Durham, North Carolina is an American city located in North Carolina's Piedmont region, a series of foothills between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Durham was founded in 1853 and has a population of 262,715.http://www.nndb.com/geo/487/000069280/ http://www.durham-nc.com/about/ Durham has average high temperatures of 88 degrees, occurring in July, and average lows of 50 degrees, occurring in January. The city is located in Durham County and is the county seat. Together with the nearby cities of Raleigh and Chapel Hill, it forms a region known as Research Triangle Park, so named for the high number of research companies and universities located there. Durham is host to 6.31 million visitors a year.http://www.durham-nc.com/about/overview-facts-history/durham_facts.php#siz http://www.teamjodi.com/About-Chapel-Hill-Carrboro-Durham-Raleigh-and-the-Greater-Research-Triangle-Area

Durham is nicknamed the "City of Medicine" because of its prominent role in America's healthcare industry. The city has over 300 businesses and companies that operate in healthcare and medicine, and nearly one in four Durham residents work in these fields. Durham is also home to Duke University and North Carolina University.http://www.teamjodi.com/About-Chapel-Hill-Carrboro-Durham-Raleigh-and-the-Greater-Research-Triangle-Area

Durham was initially settled in 1854, when Dr. Bartlett Durham, for whom the city was named, sold some of his land to the North Carolina Railroad Company. The organization built a rail station there as a midway point between the towns of Raleigh and Hillsborough, and settlers began to form a community around it. The R.F. Morris company built a tobacco factory there the same year, establishing a century-long connection between Durham and the tobacco industry.http://www.northcarolinatravels.com/durham/history.htm

The Civil War ended in Durham with the surrender of Confederate General Johnston to William Sherman's troops. Trinity College relocated to Durham in 1887, providing the community with a top-rated educational institution and creating an economic boon. The school was renamed Duke University in 1924 after financial contributor Washington Duke. In 1910, Dr. James Shepard established North Carolina Central University, the first liberal arts school in the country built for African Americans. The city was a center of civil rights activism during the 20th century, Durham leaders like the Reverend Douglas Moore launched sit-in campaigns that were taken up throughout the state.http://www.durham-nc.com/about/overview-facts-history/history_glance.php

Durham is located 23 miles from North Carolina's border with Virginia and is situated on the foothills of the state's Piedmont region. The Piedmont is a landmass between the Applachian Mountains to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The city's total surface area is 299 square miles, while its downtown is .751 square miles. Durham is home to 98,000 acres of evergreen and hardwood forests, including the last remaining old-growth Piedmont forests, and 7,800 acres of croplands.http://www.durham-nc.com/about/overview-facts-history/durham_facts.php#siz

• American Tobacco Amphitheatre

• Carolina Theatre

• Hugh Mangum Museum of Photography

• Duke University

• Great Indian Trading Path - historic site

• Beechwood Cemetery - historic site

• Eno River State Park

• Museum of Life and Sciencehttp://www.durham-nc.com/things/nature/nature_places.php http://www.durham-nc.com/things/history/history_landmarks.php http://www.durham-nc.com/things/art/art.php?categoryselect=180

• Rick Ferrell - professional baseball player

• Roger Lee Craig - professional baseball player

• Seth Wescott - olympic snowboarder

• Alan Clark - musicianhttp://www.adorablegiftbaskets.com/Durham-North%20Carolina-gift-baskets.html