20 Facts About American Tobacco Campus

Some of the most defining sights in Durham’s skyline have stood since Durham’s earliest days. When you’re in the Bull City, look up and you’re likely to spot the iconic Lucky Strike water tower and smokestack. Make your way over to the landmarks’ footprint to find American Tobacco Campus (ATC), an innovative hub for entertainment, shopping and dining where visitors can rub elbows with residents and learn a bit of Durham history.

In 2004, ATC was founded through a public-private partnership to revitalize an under-utilized area of downtown. What was once the site of the tobacco industry’s birth in Durham – a collection of historic tobacco warehouses including the oldest building that still stands in downtown – was reimagined by owners Capital Broadcasting Company along with Durham public officials and other partners. Today, dynamic companies attract workers, urban dwellers live in the heart of the action and visitors enjoy the events, shopping, restaurants and entertainment the campus offers. The nationally recognized example of creative reuse honors Durham’s legacy while paving the way for its future.

In honor of the campus’s 20th anniversary in 2024, here’s 20 reasons why ATC is a must on any visitor’s itinerary.

20 Facts About American Tobacco Campus

1. ATC covers over 1 million square feet of space on 16 acres and is located between Pettigrew and Willard Streets on the east and west sides of Blackwell Street, an easy half mile from CCB Plaza in City Center.

2. The outdoor space between the original tobacco warehouses includes beautifully manicured lawns and landscapes, with a man-made river where 440 thousand gallons of water flow.

3. Duke Arts and other organizations like Durham Night Market and Beats N Bars Festival manage programming for outdoor music performances on the lawn, makers’ markets and more public events in the spring through fall.

4. Durham Bulls Athletic Park has been home to the Durham Bulls baseball team since 1995 when the team moved from the Historic Durham Athletic Park. The stadium seats 10,000 and hosts events like the ACC Baseball Tournament, which returns in spring 2025, 2027 and 2029, and festivals like Good Moon. Whether you're a baseball fan or not, there are abundant ways for everyone to have fun at a Bulls game.

5. Durham Performing Arts Center, DPAC, consistently ranks in the top five performing arts venues in America. Beyond the Broadway headliners that pass through each year, DPAC guests can see touring musical acts, comedy shows, holiday performances, family-friendly productions, attend community tasting events and more. There's plenty to know about DPAC, so make sure you add this to your list of stops.

6. ATC welcomes more than one million visitors per year.

7. The original tobacco factories were built between 1874 and the 1950s. The Old Bull Building, located on the corner of Blackwell and Pettigrew Streets, was the first building on the campus and is the oldest building in downtown Durham. The American Tobacco Company pioneered the mass-production of cigarettes during a time when most tobacco was sold for hand-rolling and innovated in its advertising of its Lucky Strike brand. Because of this success, American Tobacco once controlled nearly 90% of the tobacco industry in the United States until it was broken up by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1911.

8. ATC is a part of The Bullpen, Durham’s Social District. This means folks can order cocktails to-go from participating bars and restaurants to enjoy as they explore more of downtown. In ATC, this means lounging on the lawn or venturing into galleries and shops in City Center. For more tips on how to make the most of The Bullpen, read our blog.

9. The Lucky Strike water tower and smokestack remain as memorial landmarks to the campus’s original purpose. Since 2004, residents and visitors have gathered for the annual holiday lighting of the water tower, accompanied by festive performances, in one of our most beloved holiday traditions.

10. Natural skincare company Burt’s Bees is headquartered in ATC and visitors can even see founder Burt Shavitz’s original 300-square-foot Maine cabin which was relocated to the campus.

11. ATC is a restaurant hub, with options spanning from casual lunch options to fine dining. For counter service, check out QueenBurger, Moe’s, Parker and Otis or Boricua Soul. Press Coffee, Crepes and Cocktails is a prime brunch spot while NanaSteak, Seraphine and Ekhaya offer full-service dining for those looking for a classic steakhouse experience, a Cajun-inspired menu or creative small plates featuring the flavors of southern Africa. If you’re looking for something familiar, stop in for a pie at Mellow Mushroom. Sports fans love the abundance of TVs and the terrace overlooking the ballpark at Tobacco Road Sports Café. For dessert or a midday treat, try Milkshake Factory’s new location, and for pre- or post-show cocktails and snacks, try The Waiting Room.

12. ATC’s entertainment options aren’t just for spectators and fans, visitors can try their hand at golf or many other sports using the full swing simulators at State of Golf. You can even loosen up with a cocktail at the bar before your turn.

13. Durham is a city known for its creativity, and our many pieces of public art make it easy to take in the works of local artists and learn stories of Durham’s history. At ATC, a mural on the side of the Hill Building where Burt’s Bees has its headquarters is a part of The Good of the Hive, a global art project by Matt Willey with a mission to paint 50,000 honeybees – the number in a healthy hive. Check out the painted swarm and look for the real, live hive that’s built into the side of the building. The first person to spot the queen earns bragging rights.

14. Durham’s spirit of collaboration found a home at ATC, where the now-thriving incubator and coworking hub American Underground was founded in 2010. Today, AU has multiple locations in downtown where flexible spaces host networking events, meeting and office spaces and even a podcast studio.

15. A stay at Aloft Durham Downtown is a guarantee that you won’t miss out on any of the action at ATC. Situated between DPAC and Durham Bulls Athletic Park, and just across the street from the original tobacco campus, you’ll have easy access to all ATC has to offer.

16. ATC’s community of businesses contributes to quality of life for residents, workers and even visitors, with Kate’s Korner, an early childhood learning center offering daycare and preschool services to children aged six weeks to five years, even a membership-based night drop-off program to allow parents to enjoy a child-free evening. Campus learning opportunities don’t stop there. Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School offers a career-focused approach to high school education and Durham Tech’s ATC location is home to its Culinary Arts program.

17. For anyone looking for a great workout while living in, working in or visiting ATC, YMCA of the Triangle has a location on the campus and guest day passes are available to purchase for visitors working out with members. Yoga Off East relocated from its original Ninth Street location to an expanded studio with daily classes and other offerings like sound baths, infrared heated classes, yoga for kids, a tea bar and more.

18. Looking for a gift or Durham memento? Parker and Otis is a can’t miss stop for cards, gifts for kids, an amazing selection of cookbooks, barware and Durham merch and throwback candies. Its sister shop, Parker Paper Company, is just across Blackwell Street and has all the goods to satisfy the most organized journal writer, note taker or sketch artist.

19. ATC is home to WUNC, our local public radio station. Listeners can tune into 91.5 FM to hear local, regional, national and international news stories. Visitors who pass by the station under the breezeway can catch a glimpse of the station at work and hear the live broadcast.

20. The City of Durham’s Fourth of July fireworks display takes place inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park each year. The stadium gates open to the public at the end of the seventh inning and the show can be viewed from various points downtown.

Over the past 20 years, the forethought, vision and collaboration behind American Tobacco Campus has set an example for innovation and preservation in Durham and beyond. The community space where people live, work and enjoy top-tier entertainment and dining attracts visitors, improves quality of life for residents and helps small businesses thrive.