Durham, North Carolina

Welcome to Durham!

Durham is a fun and lively city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the fourth biggest city in North Carolina and the 70th biggest in the whole country. Durham is placed in the east-central part of the Piedmont region along the Eno River.

A Growing City

Durham started to grow when a railway depot was built there in 1849. The city grew quickly after the American Civil War because of the tobacco industry. Durham became official in April 1869. It became famous as the starting place of the American Tobacco Company. Textile and electric power industries were also important.

Schools and Health Care

Durham has many schools, most famously Duke University and North Carolina Central University. The city is a leader in health care, centered around the Duke University Hospital and many private companies. Duke and its Duke University Health System are the biggest employers in the city. North Carolina Central University is a historically black university that is part of the University of North Carolina System. Together, these two schools make Durham part of the Research Triangle area; this includes the Research Triangle Park south of Durham.

Fun Places to Visit

On the Duke University campus are the neo-Gothic Duke Chapel, the Nasher Museum of Art and the Wallace Wade Stadium. Other important places in the city include the Museum of Life and Science, Durham Performing Arts Center, Carolina Theatre, and Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory. Bennett Place marks where Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman in the American Civil War. The city, together with Raleigh, uses Raleigh–Durham International Airport.

Durham is a wonderful place to live and visit, full of history, culture, and fun activities!