Durham is the county seat for Durham County in North Carolina. It is considered to be the cornerstone of the Research Triangle region within the state and is also recognized as the fourth largest city in the state in terms of population. As of 2005, the population in the city was listed as 1,509,560 and the city continues to grow each day.

Durham was originally established in 1853 when a place for a railroad depot was deemed necessary within the state. A country physician by the name of Bartlett S. Durham lived along the railroad route and also had his practice established along the route. He agreed to donate some of his land to the railroad, which was named Durham Station.

Prior to the Civil War, the town grew slowly. Following the war, however, the population began to increase rapidly and the city received its official charger in 1869. Much of the population growth in the area was due to the tobacco industry, which really started to thrive at this time.

Tobacco soon became the backbone to the economy in Durham, though textiles soon became a close second. Due to the rapid growth of the city a this time, much of the commercial and residential architecture in the city today dates back to the period falling between 1890 through 1930.

A vibrant African-American community also quickly developed in the city. In fact, some of the most successful businesses to be owned by African-Americans were established in this city during the 20th century. Some of these include Mechanics & Farmer? Bank and North Carolina Mutual Insurance Co. Parrish Street, which is where many of these businesses were located, soon became known as the ?Black Wall Street.?

Durham continues to have a melting pot of ethnicities today. In addition, it is home to the North Carolina Central University, the Durham Technical Community College and, perhaps most notably, Duke University.