Tobacco Companies and Durham
Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company (L&M) has existed in some form since before the War of 1812. It began to establish itself in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1860s, and the company was incorporated in 1873. Liggett & Myers specialized in plug tobacco, a form of chewing tobacco, but they soon began producing cigarettes, as well.
Like St. Louis, Durham, North Carolina, was a center of tobacco production after the Civil War. Union soldiers who had passed through Durham returned north wanting the fine tobacco they had found in North Carolina. The Bull Durham Tobacco Company answered this call and by 1884 had around 900 employees. Soon, however, the Duke family rose as a formidable competitor to Bull Durham. Led by James Buchanan Duke, Washington Duke & Sons focused its energies on cigarettes and innovative methods of production. It quickly became a leading cigarette manufacturer in the country. In the late 1880s, James B. Duke engineered a merger of the five leading cigarette companies, and the American Tobacco Company (ATC) was incorporated in 1890. It began acquiring smaller companies throughout the nation, including L&M, which it bought in 1899.
In 1911, a Supreme Court decision found the ATC guilty of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, a law passed in 1890 to prevent business monopolies. As a result of that ruling, American Tobacco Company was divided into four companies: the American Tobacco Company, Liggett & Myers Tobacco, P. Lorillard, and R.J. Reynolds.
Tobacco Companies and Durham
Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company (L&M) has existed in some form since before the War of 1812. It began to establish itself in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1860s, and the company was incorporated in 1873. Liggett & Myers specialized in plug tobacco, a form of chewing tobacco, but they soon began producing cigarettes, as well.
Like St. Louis, Durham, North Carolina, was a center of tobacco production after the Civil War. Union soldiers who had passed through Durham returned north wanting the fine tobacco they had found in North Carolina. The Bull Durham Tobacco Company answered this call and by 1884 had around 900 employees. Soon, however, the Duke family rose as a formidable competitor to Bull Durham. Led by James Buchanan Duke, Washington Duke & Sons focused its energies on cigarettes and innovative methods of production. It quickly became a leading cigarette manufacturer in the country. In the late 1880s, James B. Duke engineered a merger of the five leading cigarette companies, and the American Tobacco Company (ATC) was incorporated in 1890. It began acquiring smaller companies throughout the nation, including L&M, which it bought in 1899.
In 1911, a Supreme Court decision found the ATC guilty of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, a law passed in 1890 to prevent business monopolies. As a result of that ruling, American Tobacco Company was divided into four companies: the American Tobacco Company, Liggett & Myers Tobacco, P. Lorillard, and R.J. Reynolds.
Liggett & Myer (also known as L&M) occupied a large factory in downtown Durham and manufactured, among others, Chesterfield brand cigarettes. It operated in the Durham location until 2000 when it moved to a new factory in Mebane, North Carolina, about 30 miles west of Durham.
In 1999, photographer Laura Drey spent several weeks touring inside L&M's Durham factory, photographing the employees, the facilities, and the processes during L&M's last days in Durham. Images in this digital exhibit were chosen to illustrate the employees of the factory at the end of the twentieth century, throughout the many different buildings Liggett & Myer occupied in downtown Durham, all of which had been reincoporated into a vibrant downtown space. To see further images of the tobacco production process and the factory itself, click on "Explore the Entire Collection" below.
Conclusion
Cigarette manufacturing, which became the backbone of the U.S. tobacco industry, came to Durham in 1880 and left 120 years later, in 2000. The industry transformed the town from a small stop on the North Carolina Railroad line to a thriving metropolis. Laura Drey's photographs have enabled the library to depict a historic time--L&M's last year in Durham--and the complicated process of manufacturing cigarettes--an industry vital to Durham's history--in an exhibit that chronicles the end of an era.
Liggett Group, formerly known as Liggett & Myers, moved its factory to Mebane, North Carolina, in 2000.
The Durham complex was sold to Blue Devil Partners, a development company formed by former Duke University basketball players Christian Laettner and Brian Davis, in partnership with Tom Niemann, a Duke Business School alumnus. The former factory has been converted into a mixed-use complex including shopping, dining, commercial, and residential space.
Conclusion
Cigarette manufacturing, which became the backbone of the U.S. tobacco industry, came to Durham in 1880 and left 120 years later, in 2000. The industry transformed the town from a small stop on the North Carolina Railroad line to a thriving metropolis. Laura Drey's photographs have enabled the library to depict a historic time--L&M's last year in Durham--and the complicated process of manufacturing cigarettes--an industry vital to Durham's history--in an exhibit that chronicles the end of an era.
Liggett Group, formerly known as Liggett & Myers, moved its factory to Mebane, North Carolina, in 2000.
The Durham complex was sold to Blue Devil Partners, a development company formed by former Duke University basketball players Christian Laettner and Brian Davis, in partnership with Tom Niemann, a Duke Business School alumnus. The former factory has been converted into a mixed-use complex including shopping, dining, commercial, and residential space.
About this Exhibit
The following people were instrumental in the creation of this exhibition:
Laura Drey, photographer, who shared her photographs with the Durham County Library's North Carolina Collection so that they could, in turn, be shared with residents of Durham County and beyond.
Johanna Russ, exhibition designer and graduate student, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, without whose time and expertise this web exhibit would not exist.
Durham County Library employees Lynn Richardson, North Carolina Collection librarian, who oversaw the project from beginning to end, and reference department assistant Patricia Dew and web master Jill Wagy, for their invaluable technical assistance.
This exhibit was updated in 2024 by Alexandra Gaines.
About this Exhibit
The following people were instrumental in the creation of this exhibition:
Laura Drey, photographer, who shared her photographs with the Durham County Library's North Carolina Collection so that they could, in turn, be shared with residents of Durham County and beyond.
Johanna Russ, exhibition designer and graduate student, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, without whose time and expertise this web exhibit would not exist.
Durham County Library employees Lynn Richardson, North Carolina Collection librarian, who oversaw the project from beginning to end, and reference department assistant Patricia Dew and web master Jill Wagy, for their invaluable technical assistance.
This exhibit was updated in 2024 by Alexandra Gaines.
All photographs were taken by Laura Drey, accompanied by Reggie Lipscomb on her tours of the factory.
Photographer's Statement:
"Durham once manufactured more cigarettes than any other city in the world. Because of Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company's enormous significance to Durham's history, I felt it would have been a shame--a lost opportunity--if the plant moved to Mebane without having a pictorial documentary. Liggett's leaving marks the end of the era of cigarette manufacturing in Durham.
In these photographs I have sought to chronicle every aspect of Liggett to provide people with an inside look and a greater perspective of the company. The documentation took place over a five-week period in 1999--a year before Liggett's move. I hope the photographs give the viewer an appreciation for what has been so vital to Durham and the region."
North Carolina Collection Staff:
Johanna Russ, Lynn Richardson, Patricia Dew, Jill Wagy.
Updated in July 2024 by Alexandra Gaines.
Liggett Group employees, pictured in both the exhibit and greater collection:
Mike Ange, Alfred Avery, Moses Barbour, Allan Bowling, Jackie Boykin, Thomas Burnette, John Carter, Wayne Cash, William Cash, Ricky Cheek, Ronnie Clark, Kenny Cohn, Art Collins, Joe Colvin, Debbie Crabtree, Ricky Daye, Randy Dunnegan, Nelson Edwards, Johnny Estes, Harold Farmer, Steve Garnett, Mike Gentry, Harold Grinstead, Debra Hall, James Harris, Laura Holman, Tim Jackson, Thelma Jones, Ron Kellam, Allen Kennison, Johnnie Knight, Judy Knox, Elaine Kornegay, Jimmy Long, James Nichols, James Moize, Bonnie Parker, Thomas Parker, Bucky Parrish, Alan Riley, Barbara Robinson, Darrell Royster, Mack Smith, Joe Stokely, Linwood Thompson, Billy Turner, David Warren, Paul Williams, Tommy Woodruff.
Obtaining Copies of the Photos
All of the photographs in this web exhibit are copyrighted by the photographer. They cannot be used for any purpose without first obtaining permission. If you are interested in a scan of an image or permission to use any of the images on these web pages, please contact the North Carolina Collection.
Additional Acknowledgements
All photographs were taken by Laura Drey, accompanied by Reggie Lipscomb on her tours of the factory.
Photographer's Statement:
"Durham once manufactured more cigarettes than any other city in the world. Because of Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company's enormous significance to Durham's history, I felt it would have been a shame--a lost opportunity--if the plant moved to Mebane without having a pictorial documentary. Liggett's leaving marks the end of the era of cigarette manufacturing in Durham.
In these photographs I have sought to chronicle every aspect of Liggett to provide people with an inside look and a greater perspective of the company. The documentation took place over a five-week period in 1999--a year before Liggett's move. I hope the photographs give the viewer an appreciation for what has been so vital to Durham and the region."
North Carolina Collection Staff:
Johanna Russ, Lynn Richardson, Patricia Dew, Jill Wagy.
Updated in July 2024 by Alexandra Gaines.
Liggett Group employees, pictured in both the exhibit and greater collection:
Mike Ange, Alfred Avery, Moses Barbour, Allan Bowling, Jackie Boykin, Thomas Burnette, John Carter, Wayne Cash, William Cash, Ricky Cheek, Ronnie Clark, Kenny Cohn, Art Collins, Joe Colvin, Debbie Crabtree, Ricky Daye, Randy Dunnegan, Nelson Edwards, Johnny Estes, Harold Farmer, Steve Garnett, Mike Gentry, Harold Grinstead, Debra Hall, James Harris, Laura Holman, Tim Jackson, Thelma Jones, Ron Kellam, Allen Kennison, Johnnie Knight, Judy Knox, Elaine Kornegay, Jimmy Long, James Nichols, James Moize, Bonnie Parker, Thomas Parker, Bucky Parrish, Alan Riley, Barbara Robinson, Darrell Royster, Mack Smith, Joe Stokely, Linwood Thompson, Billy Turner, David Warren, Paul Williams, Tommy Woodruff.
Obtaining Copies of the Photos
All of the photographs in this web exhibit are copyrighted by the photographer. They cannot be used for any purpose without first obtaining permission. If you are interested in a scan of an image or permission to use any of the images on these web pages, please contact the North Carolina Collection.