About Us :Rolesville, NC, the small town with a bright future, is a town with the goal of guiding and maintaining a community that has a small town atmosphere while still being close enough to the large city and its offerings. Rolesville, the second oldest town in Wake County, is growing more that it ever has and is constantly focused on making it the best place to live, work, play, relax, and raise a family.

History :Rolesville, the second oldest town in Wake County, is located northeast of Raleigh (approx. 12 miles) at the intersection of U.S.Highway 401 North and Rolesville Road. The town was named for an early prominent citizen, William (Billy) Roles, and was originally incorporated in 1837. Roleswas a landowner, merchant (his store is the present Meeting Hall and Mayor’s Office), cotton broker and cotton gin owner, postmaster, deacon and  trustee of the Baptist Church. In 1832 he also founded the first local school, the Rolesville Academy.

The early town limits were marked by four cornerstones and enclosed by fencing. Three of these cornerstones remain. Gates were set across each of the four sections of roads. Stagecoaches frequently traveled through the intersection on the northern-southern route from Richmond to Fayetteville. "Roles Half-Way House" in the area was a stage stop and "Roger's Tavern" provided rest, refreshments and a change of horses. Both of these structures have long since disappeared. Early travelers included French General and Revolutionary hero, the Marquis de Lafayette, his son George Washington Lafayette and his secretary, Le Vasseur, as they traveled to Raleigh, the state capitol, for a celebration on March 2 and 3, 1825.

Rolesville was incorporated for the second time on February 28, 1941 and the N. C. General Assembly extended the boundaries on March 14, 1945. Since 1903, town officials included a Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, Tax Collector and a two member Board of Alderman. The 1941 incorporation changed the officials to a Mayor, Clerk and a five member Board of Commissioners.

Parts of the original downtown area were destroyed by fire in 1913. The area was reconstructed and some of the current businesses operating in the same downtown area include a beauty salon, dance studio, flea market, furniture store, insurance agency and antique store.

As early as 1961, gradual progress made such municipal services as city water and garbage collection possible. Postal service was established in 1944. A traffic light installed in 1967 at the intersection of Highway 401 and Rolesville Road remains the only traffic light to date. Construction was started on the sewer system in the fall of 1992 and completed in 1994. The system is connected to the City of Raleigh Sewer System. Plans to expand both the water and sewer systems are underway.

A Police Department was added in 1941, with only a Chief of Police position. In 1975, an assistant or deputy was added to the force. Presently, the town has five full time officers plus several auxiliary officers to provide around the clock police service.