Historic Districts in Durham

If you're interested in living in an historic district in Durham, you're in luck. Nearly 20 neighborhoods are listed as National Register Historic Districts, and 7 are also designated as local historic districts. If you choose to renovate a property within a National Register Historic, you may be eligible for tax incentives. National Register designation does not prevent an owner from demolishing a property or making non-historic changes to properties, while the local historic designation does provide for stricter restrictions. Most of the National Register neighborhoods are not local historic districts. 

Neighborhoods

• The Burch Avenue neighborhood, located between West Chapel Hill Street and the Durham Freeway, was developed during the early twentieth century as a result of the growing tobacco industry. The style of houses varies greatly--you'll find Victorian, bungalows, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and more. 

• Cleveland-Holloway (pictured right) is a beautiful late nineteenth-century neighborhood located just east of Downtown Durham. The neighborhood boasts a diverse range of houses, from ornate Victorian homes to smaller duplexes. Today, the neighborhood houses a beautiful community garden, dog park, and Oakwood Park. Both Cleveland Street and Holloway Street are designated local historic districts. 
• Downtown Durham is home to many beautiful old factories, warehouses, office buildings, and more. Today, many of these buildings have been restored, or are currently being renovated. The area is now thriving, and home to businesses, restaurants, the Durham Performing Arts Center, and much more. Renovated buildings with condos for sale include the Kress Building and the Baldwin Building. Downtown Durham is a local historic district.
• Located north of downtown, Duke Park is a gorgeous neighborhood with homes built mostly between the 1920s and 1960s. Because the neighborhood was developed over such a wide range of time, home styles are incredibly diverse and range from bungalows and Colonial Revivals to ranches and Modernist homes. In the middle of the neighborhood lies a huge park for residents to enjoy, with a playground, tennis court, and trails throughout. 
• East Durham was mostly developed from the 1920s to 1930s, and contains a business district as well as a residential district. Bungalows are the predominant home style in the neighborhood.
• Developed in the 1920s and 1930s, the Fayetteville Street/Stokesdale area is located just north of North Carolina Central University. Part of the neighborhood (1200 to 2100 blocks of Fayetteville Street) are a designated Local Historic District. 

• Forest Hills (Tudor/Traditional home pictured right) is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Durham, located south of downtown and split by University Drive. The neighborhood was developed mostly between the 1920s and 1940s, and home styles include Colonial, Tudor, bungalow, and more. 

• The Golden Belt historic district, located just east of the downtown government services district, is composed of an industrial area, historic mill houses, and a commercial district. The industrial area, now known as the Golden Belt Arts District, has been fully restored into a seven-acre campus with office space, lofts, event space, artist studios, and retail. The commercial area is rapidly growing, with the addition of Ponysaurus Brewing Co. and Bull City Ciderworks.
• Hope Valley, located about five miles south of downtown, was Durham's first country club suburb. The neighborhood was developed around a golf course in the 1920s. Home styles include Tudor, Colonial, and English Cottage. 
• Morehead Hill was Durham's first suburb. Located just south of downtown, the neighborhood boasts beautiful mansions as well as more modest, affordable homes. Developed in the early 1900s, home styles include Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and bungalow. In addition to being a National Historic District, Morehead Hill is a Local Historic District. 
• Old North Durham developed in the early 1900s after the streetcar line expanded north from downtown, and continued to develop through the 1930s. The neighborhood is located between downtown Durham and Duke Park. Homes were constructed in the Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman styles, and range in size from modest to huge mansions. 
• Located near Ninth Street and Duke University, Old West Durham was originally developed as a mill village in the late 1800s. The neighborhood continued to develop through the 1930s. Home styles include bungalows, Victorian, and craftsman. 

• The Trinity Historic District (pictured right), composed of Trinity Heights and Trinity Park, is home to some of the most beautiful homes in Durham. Located between downtown and Duke's East Campus, the neighborhood is filled with houses in a variety of styles, including Queen Anne, Victorian, Craftsman, and Neo-Colonial. Trinity Heights is a designated Local Historic District. 
• Tuscaloosa-Lakewood was developed during the early 20th century, with home styles including Queen Anne, Craftsman, and Minimal Traditional. The neighborhood is conveniently situated southwest of downtown Durham.
• Watts Hospital-Hillandale is a gorgeous historic neighborhood located west of downtown Durham. Architectural styles include Queen Anne, Foursquare, English Cottage, Bungalow, and Colonial Revival. Watts-Hillandale is also a designated local historic district.