Discover Durham: Nature, Trails, and Local History

When planning a stay in Durham, two themes stand out: local history and nature. The Durham Historic Association Museum, historical traces at Doe Farm, and several natural areas appeal to a range of interests. The Sweet Trail adds a specific route and two activities to this selection: hiking and, in winter, snowshoeing. If you’re looking for a hotel in Durham, these themes can help you plan your stay around your own interests.

Local History at the Museum and Doe Farm

The Durham Historic Association Museum houses a growing collection of items related to Durham, as well as archives of local and genealogical interest. Exhibits include old photographs and maps, farm equipment, dolls, and historical clothing. Other items include the town hearse from 1875. This brings images and maps together with objects from farming and everyday life. The archives also offer a starting point for visitors interested in local history or genealogy.

Doe Farm also combines landscape features with traces of the past. The 87-acre wooded area is in Durham, south of Bennett Road and east of the railroad tracks. It has considerable shoreline along the Lamprey River. The property includes the foundation, or cellar remains, of the former farmhouse; the Doe family cemetery is also located there. Doe Farm also has a network of scenic trails. Interpretive signs provide information about the property and help visitors understand it.

Trails and Diverse Landscapes

The Sweet Trail runs from Longmarsh Road in Durham to the Great Bay Estuary in Newmarket. It passes through upland forests, freshwater wetlands, and tidal salt marshes. This route highlights several clearly distinct landscape types. The trail is suitable for hiking and, in winter, snowshoeing, with each activity associated with a different season.

Other natural areas in Durham each have their own character. Longmarsh Preserve lies within a large expanse of forests, wetlands, and old fields that is not fragmented by roads or development. The focus here is on the connections among these different habitats. Colby Marsh, by contrast, is described as a significant wetland with wildlife: it is home to nesting osprey, great blue herons, mallards, active beavers, and other wildlife. The comparison highlights two different features: a connected landscape at Longmarsh Preserve, and a wetland whose wildlife is part of its description.

Jackson's Landing rounds out the selection as a 15-acre conservation and recreation area between the Oyster River and Route 4. The places differ in the features that may be most relevant when choosing a nature-focused destination: landscape connectivity, wildlife, or an area described as both a conservation area and a recreation area.

If you’re most interested in exploring Durham’s local history, the museum and Doe Farm offer specific places to start. For nature, the Sweet Trail and several differently described areas are highlights. You can plan your trip around the topics that interest you most, rather than treating all the destinations as alike.

Discover more nearby destinations: Dover, Strafford.

Return to the main travel overview: Strafford.