Durham Town Guide: A College Town on the Oyster River

Durham is the Seacoast's college town. The University of New Hampshire dominates its center, and on a fall weekday Main Street is full of students heading to class, grabbing coffee or crowding into a lunch spot. But Durham is much older than the university, and its setting on the tidal Oyster River and Great Bay gives it a character that goes beyond campus life. This guide covers the evergreen things to do in Durham NH, with a handful of places to eat from our directory.

Durham at a glance

Durham is a town in Strafford County with 15,490 residents at the 2020 census, a number that includes the students who live on campus. Its densely settled core, which the Census Bureau treats as the Durham census-designated place, is centered on the intersection of Route 108 and Main Street, and it includes the university.

The town sits beside Great Bay at the mouth of the Oyster River. That location drew people long before English settlement: the Western Abenaki and their ancestors have lived in the region for an estimated 11,000 years. Getting here is easy. Amtrak's Downeaster stops at the Durham-UNH station, with service north to Portland, Freeport and Brunswick, Maine, and south to Boston's North Station. That makes Durham one of the few New Hampshire towns you can visit without a car.

A short history

The early English settlement here was known as the Oyster River Plantation. It was granted rights as an independent parish in 1716 and was incorporated as a township in 1732, when it was renamed Durham.

The town's most dramatic early event came during King William's War. On July 18, 1694, the settlement was attacked in the Raid on Oyster River, also called the Oyster River Massacre, by French soldiers and Abenaki fighters. The raid reduced the population sharply and is still remembered in town today.

In the 1600s, Great Bay served as a port where oceangoing ships could anchor at a place called Durham Landing, a reminder of how important water was to early life here.

The University of New Hampshire

UNH is a public land-grant research university, classified among R1 doctoral universities with very high research activity. Its story is closely tied to one Durham resident. The school was founded and incorporated in 1866 as the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts in Hanover, in association with Dartmouth College. Benjamin Thompson, a descendant of an early Durham settler, left his farm and assets to the state for the establishment of an agricultural college. After his will became public in 1890, the state accepted its conditions, and the college moved to Durham in 1893. It took its current name in 1923.

The landmark of the campus is Thompson Hall, named in Thompson's honor. Built in 1892 with an iconic clock tower, it was designed in the Romanesque Revival style by the Concord architectural firm of Dow & Randlett, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The Class of 1893 held its commencement in the hall before it was finished. A walk across campus to see Thompson Hall is the easiest way to feel the history of the place. In fall 1893, classes officially began in Durham with three times the expected enrollment.

The Oyster River and Great Bay

The Oyster River rises in Barrington, flows southeast through Lee, and then follows a winding course past Durham to meet the point where Great Bay opens into Little Bay. In the center of town it reaches tidewater at the base of the Mill Pond Dam, just west of the river's crossing by Route 108.

The dam has been a long-running local topic. It was considered for removal as of 2019 because of repair costs and water quality issues in the Mill Pond, and in March 2022 voters town-wide upheld the decision to remove it. The stretch of river near Route 108 is a pleasant place to stop and look at how a small inland stream turns into tidal water.

Wagon Hill Farm

For an easy outdoor stop, Wagon Hill Farm is one of Durham's largest pieces of open land. First settled around 1654, the 139-acre property runs from the Oyster River across Route 4 to the Madbury town line and includes about 6,000 feet of shoreline. The white farmhouse you see today was built in 1804. The town has maintained the property since 1989 and opens it to the public, so it is a good place to walk down to the water and see the river at its widest.

Durham also has several New Hampshire historical markers, including one for the site of the Piscataqua Bridge and one recalling the 1694 raid with the words "Oyster River... is Layd Waste."

Where to eat in Durham

Most of Durham's restaurants are within a few blocks of Main Street, so it is easy to explore on foot. Our hero image shows Main Street.

• Clark's American Bistro on Main Street serves regional American cuisine. It is a good pick for a sit-down meal when visiting a student or after a campus tour.
• JP's Grill is a family-owned fast-casual spot on Main Street. It is known for its signature JP's Sauce and for roast beef sliced to order.
• Durham House of Pizza has been serving the town since 1976. It is a classic college-town pizza stop for a casual meal.
• Hop + Grind on Madbury Road, in the Madbury Commons building, focuses on craft burgers and local craft beer.

The Durham Farmers' Market

The Durham Farmers' Market is run by Seacoast Eat Local and sets up near Main Street during the growing season, bringing local farms and food producers into town. By early October the market has wrapped up for the year, so plan on it for a summer or early fall visit and check Seacoast Eat Local's website for the next season's schedule.

Planning tips

• Take the train. The Downeaster makes Durham an easy day trip from Boston or Portland. The station is right by campus and downtown.
• Watch the university calendar. Move-in weekends, commencement and home football games can fill Main Street and local lodging. Check the UNH calendar before you book.
• Park once, then walk. Downtown Durham is compact. Parking can be tight when classes are in session, so find a spot and explore on foot.
• Pair Durham with the Seacoast. Durham is a short drive from Portsmouth, Dover, Newmarket and Exeter, which makes it an easy addition to a wider Seacoast trip.
• Look for the water. The Oyster River and Great Bay are what set Durham apart from other college towns. Take time to see the river where it meets the tide.

FAQ

What is Durham, NH known for?

Durham is best known as the home of the University of New Hampshire. It is also an old Seacoast town on the Oyster River and Great Bay, settled as the Oyster River Plantation.

How many people live in Durham, NH?

The 2020 census counted 15,490 residents.

Can you get to Durham, NH by train?

Yes. Amtrak's Downeaster stops at the Durham-UNH station, with service to Boston and to Portland and Brunswick, Maine.

When did UNH move to Durham?

The college moved from Hanover to Durham in 1893 and became the University of New Hampshire in 1923.

What happened at Oyster River in 1694?

On July 18, 1694, the settlement was attacked in the Raid on Oyster River during King William's War.

Sources

• Durham, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham,_New_Hampshire
• Oyster River (New Hampshire), Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_River_(New_Hampshire)
• University of New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_New_Hampshire
• Clark's American Bistro official website: https://clarksamericanbistro.com/
• JP's Grill official website: https://www.jpsdurham.com/
• Durham House of Pizza official website: https://www.durhamhouseofpizza.com/
• Hop + Grind official website: https://www.hopandgrind.com/
• Seacoast Eat Local (Durham Farmers' Market): https://www.seacoasteatlocal.org
• Hero image: Wikimedia Commons, File:Main Street, Durham NH.jpg