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This article is from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina edited by William S. Powell. Copyright © 2006 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the publisher. For personal use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other use directly to the publisher .

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by Wiley J. Williams, 2006

Research Triangle Park, the largest planned research center in the United States, was created in 1959 through the efforts of Governor Luther Hodges and hundreds of scientists, politicians, and business leaders. Located between Raleigh and Durham and the Triangle's three acclaimed universities-the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Duke University , and North Carolina State University -Research Triangle Park (RTP) in 2006 encompassed 7,000 acres and was home to more than 100 research and development organizations employing 38,000 North Carolinians. Smaller but highly successful research parks also existed in Charlotte , Greensboro , Rocky Mount, and elsewhere, playing an important role in the diversification of the state's economy.

The need for a redirection of economic development away from traditional products such as textiles , tobacco , and furniture was envisioned in the early 1950s by some of North Carolina's more progressive leaders. In 1952 Howard Odum, a renowned UNC-Chapel Hill sociologist and founder of the university's Institute for Research in Social Science , voiced a number of ideas about cooperative research centers that could benefit the state by combining the strengths of its three research universities. State leaders considered how these institutions could become a foundation for economic development.

In the mid-1950s Greensboro construction company executive Romeo Guest, state treasurer Brandon P. Hodges (no relation to Governor Hodges), and Walter Harper of the State Board of Conservation and Development were recruiting industry to North Carolina from other states. Guest, who had studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had seen firsthand the growth of university-related industry along Boston's Route 128. Hoping that the phenomenon could be duplicated in North Carolina, Guest coined the term "Research Triangle" after noticing the triangular relationship on a map of Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh. He discussed the idea with business and academic leaders around the state throughout 1954. Prominent among the business leaders was Robert M. Hanes , president of Wachovia Bank . The group decided that government participation would be needed, and members approached Governor Hodges. Over time, Hodges agreed with the concept and soon became one of its strongest proponents.

In September 1956 the Research Triangle Committee (changed in 1958 to the Research Triangle Foundation) was formally incorporated. Members included Hodges in his capacity as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the consolidated University of North Carolina, President William C. Friday of the consolidated University of North Carolina System , President A. Hollis Edens of Duke University, and Norman A. Cooke, chairman of Duke's Board of Trustees. The foundation hired George L. Simpson, a sociology professor at UNC, as its executive director. He and Elizabeth Johnson Aycock, his office manager and secretary, were the first two full-time employees of the committee.

In 1957 Hodges and Simpson approached Karl Robbins, who had sold off extensive textile holdings in North Carolina and retired to New York, and asked him to begin to create a development suitable for the RTP. Robbins agreed and authorized Guest to purchase or buy options in the middle of the Raleigh-Durham area. The land was primarily infertile farm acreage and young pines. Robbins incorporated a company called Pinelands, of which Guest was president. However, few people bought stock in the company; moreover, by 1958 several state leaders began to feel uneasy about using the resources of the state universities to promote a for-profit endeavor.

In August 1958 Hodges met with Archibald "Archie" K. Davis , Hanes's successor at Wachovia, to consider the next step, and Davis suggested that the enterprise be turned into a nonprofit venture. Hanes and Hodges agreed, and Davis embarked on a whirlwind tour to raise money to buy out Pinelands and fund the creation of the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), an independent nonprofit contract research corporation established by the three universities but operating under separate management with separate facilities, staff, and board of governors. By the end of the year Davis had raised nearly $1.5 million, and by early 1959 the creation of the RTP, under the control of the nonprofit Research Triangle Foundation, was announced. George Herbert, lured from Stanford Industrial Park in Palo Alto, Calif., was named head of RTI, which began operating on 2 Mar. 1959.

By year's end, five organizations were either located in the RTP or were constructing facilities to move there. In 1962 the U.S. Forest Service became the first federal tenant. Any doubts about the park's success were dispelled beginning in 1965, when International Business Machines ( IBM ) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences announced plans to establish operations in the RTP. In time, professional associations such as the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists , Instrument Society of America , and International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Underwriters Laboratories , as well as banks, restaurants, and other service organizations, joined a growing list of organizations settling in the RTP.

RTP industries have remained remarkably diverse, with several large, long-term occupants representing the health and pharmaceutical sciences, information technology , microelectronics, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. By the 2000s several foreign firms had operations in the RTP. Other federal agencies such as the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also had RTP facilities. The UNC Center for Public Television moved into the park in 1989. A prominent occupant of the RTP since 1978, the National Humanities Center -created by a special committee of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Triangle Universities Center for Advanced Studies -attracted some of the world's most distinguished scholars, leading to important books in the fields of history, biography, literature, sociology, politics, and other related areas. In the early 2000s RTP's largest employers were IBM (13,300), GlaxoSmithKline (5,000), Nortel Networks (3,000), and Cisco Systems (2,500).

References:

"As RTP Turns 40, the Big Picture Is to Think Small," Raleigh News and Observer , 10 Jan. 1999.

Albert N. Link, A Generosity of Spirit: The Early History of the Research Triangle Park (1995).

"Research Triangle Park 40th Anniversary-Special Report," Triangle Business Journal , 15 Jan. 1999.

Additional Resources:

Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina official website: http://www.rtp.org/

Schalin, Jay. "Hard to Reproduce Game Plan of RTP Founders: Unique confluence of time and place made RTP possible" Carolina Journal February 10, 2011. http://www.carolinajournal.com/articles/display_story.html?id=7387 (accessed June 29, 2012).

Link, Albert N. and Scott, John T. "The Growth of Research Triangle Park" Small Business Economics 20. 2003. p. 167-175. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~jtscott/Papers/00-22.pdf (accessed June 29, 2012).

Hardin, John W. "Chapter 2: North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park: Overview, history, success factors and lessons learned." from Pathways to High-tech Valleys and Research Triangles: Innovative Entrepreneurship, Knowledge Transfer and Cluster Formation in Europe and the United States .  Proceedings of the Frontis Workshop, Wageningen, The Netherlands, November 30-December 1, 2005. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen University and Research Centre. 2007. http://library.wur.nl/frontis/research_triangles/02_hardin.pdf

North Carolina's Research Triangle Park: An Investment in the Future . Directed by John Wilson. 1999. http://vimeo.com/11199745 (accessed June 29, 2012).

Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission. Guides for the Research Triangle of North Carolina . [Raleigh, N.C.]: The Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission. 1960. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/guides-for-the-research-triangle-of-north-carolina/3598713

Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission. Research Triangle Region General Development Plan 1980 . [Raleigh, N.C.]: Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission, [1969?]. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/research-triangle-region-general-development-plan-1980/2347312

Image Credits:

Computer under construction at an IBM production facility in Research Triangle Park, 1984. Photograph by Billy Barnes. North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library.

Futuristic-looking office and research building completed in 1968 by the Burroughs Wellcome Company (and now owned by GlaxoSmithKline) during a period of rapid expansion in the Research Triangle Park. Photograph courtesy of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina.

1 January 2006 | Williams, Wiley J.

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Research Triangle Park

See what makes Research Triangle Park such a groundbreaking, innovative place.

Posted By Discover Durham Staff on Apr 05, 2019

Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the leading and largest high technology research and science park in North America. Founded in 1959, this 7,000-acre namesake for the entire Triangle region is two miles wide and eight miles long. Research Triangle Park is based in Durham with an extension now spilling into Wake County toward Cary and Morrisville.

Just four miles from Downtown Durham and encompassed on three sides by the City of Durham, RTP was originally named for its affiliation with three major research universities: Duke University in Durham, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. This part of Durham is approximately equidistant between Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

Originally envisioned by UNC's Howard W. Odum and fostered by the administration of Durham native Governor William Umstead, the park was developed by the Research Triangle Foundation in 1959 and now includes over 170 companies, 39,000 full-time employees, and 10,000 contract workers.The three original universities are joined by Durham's North Carolina Central University (located less than two miles from RTP), playing a major role as home to the Biomanufacturing Research Institute & Technology Enterprise (BRITE) Center for Excellence.

Today, RTP is surrounded by a variety of other Durham business and corporate parks populated by pharmaceutical, microelectronic, biotechnology, telecommunications, and textile businesses, to name a few. Research Triangle Park is not a city, but it has a special Durham postal substation - Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. It exists in a special county district, serviced by Durham utilities.

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Discover Durham Staff

The Triangle

It’s Not Just a Shape or a Region, it’s an Engine for Growth.

The Research Triangle Region of North Carolina is not only home to some of the fastest growing companies and communities in the world, it’s home to an educated workforce, limitless room for growth, and some of the highest quality of living you can find in the United States. Let’s talk about how you can be a part of it.

Our Counties

Get to know the counties that make up the Research Triangle Region.

• Research Triangle Park

One Region, Endless Resources

We’re all in on business..

We’re one of the fastest growing regions that’s more affordable than most metro markets. All in a state voted Top State for Business by CNBC, two years in a row.

We’re Talented Beyond Belief.

12 colleges and universities, 9 nationally renowned community colleges, and 4 HBCUs produce 65,000 local graduates each year.

We’re Connected to the World.

There’s nothing “regional” about the work we do here — it has global implications. Luckily, the region is situated at a crossroads of rail and road corridors, and is connected with direct flights to major airports all over the US and Europe.

We’re Living Large.

With low cost of living and vibrant urban, suburban, and rural communities full of available, affordable homes, there’s a lot to love about living here. Plus, beaches and mountains are just short drives away — not to mention an average commute time of only 24 minutes.

Why is it Called the 'Research Triangle'?

The Research Triangle gets its name from Research Triangle Park and three Tier 1 research universities—Duke University, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill—located only minutes apart.

Business Climate at a Glance

A diverse business ecosystem.

The Triangle Region has a diverse business ecosystem with over 7,000 companies across multiple industries including Agtech, Cleantech, Life Sciences, Advantaged Manufacturing and Technology.

An Educated Workforce

There is a never-ending pipeline of talent flowing between these institutions and the business community. With one of the most educated workforces in the nation, hiring and expanding couldn’t be easier.

Make the Triangle Your Home Base, While Staying Connected to the World.

The Research Triangle Region is easily accessible through direct flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, six regional airports, two ports, and multiple interstates.

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About EPA's Campus in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina

• COVID-19 health and safety guidance for EPA employees and visitors to EPA facilities.

RTP Library Services

Mailing address:

U.S. EPA Attn: [Employee Name and Mail Drop #] 109 T.W. Alexander Drive P.O. Box 12055 RTP, NC 27711

Commercial delivery address: U.S. EPA 4930 Old Page Road Durham, NC 27703

EPA's campus in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina houses 15 EPA offices, including EPA's major center for research on air, climate, and energy. T he RTP campus c overs nearly 1.2 million square feet. It is the  largest facility ever built by the agency.

Visitor Information

Epa offices located in rtp.

• Features of the EPA Campus in RTP

Physical Address and Location

U.S. EPA 3799 Hopson Rd Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

NOTICE : Entrance at T.W. Alexander Drive – CLOSED due to construction

The campus is located eight miles west of Raleigh-Durham (RDU) International Airport.

Campus Information

• All visitors are to be entered into the Visitor Management System (VMS)  (internal EPA link) prior to their visit.
• Visitors over the age of 18 must show an official photo ID for entrance into the facility, a Federal ID (smartcard/PIV card) or Military ID.
• Visitors who are not federal employees will receive a visitors badge and must be escorted by their host at all times.

Text Alternative of the Campus Parking Map

• The S. Surface Parking lot is located east of the High Bay building and south of Building E. It includes all employee and visitor parking, as well as reserved parking.
• The S. Parking lot is located south of Building E. and north of the S. Surface Parking lot. It includes all employee and visitor parking, handicapped parking, motorcycle parking, and bike parking.
• The Crescent Lot is located south of Buildings C and B. It includes handicapped parking, reserved parking, and visitor parking.
• The N. Parking lot is located south of Building A. It includes all employee and visitor parking, as well as handicapped parking.
• The N. Surface Parking lot is located south of Building A and the N. Parking lot. It includes all employee and visitor parking, EV charging station employee parking, visitor parking, and reserved parking. 5 Facility Parking Spaces are reserved at the south end of the N. Surface Parking lot.
• The Short Term Parking lot is located east of the FEELC building. It includes handicapped parking.
• The NCC Surface Lot is located southwest of the NCC building. It includes handicapped parking, visitor parking, bike parking, and all employee and visitor parking.

Our Speakers Bureau provides local schools, universities, and community groups with U.S. EPA-RTP speakers for events. We offer tours for student groups, provide judges for science competitions, and host EPA booths at schools and community events.   Learn more about the Speakers Bureau.

• National Computer Center
• Office of Administration and Resources Management - RTP
• Office of Acquisition Management - Procurement Operations
• Office of Civil Rights
• Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
• Finance Center
• Office of General Counsel
• Office of Inspector General
• Office of Research and Development

EPA's 2,000+ professionals who work at the RTP campus spend each day in state-of the art facilities that serve as a model for safe, healthy and environmentally-sustainable business operations.  The campus includes over 1.2 million square feet of office, laboratory, computer and conference spaces.  Surrounding the buildings are 10 acres of dedicated open space, including  woods, meadows, marshes, and beautiful Discovery Lake.

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This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov . This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

About EPA's Campus in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina

Related information about epa's research triangle park (rtp) location.

RTP Library Services

Mailing address: U.S. EPA Mail drop: [fill in mail code from the EPA Offices Located in RTP" section below for specific offices] RTP, NC 27711

Commercial delivery address: U.S. EPA 4930 Old Page Road Durham, NC 27703

EPA's campus in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina houses 15 EPA offices, including EPA's major center for air pollution research and regulation.  As the largest facility ever built by the agency, the RTP campus c overs nearly 1.2 million square feet.

Directions and Visitor Information

Epa offices located in rtp, features of the epa campus in rtp, physical address and location.

U.S. EPA 109 T.W. Alexander Drive Durham, NC 27709

The campus is located eight miles west of Raleigh-Durham (RDU) International Airport.

Getting to the RTP Campus

From raleigh, raleigh-durham international airport, and points east via interstate 40.

• Take Interstate 40 West toward Research Triangle Park, Durham, and Chapel Hill
• Take Exit 282- Page Road, turn right on Page Road
• Go thru 6 stop lights, travel 0.3 miles and turn right into the Hopson Road entrance of the EPA-RTP Facility
• Visitors must stop at the Guard's station to show photo ID and get parking pass
• Continue past the High Bay on the left as you come up the driveway and follow the signs to the Main facility entrance and visitors' lot

From Chapel Hill and Points West via Interstate 40

• Take Interstate 40 East toward Raleigh
• Take Exit 278 - to HWY55/HWY54/Apex
• At stop light, turn right on HWY55
• 1st stoplight turn left onto HWY54
• 2nd stoplight turn right onto T.W. Alexander Drive
• Go 0.5 miles to the stoplight and turn left into the main entrance of the EPA-RTP Facility
• Continue past the National Computer Center on the left as you come up the driveway and follow the signs to the Main facility entrance and visitors' lot

From Downtown Durham via Durham Freeway

• Take Durham Freeway (NC 147) South toward Research Triangle Park
• Take Exit 6 - Cornwallis Road, turn right on Cornwallis Road
• 2nd stoplight turn left on T.W. Alexander Drive
• Go 2.3 miles to the stoplight and turn left into the main entrance of the EPA-RTP Facility

Arriving on Campus

• You must have a photo ID to gain access to the campus.
• Security guards issue parking passes at the entrances.
• A badge and an escort will be provided.

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EPA-RTP's Speaker Bureau

Our Speakers Bureau provides local schools, universities, and community groups with U.S. EPA-RTP speakers for events. We offer tours for student groups, provide judges for science competitions, and host EPA booths at schools and community events.   Learn more about the Speakers Bureau.

• National Computer Center
• Office of Administration and Resources Management - RTP
• Office of Acquisition Management - Procurement Operations
• Office of Civil Rights
• Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
• Finance Center
• Office of General Counsel
• Office of Inspector General

EPA's 2,000+ professionals who work at the RTP campus spend each day in state-of the art facilities that serve as a model for safe, healthy and environmentally-sustainable business operations.  The campus includes over 1.2 million square feet of office, laboratory, computer and conference spaces.  Surrounding the buildings are 10 acres of dedicated open space, including  woods, meadows, marshes, and beautiful Discovery Lake.

Child Care: First Environments Early Learning Center

This high-quality, full-time day care serves both EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences next door.  The grounds provide ample space for gardens, natural areas for exploration, and a playground. 

• infant care
• 20 classrooms for toddlers through preschool-aged children
• a multipurpose room
• complete food service

The center is a federally-owned facility and is managed by a not-for-profit parents' organization.

Learn more about the First Environments Early Learning Center Exit

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