To start off the beginning of our first weekend in the Durham Program, we took a trip to one of the most fascinating national historic landmark – The Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory. While there we learned about the emergence of the Tobacco Industry and its impact on Durham. We took a tour of the tobacco factory that was created by the Duke family and had a chance to see how the cash crop was produced. Tobacco had an enormous influence to the history and development of Durham – especially its economy. The production of the plant brought jobs and working blacks to the Durham area and allowed for businesses to develop and grow which eventually lead to the emergence of Research Triangle Park.
The following Sunday, the DukeEngage-Durham crew and I decided to spend the evening having a nice dinner within downtown Durham at Bull City Burger and Brewery. Most of us had never been before and we wanted to gain a new experience. Come to find out, we got more than we bargained for. While at Bull City Burger, we all got different things – I got a regular hamburger with cheddar cheese, lettuce, ketchup, jalapenos, and onion (So Good!) – others got different combinations and some even got veggie burgers. Jars, instead of cups, were used for our drinks and we chose to sit outside to enjoy the warm climate of the city. It was a great time! The environment was perfect for conversing and each of us learned more about each other and facts about Durham from our food order cards.
After Bull City Burger, one of us suggested that we head to a local ice cream place known as “The Parlour”. It was a small little place that had pink walls in the inside and smelled….sweet. Just like at Bull City Burger, we all got different types of flavors – I got Salted Butter Caramel which tasted like a juicy, butterscotch-flavored lollipop. We again decided to head outside and eat our ice cream together in the nearby park across the street.
Little did we know that the building adjacent to us, which was a skyscraper, was the hotel that was known to have a museum inside it. I suggested that we go inside and take a look, since we were already downtown anyway. When we entered we saw an American Flag that was made from miniature plastic toy soldiers that were painted read white and blue – amazing. There were several other great pieces of artwork that we saw as well, including a 5 minute satirical video of President Bush and Al Gore fighting each other like characters in a video game. The exhibit went up to four floors, with the main exhibit being on the top floor. The best part about the artwork was that the messages that were being expressed were meaningful and powerful. After the hotel, we all returned back to campus for the night
What made this day so special was that it started off as a simple plan to go out to eat. But then, one thing led to another and, as a result, we ended up doing three new things in one day – Bull City Burger, The Parlour, and the Hotel Museum – and the conversations that we had along the way is what made the trip intellectually engaging and fun. It is the simple things like this that garner true learning and create memories that should be cherished for a lifetime. I hope we get a chance to have another great weekend such as this. During this trip I had the chance to see Durham’s growth and development in real-world terms as well as get a genuine feel for the general atmosphere of the local community.