Durham County, the seat of which is the City of Durham, lies in the northeast central part of the state, at the eastern edge of the Piedmont. It began as a railroad station in 1853, became the world's center of tobacco production in the waning years of the 19th century, and was a textile power well into the 20th century.
It is the home of Duke University and North Carolina Central University, and is one of the three points of the fabled Research Triangle area. That distinction was cemented in the 1950s when a huge swath of pine land in southern Durham County was tapped as the future home of the Research Triangle Park.
In addition to its history of tobacco, textiles and high tech, Durham became a leader in medicine and medical research in the 1970s, earning itself the nickname, "City of Medicine." Combining the hard sciences with the arts and recreation, Durham is home to the North Carolina School of Math and Science, the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, the American Dance Festival, the Durham Blues Festival and the world famous Durham Bulls baseball team.
Helpful Durham County links
