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50@50 – Durham, NC

Sometimes the landscape doesn’t appear to have shaped its culture in any way whatsoever.  Durham North Carolina is known as the anchor of the Research Triangle – an area twice the size of Rhode Island and renowned for innovative excellence in medicine, new technologies, education, research and industry. Raleigh and Chapel Hill, along with Durham are home to the three largest universities in the state plus half a dozen colleges.  How could telecommunications and biotechnology have any connection to the piedmont geography of North Carolina?

SOIL and PLANTS.  Rich dense forests were the most obvious resource to timber-depleted countries like England. Local long-leaf pines produced tar, rosin and turpentine, also known as Naval Stores, because they are used to paint, caulk and preserve ships. From 1730-1870, North Carolina was one of the world’s leading producers of Navel Stores. The diversity of pines and hardwoods also enabled the development of cabinet and furniture making. Prior to the Civil War, Thomas Day, a free African American craftsman helped establish North Carolina’s reputation as a center for fine furniture.

Among the most popular and lucrative of native American plants was tobacco. Columbus encountered it in Hispaniola/Cuba in 1493, but Jean Nicot, French Ambassador to Portugal brought this “medicinal” plant back to France with him in 1561 ardently advocating its stimulating properties. Nicotine, is thus named for him.  The huge popularity of ground tobacco leaves, “snuff”, in the 1700’s created an artistic cottage industry – snuff boxes. Few colonists actually smoked the leaves at the time, since it was considered quite harsh.

Though an accident in 1839, Stephen Slade, a slave, discovered that charcoal curing turned the leaves a bright yellow and gave it a smoother taste. Word of this “bright” tobacco spread during the civil war, dramatically increasing demand.[*]

While Durham was already becoming a tobacco hub, Washington Duke, back from the war, increased production and in 1884 mechanized cigarette rolling.  He becomes an advertising pioneer and in 1890 created the American Tobacco Company, putting Durham on the map as the largest company in the world. The textile industry followed establishing major manufacturing facilities in Durham.  At one point, 26 trains a day rolled into Durham’s Union Station.

Thus, it’s only fitting that I hike the American Tobacco Trail. This Rail-to-Trail project will span 23 miles upon completion; 12 miles are already open. Originally constructed in 1906, the route transported tobacco leaf from local growing communities to the American Tobacco Company in Durham.  The rail line closed with the widespread increase of trucking and with community support, its history is being preserved as public trail..  I picked up the trail at its southern point in New Hill.  Wide and easy, the first few miles wind through wooded areas crossing beaver dammed streams. These types of trails encourage wide usage; I saw kids with parents, cyclists, and retirees with dogs. At one point, the trail passes by a golf club, so a sign (unexpectedly) warns to watch out for flying golf balls.

WAIT!  What about the connection to the Research Triangle? Great wealth, created by the timber, tobacco and textile industries, over time contributed to these institutions of education and research.  The University of North Carolina was chartered by the state in 1789, and began admitting students at Chapel Hill in 1795. Raleigh’s North Carolina State, initially named the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanized Arts was founded in 1887 but broadened its curriculum in the 1920s. Duke University began as Trinity University in 1838, moving to Durham in 1892 and renamed after J.B.Duke’s $40 million endowment. By the middle of the 20^th century, all the universities focused on research in various disciplines.

During the mid-1950s, business and government leaders worried about North Carolina’s economic future.  The annual per capita income ($1,049) was one of the lowest in the country, and the state seemed dependent on manufacturing jobs in mature industries. The global marketplace loomed on the horizon. Leaders planned how to attract modern industries to the Tar Heel State. In 1959, the Research Triangle Foundation was formed to create the Research Park with cooperation from the Triangle’s three universities.[†] Currently, approximately 140 companies with over 70% focusing on research and development reside in the park.

Urbanists and economists argue whether creative workers, such as those in technology fields require an artistic environment, or whether the artistic environment follows creative workers. Regardless, the region is rich in visual artistic expression and in performance. Its rich ethnic heritage of Native Americans, Western Europeans, African Americans and, more recently, Eastern Indians and Asians contribute to Durham’s diverse culture. The old tobacco and textile manufacturing buildings have been repurposed into offices, shops, restaurants and art spaces. Culture evolves.

So, to Recap: Soil – Trees/Native Plants – hard work – (helped by transportation innovations) – education – technological ingenuity – more hard work – research – ideas – culture. Right?