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III. HILLSBOROUGH PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE <br />Hillsborough is located in central Orange County approxi- <br />mately fifty miles northwest of Raleigh and sixty miles east of <br />Greensboro. Major highways that serve the area are I -85, NC86, <br />NC57, and US70. <br />When founded in 1754 by William Churton an English surveyor - <br />cartographer, Hillsborough's northern boundary was the Virginia <br />line. This location helped Hillsborough to become a trading <br />center and an important activity center during the colonial <br />period. The war of the Regulation in 1768, a visit from General <br />Charles Lord Cornwallis in 1781, and the Constitutional Convention <br />in 1788 were all dramatic events that occurred in the Hillsborough <br />area. Throughout the colonial period Hillsborough remained an <br />activity center because of its political power and position as the <br />county seat. <br />Orange County was reduced in size when other counties such as <br />Guilford County were formed. Hillsborough was nominated to be the <br />state capitol but in 1792 Raleigh located in Wake County was <br />selected. A further reduction occurred in 1849 when Alamance <br />County was formed. In 1881 the addition of Durham County reduced <br />Orange County to about 400 square miles. <br />Today, Hillsborough is one of North Carolina's most histor- <br />ically preserved areas. Thirteen buildings and homes are listed <br />in the National Register of Historic Places. The original 400 <br />acres surveyed by William Churton is part of the historically <br />annexed area in Hillsborough. <br />Hillsborough is expected to continue growth in the future. <br />Careful planning of a transportation system will help preserve <br />this area's history and allow for its full economic development. <br />13 <br />