Durham’s "Bull City" nickname comes from "Bull" Durham Tobacco, produced locally by the Blackwell Tobacco Company. By 1898, when Blackwell Tobacco was purchased by James Duke of the American Tobacco Company, Bull Durham was the most famous trademark in the world. 

Durham offers an appealing variety of ways to work and ways to play. Bull City attracts entrepreneurs in a wealth of innovative tech industries. New ideas abound with a supportive infrastructure such as the American Underground co-working space which is housed in the basement of a former tobacco warehouse in downtown Durham. It provides office space and technology for workers who need an off-site location but don’t want the expense or inflexibility of a lease.

Durham is also a hotbed of culinary creativity and the city is known for having the best mobile food in the state. Food truck rodeos are common and very popular and the menu options are increasingly diverse as well as mouthwateringly appetizing. The city is home to a number of great breweries. The World Beer Festival in October, held in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, has over 150 breweries offering samples. Raising the bar in the performance arts arena, the Durham Performing Arts Center attracts a full calendar of nationally known artists, the city hosts the Durham Blues Festival and Duke University has a prestigious program of unique performing artists.