Durham County: A History of Durham County, North Carolina

by Jean Bradley Anderson

In this revised and expanded second edition of Durham County , Jean Bradley Anderson extends her sweeping history of Durham from the seventeenth century to the end of the twentieth. Moving beyond traditional local histories, which tend to focus on powerful families, Anderson integrates the stories of well-known figures with those of ordinary men and women, blacks and whites, to create a complex and fascinating portrait of Durham’s economic, political, social, and labor history. Drawing on extensive primary research, she examines the origins of the town of Durham and recounts the growth of communities around mills, stores, taverns, and churches in the century before the rise of tobacco manufacturing. A historical narrative encompassing the coming of the railroad; the connection between the Civil War and the rise of the tobacco industry; the Confederate surrender at Bennett Place; the relocation of Trinity College to Durham and, later, its renaming as Duke University; and the growth of health-service and high-technology industries in the decades after the development of Research Triangle Park, this second edition of Durham County is a remarkably comprehensive work.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

624 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really interesting book about the overall history of Durham County.

[Andrew Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding work for anyone wanting to understand the history of Durham

[Yaaresse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these sorts of micro-regional histories.
This one is particularly well-written.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive and traditional account of the European, white history of Durham, NC. Anderson’s text, with 75 pages of notes and 23 page bibliography, offers a deep resource for students and scholars who follow.

A fuller history of the Native American experience, one skeptical of the idea that the country was unimproved “wilderness” before whites arrived, is still needed. Modern methods, sources, and sensibilities would present a more complete understanding of the lives and contributions of enslaved Africans (and enslaved Native Americans) to Durham today.

That said, Anderson’s history of Durham is the standard reference, a valuable accomplishment reflecting her times, her effort, and her perseverance.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best of the North Carolina local histories that I have read. The history of Durham county is representative of the history of the North Carolina Piedmont. It was only after the emancipation of enslaved persons that North Carolina was able to progress economically — just as antebellum abolitionists had predicted. Fair labor practices and humane social services, while not evolving as quickly as one might have hoped, have been the essential ingredients for success. The rise of Duke University to international prominence is a fascinating and important part of Durham’s history. Duke’s courage in defending academic freedom has been a critical factor in its remarkable achievements.

[Mr.bbolt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read a few chapters.