Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory

Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Tobacco Barns at Duke Homestead
Nearest city:	Durham, North Carolina
Coordinates:	36°2′6″N 78°55′16″W
Area:	43.8 acres (17.7 ha)
Built:	1852
Governing body:	State
NRHP Reference#:	66000590
Significant dates
Added to NRHP:	November 13, 1966
Designated NHL:	November 13, 1966

Duke Homestead State Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark and a state historic location in Durham, North Carolina.

History

Duke Homestead was originally owned by Washington Duke in the 19th century. After the American Civil War, the family shifted from tobacco farming to tobacco processing, eventually establishing the American Tobacco Company in 1890, the largest tobacco company in the world until an antitrust suit broke it up in 1911. In 1931, the farm was purchased by Duke University, and in 1966, the Duke Homestead was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. It became a North Carolina State Historic Site in 1974, administered by the North Carolina State Division of Archives and History.

Museum

Today, Duke Homestead State Historic Site is a museum where tourists can view the restored 1852 Duke Homestead with four furnished rooms, tobacco barns and various artifacts. The visitor center features the Tobacco Museum, with exhibits about tobacco farming, processing and the history of tobacco. Various readings and presentations are available in the Visitor Center.

External links

• Duke Homestead and Tobacco Museum
• Duke Homestead - North Carolina State Historic Sites