Duke Homestead

Following the Civil War, Washington Duke (as in Duke University) converted his Durham, North Carolina farm into a small tobacco-manufacturing factory, which he operated it with his sons, Buck and Ben.

A few years later, Buck invested in a newly developed cigarette-rolling machine that could complete the daily work of 48 hand-rollers. That decision, coupled with a heavy expenditure on new marketing methods, allowed the family business to rise above its competitors. In 1890, Buck forced a merger of the five largest tobacco companies, and led the newly formed American Tobacco Company until its dissolution in 1911 under anti-monopoly legislation.

Today, visitors can see the original Duke residence and outlying structures related to their early tobacco trade. Additionally, the property has a small but fascinating museum that showcases various aspects of the history of tobacco, from slave labor to television advertising.