Well known as the home of the North Carolina Transportation Museum, the small town of Spencer was incorporated in 1905. The town and the museum share the same genesis. The area known as Spencer was undeveloped land until the Southern Railway selected it as the site of a major steam locomotive serving facility between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Georgia. Since the plant employed thousands, a town sprang up around the facility. Today, the museum invites visitors to experience the comprehensive transportation legacy of North Carolina in one convenient location. The quaint town of Spencer also features a revitalized Main Street that brings back images of yesterday’s friendly shopkeepers and charming storefronts. Spencer enjoys an ideal location off the bustling corridor of Interstate 85, which enhances access to the museum and the community’s quaint retail district. A variety of affordable, attractive housing is available along quiet, tree-shaded streets or in the surrounding countryside.