Getaways
Duke hometowspast
f-' .r& -
By DEBBIE PASSMORE
Tucked away in one of Durham's residen
tial streets is the history of one of North
Carolina's most esteemed families and the
story of one of the state's foremost crops.
The two are synonymous in North Carolina:
the Washington Duke family and tobacco.
The history of the two is being preserved
at the Duke Homestead, located on Duke
Homestead Road in Durham. The Home
stead is the original home of Washington
Duke, one of North Carolina's first smoking
tobacco manufacturers.
Dale Coats, director of the site, said the
state had spent a great deal of money on the
development of the Homestead.
"We're trying to develop the Homestead
into living history. We hope to recreate the
farm life here as it was in the Civil War," said
Coats.
Duke's home still stands on the home
stead. A white, two-story wooden structure,
the house dates back to 1852. The house is
furnished with period furniture and even
contains several original pieces of the Duke
family.
The old house is surrounded by a sprawl
ing yard, dotted with pecan, elm and cedar
trees which are older than the house.
Also located on the Homestead is a to
bacco factory, a well house, a smoke house,
a tobacco pack house and a spring house.
The Homestead has been state-operated
since 1974. It was previously owned and op
erated by Duke University. Under the univer
sity, the site was open April through Novem
ber. The site is now open year round, daily
except Mondays.
The Tobacco Museum, which is located at
the Homestead's visitor center, provides an
overview of the history of the Duke family.
An orientation film about tobacco is shown
throughout the day. Guided tours are con
ducted through the Homestead by staff
members. '
Coats said special events are held at the
Homestead periodically. In the spring, an
open house is held at the old Duke home. A
crafts festival is also held at this time. In Oc
tober, a mock tobacco auction is held on the
picnic ground adjacent to the visitor center.
This includes the auction, a tobacco spitting
contest and exhibitions by clogging groups.
Coats said a great deal of work has gone
into the Homestead in the' past decade.
"In the early 1970s, a group of local men
in the tobacco industry felt a need for a mu
seum to preserve the history of tobacco,"
Coats said.
"They formed a corporation, the Tobacco
History corporation, and began a fund rais
ing for a museum."
Coats said the corporation raised the mo
ney to build the visitor center-museum and
financed the production of the film. He said
the corporation finances special projects,
such as expansion of the museum, promo
tion and publicity. V
Mabel Jeffries, a staff member conducts
tours through the Homestead. Throughout
the tour, Jeffries informs visitors of the his
tory surrounding the Duke family and their
rise to power in the tobacco industry. She
points out the root cellar, where women of
the 1800s stored their fruits and vegetables.
A "dinna" bell hangs outside the house, and
Jeffries explains the bell was used to call
men f rota the fields and to serve as an SOS
for emergencies.
Jeffries recounts the history of Washing-
016 IJEtB
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Duke Homestead, the original home of Washington Duke
. . .the Homestead is being developed into "living history."
ton Duke returning from war to find his
home and fields devastated by Union sol
diers. Duke gathered what was left of his
crop and traveled across the eastern part of
the state to sell it.
From these meager beginnings, Duke and
his sons created a tobacco industry which is
still influential in today.
The Duke family, having started with little,
were quick to share their fortune. They
made major contributions to religious, edu
cational and medical groups.
"Because he once had nothing, it was
Duke's desire that no one do without be
cause of lack of money," said Jeffries.
Jeffries said that can be seen in all the
contributions made by the Dukes.
"That's why we're here," she said. "We
want to show people just what tobacco and
the Dukes have done for North Carolina."
If you're going. . ... follow 15-501 South
by-pass from Chapel Hill to Durham. Take a
left off Guess Road exit. Continue on Cuess
Road-for. 1Vi miles. Take a right at Duke
Homestead Road. Go Vi mile. The Home
stead is on the right side of the road. It is open
Tuesday-Saturday 9-5 and 1-5 on Sunday.
d:
Debbie Passmore is a contributor to Spotlight.
Y in Amber Alley
I ALPACA SWEATERS J
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. 1
OCT. 31
The Forth olo Picfxo 4hc ACC
A Weekly Feature Predicting The Outcome
Of The Week's ACC Football Games.
We Know More About Good Food
Than We Do About Football
(4 Ybopcl 'itfll
Trodition Cinool94
The Deacons may be upset minded, but they
just don't have the horses.
CLEMSON OVER VAKE FOREST BY 14
This has traditionally been a close game; this
week is no exception.
DUKE OVER GEORGIA TECH BY 7
After two straight weeks South of the Border, the Wolf
Pack will be ready to head home.
SO. CAROLINA OVER NC STATE BY 4
The Cav's "Perfect" season is finally spoiled.
VIRGINIA OVER VMI BY 10
Can thetDattered Heels regroup in College Park? We
think so.
UNC OVER MARYLAND BY 6
Serving Daily 11:30-2:C0, 5:03-8:00; Home Game Sat., Lunch 11:30-12:30 Up The Alley Across From NCN3 942-2177
bpotlight, October 29, 1981
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