North Carolina Polytechnic Academy, founded as Hillsborough Military Academy and also known as North Carolina Military Academy, was a school in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Col. Charles C. Tew CSA founded Hillsborough Military Academy. He was later killed in action at Battle of Antietam in 1862 on the eve of his promotion to brigadier general. Architect John A. Kay designed the Hillsborough Military Academy barracks building and commandant's house. Edmund Strudwick was the doctor for the Hillsborough Military Academy in the 1860s and cared for soldiers wounded in the Civil War at his home nearby.

The town of Hillsborough is the county seat of Orange County, North Carolina, United States and is located along the Eno River. The population was 6,087 in 2010, but it grew rapidly to 9,660 by 2020.