When the Civil War began in 1861, Durham’s population was less than a thousand, with only a few dozen people living near or around Durham Station. Most of the population in the area lived on farms and raised their own food to survive. Farmers had also grown tobacco for generations. The Piedmont area of NorthContinue reading “Durham’s Infamous Role in the Civil War”
Tag Archives: Durham Archives
Durham History Told from the Grave
To me, the evolution of Durham started with John Ruffin Green and his cured bright leaf tobacco that placed Durham on the map. Malbourne Angier, a store owner, and a passionate citizen of our city made a huge impact on expanding Durham beyond the few store fronts on Main Street. And then there is W.Continue reading “Durham History Told from the Grave”
Durham in Lights
The year is 1913, and Richard Harvey Wright and Julian Carr have acquired a fifty year franchise to provide the city with electric lights and power to run the streetcars. Durham Traction Company has finally begun to see a surge in ridership and now with the license to provide power to the city, they decideContinue reading “Durham in Lights”
Hidden Women
Where did their stories go? As I have studied the men that were known to be the founding fathers of Durham, I began to wonder about the women that loomed in the shadows. We live in a different time where women can shine brightly, but in the late 1800’s, women in Durham were only knownContinue reading “Hidden Women”
The Events of 1901
Yesterday, I spent time going through box twenty-three of the four hundred boxes in my great uncle’s archives. The box was a treasure trove of documents that clearly defined what Uncle Richard was doing in January and February of 1901. If Uncle Richard wasn’t discussing the purchase of tobacco through his Gorman Wright Leaf TobaccoContinue reading “The Events of 1901”