December 12, 2003

College of Engineering Staff Member Authors Pictorial History of Garner

Whaley (Photo: Linda Rudd)

“You’d be amazed at what you can find.”

This amazement has served as reward and motivation for Kaye Buffaloe Whaley, a secretary in the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University and author of Images of America: Garner, recently released by Arcadia Press.

In the pictorial history of Garner, North Carolina, Whaley explores the rich history of the town through more than 200 vintage photographs. These images document its modest beginnings as the “Garner Station” post office in 1878 located near a railroad “wood and water stop,” through lucrative cotton and tobacco farming days of the early 1900s, to more recent images of a past well-preserved by local landmarks and architecture.

Whaley, a native of the area and the seventh generation of her family to reside in Wake County, is often called upon to lead tours or give talks at private functions and schools in Garner and has become “the source” on the town’s history. So much so that it was Arcadia that came calling on her when they wanted to produce a book on Garner for their Images of America series, which celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns and cities across America.

And did she deliver. In just over three months, Whaley pulled together a captivating foray into Garner’s people, events and places.

Most of the photos came from friends and family. Some came from the NC Office of Archives and History, but many of those were originally Whaley’s, donated years ago. “I thought it would be nice to share,” Whaley said. “Maybe some out-of-towner might go looking and find an ancestor that they never knew existed.” Whaley noted that her book has garnered new interest from the Office of Archives. “They want more photos now.”

In every photo she came across, Whaley looked for the hard-to-find. She would use a magnifying glass to “pick apart” each picture, hunting for the little things. “There might be a person way in the background, or a bicycle, or maybe an outbuilding with character,” she said. “Each picture has its own appeal.”

Perhaps an indication of its eclectic charm, the book is available at locations ranging from Barnes & Noble to Hudson’s Hardware in Garner. So far, Whaley has received nothing but positive comments for her endeavor, and she is pleased — even a little surprised — that so many young people are buying her book. “They think it’s neat and want to show it to their parents.”

While Whaley said she enjoyed creating the book, she has no urge to repeat the process any time soon. “Maybe after I retire,” she ventured.

— pishney —

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