A government town grows with the establishment of several enduring institutions
Raleigh's growth in this period included a small expansion of its city limits, the development of the commercial district along Fayetteville Street, the establishment of several surviving churches and schools, and the construction of the new State Capitol building, which still stands.
The State Capitol and several substantial houses surviving from this period reflect the emergence and sustained popularity of the Greek Revival architectural style during the antebellum years. The typically spare style features temple-front facades or porches, low-pitched rooflines, and broad proportions in contrast to the narrower, more upright feeling of the earlier Federal style.
Retail development remained local in nature, serving residents and those traveling to the capital for government business. While no retail buildings and few commercial or industrial structures survive from this era, period descriptions and images show that the blocks of Fayetteville Street immediately south of Union Square were changing from residential in nature to commercial.
The railroad also came to Raleigh during this period; the coming of the iron horse was a transformative event in any community. In Raleigh, however, surviving architectural resources related to the railroad are more common in later periods of development.