About the Durham, North Carolina AreaThe city of Durham developed as city primarily involved in textile and tobacco production. Today, as part of the “ Triangle” that also includes Chapel Hill and Raleigh, Durham is in the forefront of areas including the high-tech industry, medicine, research, and education. It is the home of Duke University, North Carolina Central University, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Housing prices in Durham are still very reasonable for a city of its size. The population of Durham is over 220,000, making it North Carolina’s 5th largest city. It is the only incorporated municipality in Durham County, and is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area (pop. 451,212), and the Raleigh-Durham-Cary metropolitan area (pop. 1,467,434). Location Durham is located in Durham County, North Carolina. It is part of the “Research Triangle” that also includes Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Durham is the county seat. Geography/Terrain The total land area of Durham is 94.6 square miles, and it is at an elevation of 394 feet. Durham is located on the Eno River. Distance to 3 closest major cities Raleigh is the nearest city to Durham which also has a population over 200,000. It is 21 miles southeast of Durham. Other communities within 20 miles of Durham include Gorman (7 miles to the northeast), Chapel Hill (10 miles to the southwest), Morrisville (12 miles to the southeast), Carrboro (13 miles to the southwest), Butner (14 miles to the northeast), Hillsborough (15 miles to the northwest), Cary (16 miles to the southeast), and Fearrington (18 miles to the southwest). Jobs One of Durham’s largest employers is Duke University. In the Research Triangle Park, over 40,000 residents are employed by companies such as IBM, EPA, GlaxoSmithKline, and Bayer. Other industries providing employment in the Durham area include; educational, health and social services (32.4%), professional, scientific, management and administrative services (12.4%), and manufacturing (10.4%). Durham is the main business for Digital Recorders Inc., Icagen Inc., Embrex, Inc., Quintiles Transnational Corp., Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc., Smart Online Inc., and Cree Inc. The average commute for Durham residents who are employed elsewhere is 10 minutes. The Raleigh-Durham area has been ranked by Forbes Magazine as the second best place in the United States for business and careers. Housing There are a variety of housing choices in Durham, from historical homes in established neighborhoods closer to downtown, to new construction in a suburban setting. There is also a wide selection of apartments, condominiums and town homes, for a more convenient alternative in home owning. The average price for previously-owned single family homes in Durham is $213,418, and the average price for speculative (new) homes on the market in Durham is $272,651. In all of Durham County, the average sales price for a home is $181,978. Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf Durham is located on the Eno River, and one of the most popular parks in the area is the Eno River State Park. The Eno River flows eastward 33 miles from its origin in Orange County, where it joins the Little River and the Flat River, to form the Neuse River, which flows into Falls Lake. Falls Lake State Recreation Area, in nearby Wake Forest, is another popular recreation spot. Eno River State Park covers more than 2,600 acres, with a narrow and steep-walled river valley and rolling landscape. The river park includes a historic mill which dates from 1778, and an 1880’s home and 19th century blacksmith shop. Falls Lake State Recreation Area is only 22 miles from Durham in Wake Forest. It includes a 12,000 acre lake, with an additional 26,000 acres of woodlands. Water activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming, fill the hours of a summer day. Walking, mountain biking, and camping are also popular, along a portion of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea trail. The Durham Bulls are the most famous professional sports team in the city, and the 1988 movie Bull Durham was based on the franchise. They play home games in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, one of the most impressive minor league stadiums, which was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 10,000, and the Bulls have an annual attendance of approximately 500,000. Another popular sports team at the university level are the Duke Blue Devils, who have a strong basketball program, with teams often ranking in the top few in the country. A healthy rivalry with the Chapel Hill Tar Heels provides much enjoyment for these very serious North Carolina sports fans. Golf enthusiasts have a variety of courses to choose from. Public 18-hole courses include the Hillandale Golf Course, the Lakeshore Golf Course, and the Duke University Golf Club. Falls Village and Willowhaven Country Club have semi-private 18-hole courses. Private 18-hole courses in Durham are at the Croasdaile Country Club, Hope Valley Country Club, and Treyburn Country Club. Special Attractions/Events Durham has a fantastically rich arts community. The city hosts numerous events, including music festivals, symphony concerts, dance festivals, and art exhibits. In addition to jazz and blues music festivals, The American Dance Festival is a 6-week series of dance performances held every summer at Duke University, featuring some of the finest companies in the country. The Carolina Theatre is a focal point of Durham culture, showing live performances and independent films, and is host to the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The city is home to impressive art museums. The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University opened its new building in 2005, providing a major new campus arts center. It is adjacent to the Sarah P. Duke gardens, some 55 acres and more than 5 miles of pathways. Some of the highlights include a gazebo that is fragrant with wisteria in the spring, and a Japanese garden with a lily pond filled with goldfish. The North Carolina Central University Art Museum (located at the nation’s first publicly supported African-American liberal arts college, which opened in 1910) showcases African-American art from the 19th and 20th century. The Museum of Life and Science has all kinds of fascinating interactive exhibits, And a train ride through a wildlife sanctuary. The nature center includes a tropical butterfly conservatory and an insectarium, and is also home to flying squirrels, which are native to North Carolina. Durham has an excellent selection of fine restaurants in the Ninth Street, Brightleaf, and University Drive areas, and a resurgence of culinary activity in the downtown area. During the 4th of July, Eno River State Park is the site of an annual folk life festival, which showcases musicians, artists, and craftspeople from around the region. Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places Durham was named after Dr. Bartlett Durham, a landowner and country physician who gave permission for the railroad to come through the community and donated land for it to be built. The local depot was named Durham Station. The city was also formerly called Durhamville. The city of Durham grew rapidly at the end of the Civil War, which is attributed to the thriving tobacco industry. During Civil War surrender proceedings, many soldiers were encamped at Bennett Place, just outside of Durham. During this time, they smoked the area’s “Brightleaf Tobacco” which was milder than other varieties. After returning home, many orders came in for more tobacco, and the Durham industry prospered. Durham has always had a strong African-American community, and it was in this city where some of the most successful early 20th century African-American-owned businesses flourished. Durham was the location for the filming of Bull Durham in 1988 and The Handmaid’s Tale in 1990. Some of Durham’s well-known residents have included baseball players Rick Ferrell and Roger Lee Craig, Dire Straits musician Alan Clark, and 2006 Olympic gold medal snowboarding winner Seth Wescott. Request my Free Chapel Hill, Durham and Carrboro Relocation Package. It's packed full of useful and important information about the Chapel Hill, Durham and Carrboro, North Carolina area. Don't move here without it! Remember: I'll send it to you for free and without obligation. Just fill out the form and I will send it right out... It's my job to know EVERYTHING about Chapel Hill, Durham and Carrboro! Ask me any question. 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