Durham, NC Summary

photo by gusto

Durham, the home of Duke University, is part of the Research Triangle, and is located by I-85, 22 miles northwest of Raleigh. The population of 137,000 includes an active African-American community that takes pride in their city’s heritage.

American businessman and philanthropist James Buchanan Duke, who was born near Durham, set up the immensely profitable American Tobacco Company here in 1890. This allowed him to bestow a $40 million endowment upon Trinity College, which expanded to become Duke University. One of its students was President Richard Nixon, who was president of the student law association.

Duke has one of the most beautiful Southern campuses, with Gothic and Georgian architecture, venerable trees, and sprawling lawns. Duke University Chapel features the 5,000-pipe Flentrop Organ and 1 million pieces of stained glass in 77 windows, depicting nearly 900 figures. Other campus highlights are the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke Museum of Art, which features European, African, Asian, and pre-Columbian items.

Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum is where Duke started his tobacco business. It features the 1852 homestead, a reconstruction of the first tobacco factory, a curing barn, a museum covering the social history of tobacco farming, and other outbuildings.

The Museum of Life and Science has hands-on exhibits, animatronic dinosaurs, NASA artifacts, and live animals. At the Bennett Place State Historic Site, Confederate General Johnston surrendered to Union General Sherman on April 26, 1865, thus ending the war in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.

Durham is serviced by bus, train, and an international airport.