Town guide · Piedmont

Graham

The Alamance County seat, laid out in 1849 and named for Governor William A. Graham, with several National Register districts.

36.06° N · -79.39° W · Alamance County

Ray Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓

The town

About Graham

Graham was planned in 1849 as the seat of the new Alamance County. It incorporated as a town in 1851 and became a city in 1961. It is named for William Alexander Graham, a U.S. senator and governor. The city is part of the Burlington metro area, bordered by Burlington and the town of Haw River, with the Haw River along its east side and Interstate 85 running through. In 1870 the Ku Klux Klan lynched Wyatt Outlaw, the town’s first African-American commissioner, an event that led to the Kirk-Holden War. National Register sites include the Alamance County Courthouse, the Graham Historic District and the Oneida Cotton Mills complex. Alamance Community College is based here. Source: Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

Events in Graham

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Every art form on one list, each in its own color. Sample events — illustrative dates

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Where to go in Graham

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              Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina

              Report Card

              Ray Arts Index · 2026

              Town
              Graham
              County
              Alamance County
              Standing
              Not yet graded
              Graham grades by subject
              SubjectWeightGrade
              Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts18%–
              Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps12%–
              Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries18%–
              ActivityArts events each month13.5%–
              FestivalsActive arts festivals13.5%–
              Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets13.5%–
              Creative economyArts businesses and working artists7%–
              HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups4.5%–

              Overall

              –

              HonorsNone yet

              Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured

              Teacher’s remarks

              The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.

              How it’s calculated →Compare graded towns →

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              The Ray Arts Foundation

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              The NC Arts Directory is a project of the Ray Arts Foundation, co-founded in memory of Eddie Ray. We work for North Carolina’s arts in two ways:

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