January 15, 1795: UNC Holds Its Opening Ceremony
Posted Jan 15, 2018
UNC held its opening ceremony on January 15, 1795, and soon after became the first state university to enroll students. The winter of 1794-1795 had been rough, and the roads were a muddy mess. It was a cold, windy, rainy day and the area looked more like a construction site than a college campus. Only the East Building and the unpainted wooden house of the Presiding Professor had been completed.
(UNC.edu)
Related: Campus Connections
Tar Heels take their music to IrelandFor five bluegrass students and 105 marching band students at Carolina, the start to this year will be anything but ordinary. Along with about 25...
Fri Aug 28, 2026The top events in Kenan Stadium from the last 10 decades
As the centennial season of Kenan Stadium approaches, the sun has risen and set on a plethora of memorable events held inside its walls. Despite...
Wed Aug 26, 2026
Live from Ireland: Festivities begin in Dublin
UNC leaders, student-athletes, fans, and alumni are arriving in Ireland ahead of the Tar Heels’ football season opener against Texas Christian University as part of...
Tue Aug 25, 2026
UNC move-in photo from the past stirs up big emotions, especially for parents
August brings the annual ritual of college freshmen leaving home to move into college dorms. Digging through the archives, I was struck by this 1997...
Tue Aug 25, 2026