|
Durham is the seat of Durham County and the home of Duke University, the learning hospital that goes along with it and Duke Children’s Hospital. It is also a cornerstone of the Research Triangle Park and, population-wise, the fourth-largest city in North Carolina. The 2004 Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Statistical Area population was: 451,212 as of July 1, 2004.
The US Office of Management and Budget defines Durham as a part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Area, with a population of 1,565,223 as July 1, 2006.
Location
Durham is located North West of Raleigh, located at 35°59′19″N, 78°54′26″W (35.988644, -78.907167). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area 94.9 miles with .3 square miles of water.
History
 Durham’s history is heavily weighted in tobacco and railroads, much like many of the cities in the triangle area. The search for a railroad depot between Wilson and Hillsborough brought them to Durham in the 1850s. Prior to 1853 and the search for railroad land, there was a post office in the area known as Herndon (1827) and another in nearby Prattsburg (1836).
A physician named Bartlett S. Durham donated land in the area now known as Durham to the railroad, and that depot was named Durham Station. That kick started grown in Durham prior to the Civil War, and it kept on growing rapidly after the war ended and it was chartered in 1869.
The Civil War brought soldiers to the area, where Union and Confederate soldiers stayed at Bennett Place outside of Durham during the surrender proceedings, and sampled the area’s Brightleaf Tobacco (which is said to have milder flavor than many other leaves). When the soldiers returned home, they remembered the tobacco and sent for it. The company was later named “Bull Durham Tobacco Company.” In the 20th Century, the growth continued even further with the continued popularity of tobacco, including Bull Durham Tobacco and Duke & Sons Tobacco Company. It dominated the city’s economy.
Meanwhile, the African-American contingency in Durham started to grow and established successful businesses in the country, including North Carolina Mutual Insurance Co. and Mechanics & Farmers’ Bank. Parrish Street, the center of the growth soon became known as “Black Wall Street.”
The economy took a nosedive in the mid 1900s as mills started to close during the 30s, and other tobacco companies started to spring up throughout the country and the country slowed in the 60s. The region, however, also started to benefit from the beginnings of Research Triangle Park (Established in 1958). Along with the strong African-American contingency in Durham came a strong influence on the Civil Rights Movement. There were sit-ins and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. paid a visit to the city. But the Hayti district, where much of the African-American people were living, paid a price despite the active community. And many areas suffered with the freeway construction, which resulted in a loss of land. Morehead Hills, West End and West Durham all suffered due the freeway.
Growth started again in the 70s and 80s with new housing developments going up and increased growth in the Research Triangle Park. Then, a downtown baseball stadium went up in 1994 for the Durham Bulls.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 201,726 people residing in the city. Just four years later, the population was estimated at 451,212. The most recent census results, from the census of 2000, revealed the following:
• The average age in Durham was 31
• For every 100 females there were 92.5 males
• The median household income was $41,160
• The median family income was $51,162
• Males median income was $35,202
• The median income for women was $30,359
• The per capita income was $22,526
• 15% of the population fell below the poverty line
The racial makeup of the city was 45.50% White, 43.81% African American, 0.31% Native American, 3.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.75% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.56% of the population.
Tax Rates & Fees
If you live in the corporate limits of Durham, your tax rate is 58.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation plus the county rate of 80.9 cents per $100, for a total tax of $1.392 per $100 in 2007.
Education
 It’s nearly impossible to talk about Durham, North Carolina without mentioning Duke University, a private research university that’s national recognized for both education and athletics. There are two other colleges, North Carolina Central U and Durham Technical Community College.
Public education in Durham is provided by Durham Public Schools. Durham has 45 schools, including a school for hospitalized children. Durham also is home to the state-run residential high school North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
Central Park School for Children (K-5) and Kestrel Heights School (6-12) are Durham’s public charter schools. Durham also has a hand full of private schools, including: Agape Corner School, Bethesda Christian Academy, Bryson Montessori School, Camelot Academy, Carolina Friends School, Cresset Christian Academy, Duke School for Children, Durham Academy, Fellowship Baptist Academy, Gorman Christian Academy & Early Learning Center, Greenbriar Academy, Hebrew Israelite Academy, Hill Learning Center, Ibad ar-Rahman School, Immaculata Catholic School, Lerner Jewish Community Day School, Liberty Christian School & Daycare, Montessori Children's House of Durham, Montessori Community School, Mount Zion Christian Academy, Tabernacle of Life Christian School, Triangle Day School, and Trinity School of Durham/Chapel Hill.
Restaurants & Shopping
The Streets at South Points is a popular shopping spot in the triangle area and is a big draw for many of the Cary and surrounding cities’ residents due to the malls size and variety of stores.
Durham also prides itself for its restaurants. It has the basics, from fast food to national chain restaurants, but is proud of its selection of diverse and renowned establishments. Most of them are concentrated near University Drive, Ninth Street and Brightleaf areas, in addition to resurgence in the downtown area and American Tobacco District.
Annual Events
Durham hosts an annual Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, nationally known, and includes events such as the Gay Pride Parade. Durham also holds the Occaneechi Annual Golf Classic, Centerfest, the Latino Festival (which features Latino music, face painting, informational booths and so much more), the Bimbe’ Cultural Arts Festival (which is held at Durham Athletic Park, former home to the Durham Bulls), the Annual World Beer Festival and the Durham Art Guild Annual Juried Art Show.
Sports & Other Entertainment
 The city of Durham became a nationally recognized city after the 1988 film, Bull Durham, a movie about a once-great minor league catcher is brought on to a team to prepare a young, over-confident, up-and-coming pitcher for the big leagues. The Bulls play in the International League and call Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) their home, attracting as many as 500,000 fans throughout the season. The DBAP was built in 1994 to attract major league affiliate interests. The stadium has 10,000 seats.
NCAA Sports
Duke University offers 26 NCAA Division I sporting teams and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Duke has won 3 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships and is third in NCAA Final Four Appearances in Men's Basketball with 14.
North Carolina Central University has NCAA Division I athletic teams and has won CIAA championships in football, volleyball, and cross country for two straight years. NCCU won the 1989 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship.
Other
 The Carolina Theatre, in downtown Durham, is a national landmark that plays host to the North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.
Durham has a handful of historical and notable areas of interest, including the American Tobacco Trail, Bennett Place, Brightleaf Square, Catsburg Store, Horton Grove (former slave cabins at Stagville Plantation), North Carolina Museum of Life & Science, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham Central Park, Historic Stagville Plantation, West Point Mill, American Tobacco Company, and Ninth Street (home of some interesting retail, bookshops, coffee shops and restaurants).
Parks & Recreation
The city of Durham has 63 parks, including Duke Park, Little River Fishing Facility, the Lake Michie Recreation Area and Rock Quarry Park! Within those 63 city parks there are a variety of amenities, including picnic areas, athletic fields, dog parks, fishing, boating, camping, Frisbee golf and so much more!
Famous People from Durham
Major league baseball pitcher Roger Lee Craig, Hall of Fame baseball player Rick Ferrell, current major league baseball player Brian Roberts, second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, and Olympic champion snowboarder Seth Wescott were all born in Durham.
Branford Marsalis has been a resident of Durham for several years. It has been said that the Branford Marsalis Quartet's 2006 album, Braggtown was titled after the neighborhood of Braggtown, located in northeastern Durham. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Doug Marlette lived in Durham as a child.
|
|
|
|
|