Eno River State Park protects a long stretch of the Eno River in the Durham area, preserving river scenery, woods, bluffs, old mill sites, and other historic remains across several public access areas and trails. The valley holds layers of history, from the Eno, Shakori, and Occoneechee peoples before European settlement to farms and more than 30 gristmills built by later settlers. After Durham proposed a reservoir in 1965, local opposition led by Margaret Nygard grew into a conservation movement, and the park was approved in 1973. Today it remains a major protected river corridor shaped by both natural heritage and sustained citizen preservation.