1951 Map of Durham South

About this map

Durham serves as the northern anchor of this survey, which captures the burgeoning Research Triangle area during the early 1950s. The landscape is a mix of academic influence and rural crossroads, with Duke Univ and Hope Valley Country Club positioned just south of the city center. To the southeast, the Raleigh-Durham Airport appears in a much earlier configuration, complete with a visible Control Tower. Small agricultural and railroad communities like Morrisville, Cary, and Genlee are linked by the Southern and Seaboard rail lines, which cut through the drainage basins of Crabtree Creek and New Hope Creek. Rural life is anchored by numerous local landmarks such as Massey Chapel, Holland Chapel, and Green Hope Sch. The map also illustrates the early footprint of Reedy Creek State Park, highlighting the preservation of wooded terrain amidst the steady southern expansion of Durham into Wake Co and Chatham Co.