10 Free Things to See & Do in Durham

Black Wall Street / Historic Parrish Street

Parrish St
(919) 560-4965
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/eed/parrish

In the early 1900s, African-American businesses prospered along what became known as “Black Wall Street.” In the 1960s, Civil Rights pioneers staged sit-ins here and received a memorable visit from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Features bronze sculptures commemorating the history of the street. Currently being revitalized and proposed as a National Heritage Area.

Brightleaf Square

Gregson St at Main St, Downtown
(919) 682-9229

These repurposed, 1904 Neo-Romanesque brick tobacco warehouses, on the National Register of Historic Places, have been home to locally owned shops and acclaimed restaurants since renovated in 1981 and now anchor a Downtown dining, shopping, and entertainment district.

Downtown Durham Historic District

Downtown Durham, Downtown Loop

North Carolina’s first commercial district on the National Register of Historic Places. Includes Main Street, government buildings, central business district, Convention Center, Brightleaf & Warehouse Districts, and American Tobacco & Golden Belt Campuses

Downtown Guide & Walking Tour

Downtown Loop and environs

Printed, two-to-four-mile walking guide of Durham’s historic Downtown area, available at the Durham Visitor Information Center, 101 E Morgan St, Downtown.

Durham County Library

300 N Roxboro St, Durham County Library Main Branch, Downtown Durham

(919) 560-0171
Extensive records of Durham’s and North Carolina’s past through historical documents, maps, records, and photographic archives, as well as printed local history and Genealogy resources.

Hayti Heritage Center

804 Old Fayetteville St
www.hayti.org
(919) 683-1709

Hayti was once one of America’s most successful African-American marketplaces and neighborhoods and was named in admiration of the independent island nation.

The center houses the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation’s administrative offices, the 450-seat St. Joseph’s Performance Hall, the former St. Joseph’s AME Church sanctuary (a National Register site, circa 1891), and features art and artifacts in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery.

Historic Woolworth’s Counter

1801 Fayetteville St, NCCU, William Jones Building
(919) 530-6100

After a pioneering sit-in at the Durham Woolworth’s lunch counter on Feb. 8, 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embraced the sit-in as a form of civil protest. A portion of this original lunch counter, its seats, and pie rack are now preserved in the William Jones Building at North Carolina Central University.

James E. Shepard House

1902 Fayetteville St, North Carolina Central University
(919) 929-4298

Built in 1925 for N.C. Central University founder James E. Shepard; served as the official residence of the university’s presidents through the 1980s. Houses displays and interactive exhibits on the life and work of Dr. Shepard.

North Carolina Central University Art Museum

1801 Fayetteville St
(919) 530-6211

Collections and temporary exhibitions of 19th- and 20th-century African-American art. Local artists and students also showcased here.

The Sarah P. Duke Gardens

420 Anderson St, Duke University West Campus
(919) 684-3698

55-acre gardens known as one of the premier public gardens in the US, with 200+ colorful plant varieties viewable from more than five miles of walkways and paths. Seasonal plantings ensure that each visit is a new experience. Walking and trolley tours available; call for information.