Why Durham
Durham is a major city situated in the east-central Piedmont region of North Carolina along the Eno River. Serving as the county seat of Durham County, its municipal boundaries also extend into neighboring Orange and Wake counties. It ranks as the fourth-most populous city in North Carolina, recording a population of 283,506 during the 2020 census. Durham forms a central anchor of both a four-county metropolitan area and the broader Research Triangle region, which encompasses more than 2.37 million residents.
Indigenous communities, including the Eno and Occoneechi, originally inhabited the surrounding area along trade networks such as the Occaneechi Path. European colonists established farms and sites like West Point Mill during the 18th century. The city's origin traces to 1849, when Dr. Bartlett S. Durham donated land for a North Carolina Railroad depot, leading to the settlement of Durham Station. Following the American Civil War—marked nearby by General Joseph E. Johnston’s surrender to Major General William T. Sherman at Bennett Place—the community expanded rapidly. Fueled by enterprises like the Bull Durham Tobacco Factory and W. Duke & Sons, Durham was incorporated in 1869 and became a major industrial hub. The city also developed a prominent Black business community centered around Parrish Street, known as Black Wall Street.
As traditional manufacturing declined in the mid-20th century, Durham transitioned into a center for research, education, and medicine. It is home to Duke University and North Carolina Central University, a historically Black liberal arts institution. Duke and its health system represent the city's largest employer. Located just south of Durham, Research Triangle Park covers 11 square miles and serves as a premier research hub supported by local academic institutions.
Visitors to the city can explore notable landmarks across its academic and cultural districts. Duke University’s campus features the neo-Gothic Duke Chapel, the Nasher Museum of Art, and Wallace Wade Stadium. Additional local attractions include the Museum of Life and Science, the Durham Performing Arts Center, the Carolina Theatre, and the historic Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory.
For air transit and regional travel, Durham is served alongside neighboring Raleigh by Raleigh–Durham International Airport.
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