A rural setting with strong community ties and traditions
Bahama is a close-knit community in Durham County's forested hills. Fields and farmland line the tobacco hub’s main road, and a massive lake draws anglers to its west side. “It’s a rural area,” says Jeanette Hussey, a born-and-raised Bahama native and experienced West & Woodall Real Estate broker. “We do have some neighborhoods, but everyone has probably an acre of land or more.”
Despite the distance between neighbors, the active Bahama Ruritan Club has kept folks connected for over 75 years. “My dad was a member there for many years,” Hussey says. “It’s a service organization… They have an awesome Christmas parade every year, a week or so before Christmas. Everyone participates, the local high school band marches, there’s Santa Claus and they honor the Ruritan of the year – it’s usually the grand marshal.”
Colonial and ranch homes dominate this spacious community
Many homes here were built between 1970 and 2000. Colonial Revival, Cape Cod and ranch architecture are common among those properties, and new construction has introduced sleek New Traditional homes as well as the odd contemporary farmhouse. Overall, the price range for single-family properties is broad, from just under $300,000 to about $2.7 million. With most sales falling below $560,000, the median price of single-family homes hovers around $444,000. Manufactured homes are listed every now and then, selling between $140,000 and $245,000.
Bahama has the Little River and Mountain Creek running through it, and it’s home to Lake Michie, so there are special flood zones all over its map. If a property is within one of these zones, flood insurance is necessary for a federally backed mortgage. Durham County is susceptible to hurricanes and gets an average rainfall of almost 50 inches. It has a humid subtropical climate, meaning summers are hot and muggy, and winters are cool and short.
Students have access to agriscience, culinary and Air Force tracks
Durham Public Schools has a B grade on Niche and offers school choice via an application-based lottery system. Schools serving the community include Mangum Elementary (B-plus), Lucas Middle (C-plus) and Northern High (B-minus). High schoolers can take advantage of the school's magnet career and technical education programs for agriscience and natural resources, fire academy and public safety, culinary arts and Air Force JROTC.
From state trails to historic preserves, nature is everywhere
Lake Michie spans about 481 acres and is home to Lake Michie Park and Marina. The fishing and boating hub is currently closed due to debris left from Tropical Storm Chantal, but nearby Eno River State Park has mostly reopened, with only a few closed-off sections. Hikers can access the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail from here, which runs from the Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks – almost 1,200 miles total. Campers enjoy free firewood and two different sites. Horton Grove Nature Preserve ties American history into its 8 miles of trails, each named after a local black family descended from the enslaved African Americans who worked the plantation the land was once part of. At Little River Regional Park, hikers and mountain bikers maneuver through dense, mature forests of maples, oaks and hickories.
Shopping and dining options about 10 miles from the neighborhood
With a laugh, Hussey says the community’s “downtown” offerings include “a little post office and a gun shop,” so errand runs take residents about 10 miles away to Guess Road and Horton Road. Around this commercial intersection, shoppers can score some bargains at Ollie’s before grabbing groceries from Food Lion and Harris Teeter. There are also a couple of dollar stores, a Starbucks and some local eateries. Thai Spoon and Matatlan Mexican Restaurant sit next to each other, serving entrees as varied as panang curry, pad thai, burritos and chimichangas.
Bahama offers rural living near Durham’s hospitals and schools
Car-dependent Bahama is just under 15 miles away from Downtown Durham, taking U.S. Route 501. The community is roughly the same distance from Duke University and the school’s hospital, which has the nearest emergency room. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is within a 30-mile drive.
![Micaela Willoughby]()
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
