Eno River State Park

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Eno River State Park

Location:	North Carolina, USA
Nearest city:	Durham, North Carolina
Area:	3,900 acres (15.8 km²)
Governing body:	North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Eno River State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located near Durham, North Carolina, it covers 3,900 acres (15.8 km²) along the banks of the Eno River. Together with the adjoining West Point on the Eno city park, the two parks preserve over 9 miles (14.5 km) of the river in its natural habitat.

Native Americans of the Eno, Shakori and Occoneechee tribes lived along the river prior to European settlement. Some of the tribes merged in the late 17th century and established a village near present-day Durham. Settlers moved to the area later to set up farms and gristmills. More than 30 mills were located along the length of the Eno.

Eno Park Footbridge

Efforts to establish Eno River State Park started in 1965 when the city of Durham proposed building a reservoir in the river valley. A group of concerned citizens led a campaign to save the Eno and formed the Association for the Preservation of the Eno River Valley. The association proposed the establishment of a state park and, in May of 1972, the state of North Carolina approved the idea. The city of Durham withdrew its efforts to construct the reservoir. In 1975, the state—with help from the Eno River Association and the Nature Conservancy—acquired more than 1,000 acres of land for the park.