Durham North Carolina

Durham North Carolina

Durham NC is consistently ranked in the regional and national media as one of the top places to live and do business in the United States. Recently Durham was rated first among 274 similar-sized counties nationwide on the Creativity Index, compiled by "creative class" economics researchers from Carnegie Mellon University.

Durham’s vibrant quality of life and commitment to arts and culture contribute to its ever-growing popularity. Durham’s neighborhoods surround Duke and North Carolina Central universities and Research Triangle Park and range from historic homes on tree-canopied streets to renovated Downtown lofts to communities planned around lakes or golf courses.

Durham NC is home to Research Triangle Park, Duke and North Carolina Central universities and many City of Medicine, USA, medical and weight management centers. Durham is also home to 13 historic sites, three art centers, 12 signature annual events with national or regional recognition, plus dozens of other core and celebrated annual events, six science and nature centers, and great spectator sports venues.

Durham NC is home to Research Triangle Park, Duke and North Carolina Central universities and many City of Medicine, USA, medical and weight management centers. Durham is also home to 13 historic sites, three art centers, 12 signature annual events with national or regional recognition, plus dozens of other core and celebrated annual events, six science and nature centers, and great spectator sports venues.

The rapid growth and prosperity of the Bull Durham Tobacco Company, and Washington Duke's Duke & Sons Tobacco Company, would result in the rapid growth of the city of Durham. While the tobacco industry dominated the city's economy initially, it was soon rivaled by the establishment of multiple textile mills, particularly in East and West Durham. Much of the early city architecture, both commercial and residential, dates from the period of 1890 - 1930.

Durham NC quickly developed a vibrant African-American community, the center of which was an area known as 'Hayti' (pronounced HAY-Tie), just south of the center of town, where were established some of the most prominent and successful black-owned businesses in the country during the early 20th century. These businesses, the best known of which are North Carolina Mutual Insurance Co., and Mechanics & Farmers' Bank, were centered on Parrish St., which would come to be known as "Black Wall Street".

Durham's fortunes declined during the mid-20th century. Textile mills began to close during the 1930s, and competition from other tobacco companies (as well as a decrease in smoking after the 1960s) reduced revenues to Durham's tobacco industry. Although the region benefited significantly from the establishment of Research Triangle Park in 1958, Durham did not experience the same early increases in housing development as neighboring Raleigh and Cary. Suburban flight also contributed to the slow, but progressive decline of downtown Durham as a retail and economic center.

With a strong African-American community, a strong Civil Rights movement developed in Durham. Multiple sit-ins were held, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the city during the struggle for equal rights.

This strong community was not enough to prevent the demolition of portions of the Hayti district for the construction of the Durham Freeway during the late 1960s. The freeway construction also resulted in the loss of large parts of other historic neighborhoods, including Morehead Hills, West End, and West Durham. Combined with large-scale demolition using Urban Renewal funds, Durham suffered significant losses from its historic architectural base.

Durham's growth began to rekindle during the 1970s and 1980s, with the construction of multiple housing developments in the southern part of the city, nearest Research Triangle Park, and the beginnings of downtown revitalization. In 1975, the St. Joseph's Historical Foundation at the Hayti Heritage Center was incorporated to "preserve the heritage of the old Hayti community, and to promote the understanding of and appreciation for the African American experience and African Americans' contributions to world culture."[1] A new downtown baseball stadium was constructed for the Durham Bulls in 1994, and a large-scale historic renovation of the American Tobacco Company (formerly Bull Durham) complex commenced in 2003. Economic progress continues to take precedence over historic preservation from time to time.

Durham has a rich and vibrant art and cultural community. Events include jazz festivals, blues festivals, symphony concerts, art exhibitions, and a multitude of cultural expositions, including the American Dance Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. A centerpiece of Durham's culture is its Carolina Theater which shows both live performances as well as films, primarily independent releases. Durham features excellent culinary offerings, particularly for a city its size, with a wide selection of diverse and renowned establishments.These establishments are primarily concentrated in the Ninth Street, Brightleaf, and University Drive areas. There is a resurgence of restaurants in and around the downtown area, including several new restaurants in the American Tobacco District.

Durham hosts a yearly Gay and Lesbian Film festival which draws people from across the United States as well as an annual Gay Pride Parade. Durham is the home of the Independent Weekly a progressive weekly newspaper.

The Durham Association for Downtown Arts (DADA) is a non-profit arts organization located in the downtown area. It was founded in 1998 and then incorporated in 2000. The organization's mission is a commitment to the development, presentation and fiscal sponsorship of original art and performance in Durham. DADA strives to support local artists working in a diversity of artistic media. Emphasizing community, DADA helps local residents gain access to these artists by providing free or low-cost venue admission.

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