A Brief History of Durham, North Carolina

Durham originated in 1853 with the search for a suitable railroad depot for the North Carolina Railroad between Wilson and Hillsborough. An earlier post office known as Herndon's existed in the area, and another at nearby Prattsburg. The landowners at Prattsburg refused to sell land to the railroad, but a country physician named Bartlett S. Durham (further to the northwest) donated land to the railroad, which named the subsequent depot Durham Station. The town grew slowly before the Civil War, but grew rapidly following the war. During the 20th century, industries were growing rapidly, which resulted in the rapid growth of the city of Durham.