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1969

Population of Hillsborough Approximately 1,400

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Historical Context

Number of States in the US – 50

US President – Richard M. Nixon

(All Dates = 1969)

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  • The Super Bowl III The New York Jets defeat the Baltimore Colts, 16-7

  • The Beatles give their last public performance and release Abbey Road

  • The Boeing 747 makes its first commercial flight

  • The Afro-American Society of Duke University leads a student takeover of the Allen building

  • James Earl Ray pleads guilty to the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King and Sirhan Sirhan is convicted for assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy

  • Dr. Denton Cooley implants the first temporary artificial heart

  • Nelson Mandela is imprisoned on Robben Island, South Africa

  • Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the Moon

  • Cult Leader Charles Manson and a group of his disciples murder five people

  • The Woodstock Music and Art Fair opens with over 400,000 people in attendance

  • King Idris is overthrown by a coup in Libya led by Moammar Gadhafi

  • 250 thousand protesters stage a peaceful demonstration against the Vietnam War in Washington DC

Based on Original Research

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No extant map depicts the town in 1969.  Most of the research to prepare the map was culled from the 1969 telephone book in the collection of the Orange County Historical Museumas well as the News of Orange.

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Mapping the Businesses of Hillsborough

 

In June 2023, the Orange County Historical Museum began an ambitious project to chart the businesses that have existed in the downtown, historic district of Hillsborough.  Phase 1 depicts the commercial activities along Churton Street from just below Margaret Lane to just above Tryon Street, focusing on the businesses that fronted Churton Street.  Other phases will expand the coverage.

This website was created and is maintained by the

Orange County Historical Museum

 

If you have additional information to share or if you notice information that is incorrect, please

email: programs@orangehistorync.org or phone: 919-732-2201

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Special thanks to all those who contributed information to this project including:

Mark Chilton, H. Gee Coleman, Kaye Williams Crawford, Judy Frank, Brooks Graebner, Sue Smith Liner, Tom Magnuson, Kate Millard, Kim Morris, Steven Rankin, Alice Seelye, Remus Smith, Jr., and Wesley Woods,

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The information about the businesses along Churton Street in 2024 was collected by the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce.  Our sincere appreciation to Scott Czechlewski and Erika Isley.

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Much of the information for this site was found at www.openorangenc.org

Another essential source was Stewart E. Dunaway's Hillsborough NC:  History of Town Lots, The Complete Reference Guide.

Additionally, recognition must be given to Mary Claire Engstrom for all of the work that she did to record and preserve the history of Hillsborough

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The mission of the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County is
to enlighten and engage our community and visitors from around the world 
by preserving and interpreting the history of Hillsborough and Orange County.
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