Durham’s Unique Recovery

Unlike most cities in the South, Durham recovered quickly after the end of the Civil War. This could’ve been considered coincidental or fate, but no matter which, this small town prospered when most of the South suffered for years as they struggled to recover from the devastation of war.

Once General Sherman’s troops had won the Battle of Bentonville in March of 1865, they made their way to Durham where they camped out, waiting for what they hoped to be the end of the war. Confederate soldiers were also lingering around the small hamlet, as the two generals discussed the terms of the treaty. Durham was considered neutral ground and for the first time in four years, the men could be seen running foot races, swamping horses, and spinning stories of bravery around campfires. So, with only time to kill and a plug of tobacco worth over five hundred dollars, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn of what happened next.

It was here in Durham, on John Ruffin Green’s farm that several soldiers discovered a warehouse filled with a type of tobacco no one had ever smoked before. As they smoked it, they noted how much smoother and milder it was compared to the tobacco they regularly smoked.

Interestingly, tobacco grown in the silica-rich, nutrient-poor soils around Durham develops a richer flavor. When combined with a curing process that uses charcoal instead of wood, the leaves take on a golden color and a milder taste.

Immediately, word spread like wildfire among the troops concerning the tobacco’s unique flavor. For the days leading up to the treaty, the soldiers from both the North and the South sought out local tobacco manufactures, stripping them of all the product they could find. Soldiers could be seen trading anything they had for the experience of smoking this unique tobacco while others mailed it home to enjoy later.

No one knows if the tobacco itself was as good as it appeared in the early weeks of April 1865. Many believed it was definitely some of the best tasting tobacco they had ever had. But later, as the soldiers returned home, they also hoped to capture the nostalgia of those last days in the fields and backwoods of Durham. A place where the war ended and enemies became friends.

Once the soldiers left, John Ruffin Green quickly realized what he initially thought to be an economic catastrophe was something entirely different. Yes, all of his tobacco had been stolen and his warehouse ransacked, but when the postcards began to pour in from all over the North, he began to understand he had a sought-after product that would sell. And sell it did.

Green knew that in order to sell a lot of tobacco, he needed a trademark, and one that would be recognized all over the country. One day, he was having lunch in Hillsborough with another tobacco manufacturer by the name of James W. Whitted. As they were eating oysters and discussing Green’s dilemma, Whitted looked over at the picture of a bull head on the Coleman’s Durham brand of mustard and suggested that Ruffin use the bull for his trademark.

Green paid a buggy maker from New Bern to paint a sign of neighbor’s bull and hung it over his storefront and called his product “Genuine Durham Smoking Tobacco”.

I never personally smoked tobacco, but I’ll never forget the distinctive smell that filled downtown Durham. My husband remembers going on a field trip to Liggett & Myers when he was in fourth grade. He found the factory fascinating, but what stayed with him most was what happened at the end of the tour. Keep in mind, this was in the late 1960s—by then, the Surgeon General had already required tobacco companies to place warning labels on their products about the dangers of smoking.

But apparently the warnings didn’t deter the tobacco companies from trying to recruit new smokers. When he left, each child was able to reach into a large barrel and retrieve as many cigarettes as they wanted.

I’d love to hear from others who had similar experiences.

I’ve been hearing from some that you are unable to like the blog without being sent to WordPress to login. I’m trying to figure this out. If you would like to share your thoughts with me, please feel free to email me at coradarrah@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you. If anyone has suggestions on how to rectify this issue, I’m all ears.