[Andy from Chapel Hill]

I was born in Greensboro 49 years ago and have lived in NC for 38 of those years.

Durham is the Newark, NJ of NC. Poor, violent and lacking a real business center downtown, especially considering its population.

When Duke University was founded through the purchase of Trinity College, the Duke family positioned the University in the middle of the multi-thousand acre Duke Forest that abuts Durham. It was done that way to provide a buffer from the tobacco factory employees that worked for American Tobacco, Duke's company.

There has ALWAYS been a feeling among the Durhamites that they worked on a big plantation with Duke University representing the Tara manor home.

When tobacco cratered in the 70's and 80's, the hope was for the Research Triangle Park to provide jobs. Unfortunately, these jobs (IBM, Cisco, Glaxo Smith Klein, etc.) went to degreed professionals and not unskilled factory workers.

Duke University then began a growth phase based on cheap labor to expand its hospital and support services. The VA hospital next door to Duke expanded as well. The displaced tobacco workers got low level jobs at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC), which is now the #1 employer in Durham.

From the Durhamites point of view, Duke University and DUMC are still the manor houses of the plantation.

The property values at the county line tell all -- a new house in Chapel Hill will sell quickly at 30% more than an identical Durham house next door, which may take 1-2 years to sell.

[abb]

http://www.wral.com/news/9795879/detail.html
3 Wake Deputies Investigated After Restaurant Fight

[SarahUSC]

Durham is the Newark of NC? I've never been to Durham but I've been to Newark and that doesn't sound good.

[Jezebelle]

Then they need to get off their lazy butts and move someplace where they can be a factory worker, or else take steps to make their employment skills more desirable in Durham. It's nobody's fault but their own.

[Neverforget01]

Thank you for your informative post. It explains a lot. Not being from the area, I had no idea how bad the town/gown issues were. Apparently, as you've noted, they aren't new.