Heritage Commission Committee on Durham Public History

Per the Durham Zoning Ordinance, Article XVII, 175-91, B. especially items 10-12: The Durham Heritage Commission has a broad advisory role in promoting historic preservation town-wide, by identifying and advocating for preservation of historic and cultural resources such as buildings and landscapes, and through education for the public about the physical artifacts of our history.

The Durham Public History Committee is a committee of the Heritage Commission, and reports to the Commission and makes recommendations, reports and advisory to that body.

The mission of the Durham Public History Committee is to engage with residents and the public to enhance awareness and appreciation of Durham’s historic resources. Historic resources are the tangible evidence of history around us — buildings, landscapes, farms, waterways and roads, stone walls and burial grounds, the university campus, from before European settlement up to the recent development of the town in the twentieth century. The Committee’s mission incorporates the widening of our public history narratives to include the stories of underrepresented groups.

The committee’s goals include a series of projects to bring more attention to these aspects of our surroundings, potentially including:

- A web-based interactive map combining current views with historical images and brief texts;

- A coordinated series of historic markers and interpretive signs at key public locations;

- Other related activities to be determined, such as updated surveys of historic resources, tours, programs, and/or publications.

Please see the Historic District/Heritage Commission Calendar for upcoming Durham Public History Committee meeting dates.