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
Fleet Feet CEO and UNC alum knows how to ring the 'money bell'Fleet Feet CEO and president Joey Pointer ’00, ’01 (MAC) keeps a handheld bell on his desk as a reminder of just how far both...
Fri Jul 17, 2026Former UNC Basketball Players Mourn Changes in Chapel Hill: 'It's Not Franklin Street Anymore'
Gone are beloved Chapel Hill staples like The Rathskeller, Schoolkids Records, Bub O'Malley's, Pepper's, Spanky's, and others that served generations of UNC students along Franklin...
Thu Jul 16, 2026
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Openings, Closings and Moves in April-June 2026
After the sign for the former military surplus store Surplus Sids was taken in March, it unceremoniously reappeared on June 10 — leaned up against...
Wed Jul 15, 2026
UNC Alumni Contribute $30.1 Billion to State’s Economy
In every corner of North Carolina, Tar Heels are leaving a large financial footprint. Alumni contributed a minimum of $30.1 billion in economic activity across...
Tue Jul 14, 2026