[5] English settlers first colonized the region in 1622 when King James I granted Sir Fernandino Gorges and John Mason "all that part or porcon of that country now commonly called New-England ... between the latitude of forty and fortyeight degrees northerly latitude," including every island within 100 miles of the coast and "all the lands, soyle, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, ... minerals, pearls and pretious stones, woods, queries, marshes waters, fishings, hunting, hawking, fowling, commodities and hereditaments whatsoever.

"[8] Gorges and Mason agreed to split the vast tract along the Piscataqua River (still known by its Abenaki name pesgatak was, for "the water looks dark").

[13] The English settlers brought non-native livestock aboard their ships, "thousands of cattle, swine, sheep, and horses," requiring them to clear acres merely for pasture.

"The animals exacerbated a host of problems related to subsistence practices, land use, property rights and, ultimately, political authority."

[15] During King William's War, on July 18, 1694, the fledgling English colonial settlement was attacked in the Raid on Oyster River by French career soldier Claude-Sébastien de Villieu with about 250 Abenaki from Norridgewock under command of their sagamore Bomazeen (or Bomoseen).

In all, 104 inhabitants were killed and 27 taken captive,[16] with half the dwellings, including the garrisons, pillaged and burned to the ground.

Benjamin Thompson, a descendant of an early settler, bequeathed his assets and family estate, Warner Farm, to the state for the establishment of an agricultural college.

Designed in the Romanesque Revival style by the Concord architectural firm of Dow & Randlett, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Future president George W. Bush was present, along with other notable Republicans of the era, such as John McCain, Alan Keyes, Steve Forbes, and Gary Bauer.

[23] The debate became the subject of a skit on Saturday Night Live which featured Darrell Hammond playing then President Bill Clinton.

It contained more than 3,500 books and eventually merged with the library of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.

In 1907—a year after the town and the college agreed to merge their collective library resources—the building (Hamilton Smith Hall) was completed.

Recognizable columns such as at the Hamilton Smith Hall were replaced with bolder designs that allowed the library to look more towards the future for inspiration.

In March 1997 by a margin of 2–1, Durham voters passed a charter amendment to establish a board of trustees and allow plans for a new library to go forward.

[28] Durham Police Department is made up of 21 full-time and 2 part-time officers and provides service 24-hours a day.

[29] The Police Department's Adopt-A-Cop program was instituted in 1999 to improve relationships between University of New Hampshire fraternities.

[31] In addition, McGregor Memorial EMS is a regional, non-profit organization delivering emergency medical services and education to the New Hampshire Seacoast area since 1968.

The highest point in Durham is Beech Hill, at 291 feet (89 m) above sea level, located on the town's northern border.