The city of Raleigh is the historic capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is the second-largest city in the state of North Carolina, second to Charlotte. Known as the “City of Oaks” for the many oak trees that line the streets in the heart of this city, Raleigh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County. Today, Raleigh is part of the Research Triangle area.