Durham, North Carolina

1924Duke University Endowed: Tobacco magnate James B. Duke gave $40 million to transform Trinity College into Duke University. The endowment created one of the world's leading research universities with its iconic Gothic campus.

1959Research Triangle Park Founded: RTP was established on 7,000 acres between Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. It grew into the nation's largest research park, attracting IBM, Cisco, and biotech firms employing over 50,000.

1874Washington Duke's Tobacco Empire: Washington Duke and sons built American Tobacco Company into the world's dominant cigarette manufacturer, making Durham synonymous with tobacco for a century.

1898Black Wall Street Founded: North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance and other Black-owned businesses on Parrish Street made Durham's Black business district the most prosperous African American commercial center in America.

2010Downtown Renaissance: Former tobacco warehouses and factories transformed into the American Tobacco Campus, restaurants, and tech offices, making Durham one of the hottest real estate markets in the Southeast.

1865Confederate Surrender at Bennett Place: General Joseph Johnston surrendered to General William Sherman at Bennett Place near Durham, the largest surrender of Confederate troops and effectively ending the Civil War.

1910Durham Hosiery Mills Peak: Durham's textile and hosiery mills employed thousands, making the city a dual manufacturing center of tobacco and textiles.

1960Civil Rights Sit-Ins: Durham students led sit-ins at Woolworth's and other segregated businesses, part of the broader movement sweeping North Carolina and the South.

2001Duke University Medical Center Expansion: Duke's medical center expanded into one of the top-ranked hospitals in the nation, becoming Durham's largest employer and a global leader in medical research.

1995Durham Bulls Athletic Park Opens: The new ballpark capitalized on the fame of the movie 'Bull Durham,' making the Bulls one of the most popular minor league teams in America.