Bull Durham is a nickname for the city of Durham.
In the 1800s, the Blackwell Tobacco Company’s “Bull Durham” was its world famous tobacco product. Since then, “Bull Durham” or “Bull City” became nicknames for Durham. In 1898, tobacco industrialist James B. Duke purchased the Blackwell Tobacco Company and renamed it the American Tobacco Company, but the nickname for the city, Bull Durham, remained.
“Bull Durham” is also a 1988, top grossing, Oscar award-winning film starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. The comedy depicts the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team and was partially filmed at the Durham Bulls ballpark.
The Downtown Durham Historic District is North Carolina’s first commercial district featured on the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown Durham includes the Brightleaf District and the Golden Belt Campus. The downtown area means pedestrian-friendly access to attractions, restaurants and shops that blend with the existing housing. The Brightleaf District has charming brick buildings that once housed and aged tobacco. The Golden Belt was the site of North Carolina’s last historic textile mills and attracts visitors to the downtown area with its renovated housing, commercial space, retail stores and restaurants. The Golden Belt is a newly restored area with sustainable, green features. The neighborhood is known for art and entertainment. Living spaces, offices and retail shops complete the campus.
The Carolina Theatre is a renovated 1926 building designed in the Beaux Arts-style. Fletcher Hall is part of the theater and is used for live performances. Two cinemas are located in the theater. The Carolina Theatre hosts the Durham Symphony.
The Durham Central Park is a downtown destination with a hillside lawn for picnicking and sunning. Visitors can enjoy nature in the quiet atmosphere of Grace Garden. The Skate Park is a new addition with a modern touch.