Indigenous Tribes of the RTP Area

Before Research Triangle Park existed, the land was home to Native American tribes for thousands of years.

The main tribes connected to the RTP area were:

Occaneechi Tribe

The Occaneechi lived along rivers like the Eno River and used the land for farming, fishing, and trading.
They grew crops such as corn, beans, and squash, often called the “Three Sisters.”
The Occaneechi were also important traders between tribes in North Carolina and Virginia.

Today, their descendants are recognized as the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, based in North Carolina.

Eno Tribe

The Eno people lived near the Eno River, which is just north of today’s RTP area.
They used the forests for hunting deer and small animals and made tools from stone and wood.
Many place names in the region, like the Eno River, come from this tribe.

Tuscarora (Nearby Influence)

The Tuscarora lived mostly in eastern North Carolina but traveled through central NC for trade and hunting.
After conflicts with European settlers in the early 1700s, many Tuscarora moved north and became part of the Iroquois Confederacy.

Life Before RTP

Before offices and research labs, the RTP area was mostly:

• Forests

• Rivers and streams

• Farmland and hunting grounds

Native tribes lived closely with nature and respected the land, something that still influences RTP’s focus on green spaces today.