This is such a cool little museum and place to see if you are wanting to do something unique in…read moreDurham that's rich in the city's history. Museum: 5/5 The museum has a ton of cool displays that show the early days of the tobacco industry and Duke family. Right outside of the museum is a large area with a trail that takes you by the Dukes original house, tobacco plants and the tobacco field. You are free to wonder the grounds. However, I recommend paying for the guided tour. With that you get to go inside the structures and hear all about the history of the property and early tobacco industry. In addition you get to learn a lot about the events that shaped the city. Price: 5/5 The museum and grounds is FREE! The guided tour is only $4. Coming from CA, it doesn't get much better than this! Customer Service: 5/5 The guide was great! Very friendly and very knowledgeable in the content. Parking: 5/5 Huge parking lot right in front. Parking was great.

I think it best to take the guided tour, you get a great history of the Duke family's transition…read morefrom farming to production - leading to an efficient industry. Highlights include entering the 2nd factory and the Duke family home. (And I can't get "Duke, duke, duke... Duke of Earl, duke, duke out of my head). You even get to whack tobacco. While the tobacco industry goes back earlier, it is just about the time after the Civil War ends that it really gets interesting, as soldiers coming home chew (or is that "chaw"), smoke, or sniff tobacco. Washington Duke capitalized on it. And now... there's a university and gardens named after the family - with a top notch basketball program, of course! The tour is about an hour. There are other building to see from the outside. Can ask as many questions as you like!

Interesting spot to walk around and learn about some Civil War history. You can walk inside some of…read morethe structures and the house on the property. The staff were all very friendly - they were setting up for a field trip the morning we visited. Next time, I'd like to go on a guided tour to learn more about the site. We also took a walk through the trails in the woods, that only took us about 15 minutes. The trails were easy but they do have a lot of roots, so you need to be careful not to trip! Some parts of the trail were a little overgrown, but still passable.

Really interesting historical site, kind and knowledgeable staff. The trails are also lovely for…read moresome added walking opportunities.

I live in Massachusetts and visited a friend in Charlotte a few weeks ago. He'd wanted to visit…read moreStagville Plantation for a tour, so we took the drive. The woman who guided the tour was wonderful. I wish I knew her name - if she gave it, I didn't hear it. She started off by telling us that she would talk a little bit about the property and the buildings, but would focus mostly on the slaves who were held there, and what their daily lives were like. At no point did she seem like she had memorized a script. She spoke intelligently and knowledgeably, and really gave us a feel for what Stagville's enslaved people endured. She welcomed questions, and was very clear about what she knew, what she didn't know, and what she surmised. There were 2 people on the tour who, if I had been the guide, I would have wanted to slap. However, our guide handled their questions with tact... Our guide spoke about children being born into slavery on the plantation, and she said that the moment a baby drew their first breath, they were a slave. She said they were put to work at age 7, working from sunrise to sundown. Then she asked any children aged 7 or older to raise their hands, which they did. The guide said, "You would have been put to work at the age of 7," and one boy, around age 8 or 9, replied, "But I'm not black." (Yes, I wanted to slap him.) The guide replied, "No you're not. But I'm telling you about this so you can use your imagination to see what life might have been like." The second person I wanted to slap was a woman, probably in her 40s or 50s, who asked, "Were the slaves treated well?" (Do you see why I wanted to slap her? Does she not understand what slavery was?) The guide replied that she should be able to tell from the information being given on the tour, but that we would get back to that question later. Near the end of the tour, the guide asked the woman, 'What was your question again?" and the woman replied, again, "Were the slaves treated well?" The guide asked other people taking the tour for their opinions, and everyone was pretty clear with their responses. The guide handled it like a champ. All in all, this was a very informative, well planned tour about a horrible time in our history. I would highly recommend it.

This entrance is only for the visitor center guests, bathroom and few pictorials to look at. The…read moresite is huge, comprised of several land spaces that require driving to and from. Highly recommend going in at 1pm where there is a tour. If you go alone without a guide all you see is the buildings and just grass... Wish we knew ahead of time a bit more of this laidback type historic area where we met only one person in charge and she's already occupied with 2 other ppl explaining its history behind a desk.

Durham is a great city. During our four years living in the Durham County portion of Chapel Hill,…read morewe went out in the City of Durham more than the Town of Chapel Hill. Parts of Durham are hip and progressive, reminding us of cities like Asheville and Decatur, Georgia. I think Durham may have the best food scene when it comes to the Triangle cities, even beating Raleigh (and Cary, which continues to rise). We spent a lot of time eating at restaurants in downtown Durham. In this Yelp review, I list my top 10 favorite restaurants in Durham from our time there from June 2020 through July 2024. 1. M Sushi - The best sushi in the Triangle. Try one of the omakases. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-sushi-durham 2. M Tempura - Outstanding and unique. Get the kaiseki. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-tempura-durham-3 3. Juju Asian Tapas + Bar - Consistently great food with a fun, comfortable atmosphere. https://www.yelp.com/biz/juju-asian-tapas-bar-durham-3 4. Nana Steak - I love prime rib and theirs is among the best I've had anywhere. https://www.yelp.com/biz/nana-steak-durham 5. Rose's - Exceptional ramen and ice cream sandwiches. Best ramen in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/roses-durham-3 6. Mateo Bar de Tapas - Best tapas in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/mateo-durham 7. Pizzeria Toro - Excellent Neapolitan-style pizza. https://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzeria-toro-durham 8. Namu - Terrific gimbap and other Korean food/snacks in a neat indoor-outdoor beer garden environment. They serve coffee too. https://www.yelp.com/biz/namu-durham 9. Eastcut Sandwich Bar - Amazing sandwiches. https://www.yelp.com/biz/eastcut-sandwich-bar-durham-durham 10. Viceroy - Fantastic, higher-end Indian restaurant. https://www.yelp.com/biz/viceroy-durham Honorable mentions: * Asian Kitchen - "Authentic" hand-pulled noodles, dumplings, and other Chinese dishes like ong choy (water spinach). https://www.yelp.com/biz/asian-kitchen-durham * Emmy Squared Pizza - Incredible Detroit-style deep-dish pizza. https://www.yelp.com/biz/emmy-squared-pizza-durham-durham-4 * M Kokko - Best Korean fried chicken we tried in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-kokko-durham * M Pocha - All-around great food, "inspired traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences." https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-pocha-durham-2 * Makus Empanadas - Superb empanadas. https://www.yelp.com/biz/makus-empanadas-durham * The Original Q Shack - I think this was the best barbecue we had in Durham. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-q-shack-durham * The Parlour - Our favorite ice cream shop in Durham. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-parlour-durham-2 * Saltbox Seafood Joint - Tasty fried seafood and chowder. https://www.yelp.com/biz/saltbox-seafood-joint-durham-3 * Sister Liu's Kitchen - Yummy, small Chinese dumpling and sandwich takeout joint. https://www.yelp.com/biz/sister-lius-kitchen-durham-2 * Szechuan Mansion Hotpot - Absolutely delicious Chinese hot pot. Make a reservation. https://www.yelp.com/biz/szechuan-mansion-hotpot-durham

This is for Stacy who works in Durham department of water services. She was an absolute gem. She…read morewas kind, sharp, helpful, peppy, all of the amazing things you want when you're calling a customer service rep. She got us easily setup in a timely manner. Absolute best person I've spoken to when calling a government service.

Ayr Mount is in Hillsborough, NC. The property is on the National Register of Historic Places. The…read moreproperty grounds are open daily and house tours are available on certain days and times, just follow the signs to the parking area and either to the Poet's Walk (one mile trail) or the House. Ayr Mount was built in 1815 and made of brick (you can see fingerprints in some of the bricks from the workers). He named it for his birthplace in Ayr, Scotland. William Kirkland was a merchant and built his house along the Native American Trading Path. Kirkland had fourteen children and the property stayed in the family for four generations. If I remember correctly he had 57 grandchildren. Richard Jenrette bought the house in 1985 then donated it to the Classical American Home Preservation Trust and we can view the property. The house features tall ceilings; and intricate details; a lot of the furniture are family pieces. I highly recommend touring this house if in the Hillsborough Area.

Very pleasant 1 mile walk in nature with benches near the river and a pond. The historic house was…read moreclosed but the grounds were beautiful and well maintained. I didn't notice a public restroom. Parking lot available and free.

Hidden historical gem with fascinating history. Girls' school that taught science, math etc during…read morecivil war time. Quite progressive! Also place that Mary Todd Lincoln's close friend and dress maker lived. A great find in our visit to Chapel Hill NC!

This historic site is very unique, because it's history is so well documented. The student's…read moreletters are full of details that make you understand their time there. My wife and I will definitely go back when there is a presentation. The staff was very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting.

For the past three years, Husband & I have attended Preservation Chapel Hill's "Voices From The…read moreGrave" at this fascinating cemetery. This is a great way to experience its' history! Deep Dish Theater company puts on this dignified "show". A Tour Guide leads you to several different graves where Actors bring to life in an informative and entertaining way, that person's story. The writing this year was extra good, and the acting as well! So interesting!!! It is conducted at night, so you do have to be a bit careful walking around, but each group has a couple lanterns to help with that. Parking can be a PAIN since it's on campus and last year the night we went had a game going on to complicate that issue. Just allow extra time for dealing with that...we just know we'll have to walk a distance. This year we did notice there is a parking garage next to the cemetery, but can't attest to the availability of it. We walk. TIP: This event has been taking place in October...look for Living Social deals around that time...it is a VERY affordable event, and well-worth the small amount of money it costs.

I have visited this historic cemetery a number of times over the years. It is very old (founded in…read more1798), quite peaceful and attractive, and is located just across South Road from old Woollen Gym. There are many famous folks buried here, including legendary North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith, band leader Kay Kyser, playwright Paul Green, novelists Alice Adams and Max Steele, university president Frank Porter Graham, university president Robert Burton House, university system president William Friday, and CBS newsman Charles Kuralt. I came on this day to pay my respects to Coach Smith, and Coach Guthridge (who's ashes were scattered in the adjacent Memorial Grove portion of the cemetery). It took awhile to find Coach Smith's plot as it still has no headstone or marker of any kind, other than the simple funeral home plaque - a bit surprising since it has been almost 18 months since his passing.

This marker is located along a busy street near the center of Durham. It points out the history of…read morea local citizen who did great things and should be remembered. The marker reads, "First African American female Episcopal priest; lawyer, activist, poet, & human rights champion. Wrote Proud Shoes, 1956. Childhood home 1/4 mile south." Online, there is more information. "Anna Pauline (Pauli) Murray, lawyer, professor, writer, outspoken civil and gender rights activist, and Episcopal priest, was born in Baltimore. When she was three years old, her mother died and, as her father was confined to a state hospital, she went to live with her aunt, and namesake, Pauline Fitzgerald Dame of Durham. She graduated at sixteen from segregated Hillside High School as valedictorian. "Murray enrolled at Richmond Hill High School in New York, the only black student, to complete high school. Determined to attend an integrated college, but unable to meet stringent requirements, academic and financial, at Barnard, she matriculated at Hunter College. She worked briefly at Camp Tera, a New Deal work project, there meeting Eleanor Roosevelt, who would be a guiding force in her life. "In 1938 she applied to the University of North Carolina to study sociology. Her application, against state law which required "separate but equal" institutions, garnered national attention. Her unsuccessful campaign for admission was the first time that she experienced what she would later summarize in saying that one woman with a typewriter constitutes a movement. "Despite having served jail time for refusing to sit at the back of a bus in Virginia, Murray was admitted to Howard Law School in 1941 where she experienced discrimination due to her gender rather than her race. When awarded a fellowship to pursue advanced legal education, she was rejected by Harvard, again, because of her gender. She went to California to study for a master's in law. Later she would wonder which was the bigger obstacle to her legal career, race or gender. "Murray published State's Laws on Race and Color in 1951. Thurgood Marshall called the work "the Bible for civil rights lawyers." Her second book, a biographical account, was Proud Shoes: The Story of an American Family (1956). In 1960 she travelled to Ghana to teach law at the University of Ghana and later authored the first English-language textbook on law in Africa. "Murray worked for civil rights and women's organizations, helped found the National Organization of Women (NOW), and was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the Committee on Civil and Political Rights within his Commission on the Status of Women. She remained critical of the lack of leadership roles for women in many of the organizations. She published a volume of poetry, Dark Testament, in 1970. "In 1977 Murray became the first African American female Episcopal priest in the United States, and held her first Eucharist at the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill, where her grandmother had been baptized as a slave. About the special day she wrote, "All the strands of my life had come together." Pauli Murray died on July 1, 1985, in Pittsburgh. She is buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. Her autobiography, Song in a Weary Throat: An American Pilgrimage, was published in 1987." [Review 63 of 2025 - 4038 in North Carolina - 23631 overall]

The Mordecai House was opened this past weekend for the annual Holiday Open House. With COVID, it…read morewas a little different than usual. Names and phone numbers were taken as well as a temperature check and the typical questions asked about being ill and travel. Masks were required and hand sanitizer was available. The chapel and visitor's center were open too so they provided a wrist band after you were checked so you didn't need to be checked again. I was very impressed how well planned they were for this. The number in the house and each room were limited too. Volunteers were inside in each room to provide some history. The rooms were also decorated for different periods of time over 235 years from Victorian to the Civil War to The house is the oldest house in Raleigh on its original foundation. A lot of the original items are still in the home. Besides the house, the park has a garden, law office, kitchen, chapel so there is plenty to see or have a picnic in the park.

Quaint area in downtown Raleigh with historic homes and buildings that have been preserved in their…read moreoriginal state. Unfortunately we arrived too late in the day to partake in the guided tour, but it was still interesting to walk around and read about the buildings. I would not make a special trip for just the Mordecai Historic Park, but it's definitely worth adding to your Itinerary if you're planning a trip to Raleigh.