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In the mid 1800s, local resident William Fuquay discovered a spring while plowing his tobacco farm. The spring soon became famous for having “healing powers,” and a hotel was built nearby to accommodate visitors. As the area grew, the town became known as “Fuquay Springs.” Meanwhile, J.D. “Squire” Ballentine was returning home from the Civil War and settled nearby. He met and fell in love with a young woman who had been writing to him during the war under the pen name “Varina.” When he established a nearby post office, he named it Varina. Both towns developed as agricultural trading hubs, especially in tobacco and cotton, and due to their close proximity, merged in 1963.

Because Fuquay-Varina is close to Raleigh and the Triangle area, real estate development has dramatically increased the size of the local population, and it continues to grow. The increase in residents has drawn more and more commercial businesses to the area.

Boasting not one, but two historic downtown areas, Fuquay-Varina provides residents and visitors the opportunity to visit many local businesses, in addition to incoming national chains. Recently, Fuquay has begun to become know for craft beer, with four craft breweries now operating in the city limits.