Raleigh, city, capital of North Carolina, and seat (1771) of Wake county, central North Carolina, U.S. It lies roughly 25 miles (40 km) southeast of both Chapel Hill and Durham, the three cities forming one of the state’s major urban areas—the Research Triangle.
The site was selected in 1788, and the city was laid off from a tract of forest in 1792, soon after the American Revolution, when North Carolina, like several others of the original states, moved its capital westward from the seaboard. Originally called Wake Courthouse, it was renamed for Sir Walter Raleigh. The first capitol, completed in 1794, burned in 1831 and was replaced by the present building, completed in 1840. It stands in the middle of a large square and is considered an outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture. Capitol Square is surrounded by various state and historic buildings and churches. During the American Civil War, Raleigh served as a Confederate headquarters until April 13, 1865, when Union troops under William Tecumseh Sherman occupied the city without resistance.
