By Michael Laches
On an acre of land between the Apex Senior Center and the railroad tracks sits an Apex landmark — the Tunstall House. Research from the Apex Historical Society revealed that W.F. Utley built the house at 406 N. Elm Street facing the tracks around 1870 for Dr. A.J. Thompson. Utley, a prominent Apex merchant, Wake County commissioner, postmaster and Justice of the Peace, later re-acquired the house for himself. The A.J. Fletcher family inherited the house and property and eventually sold it to Verne and Mary Lee Tunstall in 1947.
The Thompson-Utley-Fletcher-Tunstall House features a traditional two-story I-House design with a wrap-around porch and upper balcony. Over the years, additions included a side gable section in the late 1800s and rear shed extensions — one with a kitchen and bathroom from the 1940s. The house stands at the highest point in Apex, which was also the highest point along the old Chatham rail line.
Tunstall was an early Apex town commissioner as well as a farmer. For many years, the family would place a single red candle in each window at Christmastime. Since the house stood apart on a knoll, those candle lights became an iconic part of the decorations on historic Salem Street. The house was purchased by the town of Apex in 1997 as part of the growing town campus. In 2003, the Tunstall House was added to Wake County’s Register of historic landmarks.
I spoke with Sarah Hale (Tunstall granddaughter), Carlton Williams (Tunstall grandson), Leah Tunstall Dunn (Hale’s cousin) and Mayor Jacques Gilbert to better understand the Tunstall House legacy and the current state of the renovation project.
“Granddaddy helped start the Apex Volunteer Fire Department and served as fire chief twice. He started the red rocker club and gifted each fireman a small child-sized red rocker when their first child was born. Upon his retirement, the department gifted him his own adult-sized rocker which remains in our family today,” Hale shared.
The Tunstalls owned a dry cleaning business downtown and eventually sold it to Wade Baker. Hale noted that her grandma was a special reading teacher at AV Baucom and Apex High School. “They owned a small farm in town with many animals from peacocks to ponies as well as seasonal crops and a large well stocked pond. They had two children, Betty and William Tunstall. Betty (my mother) married Larry Williams and they had two children — me and Carlton. William (my uncle) moved to Tennessee and married Denise. They have one daughter, Leah (my cousin) and two granddaughters, Addy and Annabelle,” Hale detailed.
Though the house has been the town’s property and responsibility since 2008, when Hale’s grandmother passed away, multiple iterations of town government did not prioritize the renovations and ultimate usage of this historic home. Today, Mayor Gilbert and the current town council are prioritizing this work, but important decisions remain.
“This current town council wanted to get this done, but is still fragmented in the usage decision,” Gilbert said.
The overarching goal is to support the Tunstall family in a way that aligns with family intention while also being fiscally responsible. The Tunstall family would love to see community use over business. “We want the town to do what’s best for them as long as they honor the property. We have gotten great support from the town,” Hale said.
According to the Town of Apex project page, “The Tunstall House renovation aims to maximize use of this historic structure while addressing critical restoration and repair. The project scope includes a full restoration of the existing building envelope and interior, reconstruction of the rear 1940s-era addition, and a minor reconfiguration of spaces in the rear portion of the building.” Renovations are expected to be complete in June 2026.
“We would like people to visit and enjoy the property. Make this a touch back to historic Apex. My grandfather was a farmer and grandmother a teacher. A large part of my memory of [my grandfather] was the tending of these gardens and vegetables. In addition, Grandmother was very active in the senior community,” Hale shared.
Hale talked about the house becoming an event space where senior adults and school children gather to engage in a story time or reading club. This would pay homage to her grandmother’s teaching roots and her passion for the senior community and would foster a relationship with the younger community. Hale knows this would make her grandmother happy. She also suggested the creation of a garden space with perhaps the addition of greenhouses, to honor her grandfather. The grounds around the house are extensive and using the outdoor space for events could also bring in revenue.
I asked about a compromise position, where both the celebration of legacy and the creation of revenue opportunities occupy the same space. There was agreement all around.
Gilbert noted that a survey was approved to garner community input on how the house and property should be used. The town council’s final decision will be informed by the survey results. Look for announcements related to the survey via social media and/or via the town website. The mayor also noted that any final decision on usage for the Tunstall House isn’t likely to happen before the renovations are completed.
Regardless of the future use of the house, Hale said she’d like to see her grandfather’s red rocker and her grandmother’s wedding dress on full display inside in such a way that the house echoes the roots of Apex.
“We’re so much cooler than Cary,” Hale quipped.
