[City of Durham]

mdees — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:00:56 -0400

Durham, known as the Bull City, is a city in transition. It grew up as a tobacco manufacturing town, but the factories that once employed thousands have shut down. It now calls itself the City of Medicine, reflecting the world-class Duke University Medical Center, the Veterans Administration hospital and the pharmaceutical industry in nearby Research Triangle Park. Empty factory buildings have been reborn as the American Tobacco Historic District. RTP has fueled explosive growth in South Durham as employees seek a short commute, growth that has pushed the city's population to 209,000 residents. Durham is also the home of the storied Durham Bulls, who play in a 10,000-seat neo-classical ball park.

What are the local attractions?

Durham is a Center of Learning — The city is home to Duke University and N.C. Central University, as well as the N.C. School of Math and Science for the state's brightest high school students. Durham is a Haven for the Arts. Whether it's the Manbites Dog Theater Co., the American Dance Festival, or the many offerings of the Durham Arts Council, Durham's reputation as an artists' mecca is on the rise.
Durham is a lot of fun — The Durham Bulls, the world's most famous minor league baseball team immortalized in the movie "Bull Durham," plays ball in a brand new downtown stadium. The Cameron Crazies rock Cameron Indoor Stadium for every Duke basketball home game. And it's hard to find a weekend without a festival or concert, like the Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival or the Bull Durham Blues Festival.

Durham is an Activist Community. Politics can be a rough-and-tumble game in Durham, with no shortage of activist groups and bloggers dictating what's discussed — and how loudly.

Crime, government spending and issues related to infrastructure such as roads and water often are hot topics.

Take a Self-Guided Orientation

What's the history?

Durham was incorporated in 1866 and named for Dr. Bartlett Durham. Some of his land was used for the railroad station. Washington Duke, a Confederate veteran launched the family tobacco business in eastern Orange County (now Durham County) after the Civil War. His son, James Buchanan "Buck" Duke, took his father's small concern and turned it into American Tobacco Co., the monopoly that dominated the country's tobacco industry for a quarter-century. He also made a fortune in electric power and established the Duke Endowment in 1924, building a world-class university on the foundation of Trinity College.

North Carolina Central University was founded in 1910 as the first publicly supported liberal arts college for African-Americans.

N.C. Mutual is the oldest and largest black-owned life insurance company in the country and has more than $12 billion in insurance premiums. It was founded in 1898 by John Merrick.

The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People was organized in 1935 and remains an influential voice in the city's poliical life.

Go here for more on Durham's history.

Who runs the city?

Durham has a council-manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of seven members. Three members — Howard Clement III, Cora Cole-McFadden and Mike Woodard — are from specific wards. Three others — Eugene Brown, Diane Catotti and Thomas Stith III — are at-large members. Bill Bell, the current mayor, is up for re-election every two years.

The four-year terms for City Council seats are staggered, with three members up for re-election in each election. Nonpartisan elections are held every two years.

Who lives here?

The median age in Durham was 31 as of the 2000 census. The racial breakdown is 45.5 percent white, 43.8 percent black, and 3.6 percent Asian. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 8.6 percent of the population. Bachelors degrees or higher are held by 41.8 percent of the population over 25.

What about public safety?

Police services are provided by the Durham Police Department. Here are the crime statistics for 2006 (source: SBI):

Murder: 14

Rape: 98

Robbery: 976

Aggravated Assault: 869

Burglary: 3,098

Larcenies: 7,617

Motor Vehicle Theft: 1,147

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