Really excited

Jane L. Curry, Durham Visitor from Milledgeville, GA

From the information I received through your site, I am really excited about visiting Durham in the future. I expect to visit the city before the year is out.

North Carolina Pride Parade

Anonymous, Durham Resident

The 23rd Annual North Carolina Pride Parade and Festival several weeks ago was great and showed how Durham is accepting and welcoming for thousands of GLBTQ attendees from around the state. Here is a Q-Notes video of the events around Ninth Street.

Springtime Walks

diana bello, Durham Resident

I started walking around Durham's downtown, the Warehouse District, Trinity Park and East Campus in February. I saw brown turn into green, seedlings burst into flowers, and the one day, I turned the corner and saw paradise.

Whatever you want home to be...

Ellen Dagenhart, Durham Resident

Just the other day, we closed the sale of a wonderful historic home in the West Durham area to a young couple who are first time buyers. As we finished, she looked at me and said, "Thank you - we would never have gotten this house if you had not helped us." At that moment I knew, for sure, that I have the very best job in Durham.

Citizen Observer Patrol

Newman Aguiar, Durham Resident

One of the great things in Durham is the strong partnership between the community and the Durham Police Department. The Citizen Observer Patrol is composed of a group of committed citizens who volunteer their time to serve as eyes and ears for the police department. Volunteers drive around in a specially marked police car and notify law enforcement of suspicious activity. They assist the police department in educating the community and help remind us that we can help by doing our part to take away the opportunity for crime. Thanks to the dedicated citizens who, in partnership with law enforcement, help keep Durham safe.

Community Dinners

Jonathan Freeze, Durham Resident

Each fall a grassroots effort, led by Durham native Josh Parker, puts on a Community Dinners project, linking up freshmen college students just arriving in Durham with Durham residents, who host them one evening for a home-cooked meal. This is a great way for new students to get to know their Durham neighbors and get to know their new home outside of campus. I appreciate the work that goes into planning this annual event. We should be proud that Durham is open and welcoming to its students and other newcomers.

Documentary Captures What Makes Durham Special

Reyn Bowman, Durham Resident

I saw a teaser from a new documentary recently. It's in the final stages of editing for premiere in mid-November at The Carolina Theatre.

Documentaries aren't new to Durham. We're home to the most significant documentary film festival in the world, Full Frame.

But this one is a portrait of Durham by award winning Steve Channing, also a Durham resident. As I watched it and heard just everyday Durhamites describe what is special to them about this community, it reminded me of why it was such a clear-cut decision and honor 18 years ago to accept an invitation to come here and help start a destination marketing effort.

I've often thought and probably said, to myself at least, that I've succeeded at telling Durham's story if I can convey the essence that makes it attractive today and have it blessed by people who have been here 70, 80 and 90 years.

This was also echoed in some testimony folks like Carl Webb made at the end. This place is special... way down in its bones. There is a sense of place here and a passionate connection of people and place that make it extraordinary.

What a privilege it is to work for this community.

Much To Be Proud Of

Lois Cranford, Durham Resident

Thanks for keeping us in touch with the good things happening in Durham. We do have much to be proud of. I've lived here for 60 years or more, and I think
it's a wonderful place to live!

Back Home

Betsy Lash, Durham Resident

I grew up in Durham and moved away for college. I recently moved back and although my family has left the area, it still feels like home to me. The people and places, time and again, make me proud to call Durham home!

Pet-friendly city

Mika, Durham Newcomer

I have to admit- I'm not used to such pet-friendly people, and especially not used to a pet-friendly city. Once I got here, the only thing I wanted to do was adopt a dog. Where I am from, landlords are not very accommodating to people with dogs. The landlords who allow for pets usually use it as an excuse to hike up your rent. I adopted Keller from the Animal Protection Society of Durham. I couldn’t have had a better experience. My landlord gave me the idea and I couldn’t be happier. There was a small, non-refundable fee, but other than that – my dog is completely accepted and my landlord has offered to pet-sit while I vacation. Durham is great for dog-lovers for a million reasons. One thing I plan to check out is the new dog park that is opening near Northgate on Club Blvd. Keller and I have adventured out on a lot of the trails that run through Durham. I’m going to take him backcountry backpacking up at Eno River before the weather starts to treat us poorly. Whenever my friends from home ask me about how things are working out for me down here in Durham, I tell them about my dog and how Durham is great for pets.

Durham is home

Carolyn Carney, Durham Resident

I came to America over 26 years ago and have lived in many wonderful places from CA, to FL to VA. But when my family relocated to Durham NC we knew we had found a place we wanted to call home. Durham has character, charm, history and some amazing old buildings, which add so much to our sense of place. It is wonderful to see the reuse of these buildings rather than developers coming in and razing them to the ground to make a fast buck (as so often happens in America).
Home is where the heart is and Durham stole mine 10 years ago.