in 2001. (Prepared by Kelly Lally Molloy, via National Archives) (Submitted on September 18, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Dry, Marcus Baxter.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2023

2. Marcus Baxter Dry House Marker

In 1907 North Carolina endeavored to create a new system of public high schools by offering state funds to local schools. The Cary school in Wake County, a private institution since 1870, became on 6 Apr. 1907 the state's first public high school under the new law. In 1908 Marcus Dry became principal and, drawing patronage from a wide area, soon made it one of the leading boarding schools in the state. (Percival Perry, Dictionary of North Carolina Biography via NCPedia, 1986) (Submitted on September 18, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Marcus Baxter Dry (1871-1946) image. Click for full size.

Historical Raleigh: With Sketches of Wake County ..., Moses Neal Amis via Google Books (Public Domain), 1913

3. Marcus Baxter Dry (1871-1946)

He advocated school-community partnerships, curriculum development and vocational education, particularly for students with developmental disabilities. Other pioneering achievements under his tenure were the establishment of a student council, creation of school music and band program, and the construction of the state's first rural high school gymnasium.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 86 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 18, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.