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Durham County, the seat of which is the City of Durham (county courthouse pictured
at right), lies in the northeast central part of the state, at the eastern edge of
the Piedmont. It began as a railroad station in 1853, became the world's center of
tobacco production in the waning years of the 19th century, and was a textile power
well into the 20th century.
It is the home of Duke University and North Carolina Central University, and is one
of the points of the fabled Research Triangle area. That distinction was cemented in
the 1950s when a huge swath of pine land in southern Durham County was tapped as the
future home of the Research Triangle Park.
In addition to its history of tobacco, textiles and high tech, Durham became a leader
in medicine and medical research in the 1970s, earning itself the nickname, "City of
Medicine." Combining the hard sciences with the arts and recreation, Durham is home to
the North Carolina School of Math and Science, the North Carolina Museum of Life and
Science, the American Dance Festival, the Durham Blues Festival and the world famous
Durham Bulls baseball team.
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