Old East
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Old East is a residence hall located at the north part of campus in
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...
. Built in 1793 by slave labor, it became the first state university building in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The
Wren Building The Wren Building (original build, 1695–1699) is the oldest building on the campus of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, which is the "second oldest seat of higher learning" in the United States. Situated in Old College ...
at the
College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...
in
Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...
, was built in 1695, but William and Mary did not become a public university until 1906.


History

Colonel John Hogan entered into a contract December 1792, to make 150,000 bricks at the site of where Old East would be built. He also donated 200 acres towards the university grounds. The cornerstone of Old East was laid ceremoniously on October 12, 1793, by
William Richardson Davie William Richardson Davie (June 20, 1756 – November 29, 1820) was an American statesman, politician, military general, Founding Father of the United States who served as the 10th Governor of North Carolina from 1798 to 1799. A member of the F ...
, who served as the
governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a ...
from 1798 to 1799. The building was originally two stories tall and contained sixteen rooms. The design reflects the university trustees' vision of a quadrangle that ran north toward the town of Chapel Hill. Although the cost of construction is unknown, there are records from 1799 indicating that the university spent a total of $12,180 for work on Steward's Hall, Old East, Person Hall, and the President's House. After its construction, Old East functioned as both a classroom building and a Residence Hall; today it is exclusively a Residence Hall. The contractor in charge of the construction of Old East was
James Patterson
' of Chatham County. By 1804, the building needed significant repairs and was renovated with new doors, window sashes, ladders, and the roof was repainted. The third story was added to the building in 1823.
Alexander Jackson Davis Alexander Jackson Davis (July 24, 1803 – January 14, 1892) was an American architect known particularly for his association with the Gothic Revival style. Education Davis was born in New York City and studied at the American Academ ...
was hired by the university in 1844 to lengthen the building by a third and to create a new north entrance. The new rooms were used by the
Philanthropic Society Catch22 is a social business, a not for profit business with a social mission which operates in the United Kingdom (England and Wales). Catch22 can trace its roots back 229 years, to the formation of The Philanthropic Society in 1788. Catch22 desi ...
and also served as a library.
Davis Davis may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Davis (Antarctica) * Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago) * Davis Station, an Australian base and research outpost in the Vestfold Hills * Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land Canada * Davis, Sa ...
' other additions included large north-facing windows encased by brick panels and two brick porches on the east side of the building. Thomas Day, a skilled and respected African-American cabinetmaker, designed and built the interior woodwork in the society rooms. Old East remained the home of the
Philanthropic Society Catch22 is a social business, a not for profit business with a social mission which operates in the United Kingdom (England and Wales). Catch22 can trace its roots back 229 years, to the formation of The Philanthropic Society in 1788. Catch22 desi ...
until New East was completed in 1860.


Culture

In 1877,
Zebulon Baird Vance Zebulon Baird Vance (May 13, 1830 – April 14, 1894) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 37th and 43rd governor of North Carolina, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina, and a Confederate officer during the American Civil ...
, the Governor of North Carolina and chair of the Board of Trustees, declared the anniversary of Old East's construction, October 12, was University Day and should "be observed with appropriate ceremonies under the direction of the faculty." Subsequent celebrations of University Day have included speeches by President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
in 1961 and President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
in 1993. Students are released from classes the morning of University Day and many migrate to the Old East Birthday Bash, which has in the past included things like cake, athletic signings, puppies, appearances by the chancellor, dance routines, and ''a capella'' performances. The building was designated a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
by the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
December 21, 1965. The
Old Well The Old Well is a small, neoclassical cyclostyle on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus at the southern end of McCorkle Place. The current decorative form of the Old Well was modeled after the Temple of Love in the Gardens o ...
and Old East, as the earliest buildings at UNC, have long been the symbols of the university. There are some collections of art about Old East and the Old Well i
Blowing Rock Art and History Museum
North Carolina, as well as in UNC-Chapel Hill's
Wilson Library The Louis Round Wilson Library is a library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Completed in 1929, it served as the university's main library until 1984. Today, it houses several special collections. The dome rises 85 feet over the ...
. It is located in the Chapel Hill Historic District.


See also

*
Old Well The Old Well is a small, neoclassical cyclostyle on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus at the southern end of McCorkle Place. The current decorative form of the Old Well was modeled after the Temple of Love in the Gardens o ...
* University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student housing *
List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina. North Carolina has 40 National Historic Landmarks, and one former landmark. Former NHLs in North Carolina See also * National Registe ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, North Carolina


References


External links


Official University list of landmarks at University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSlavey and the Making of the University
{{National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina Italianate architecture in North Carolina School buildings completed in 1793 National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landmarks Buildings and structures in Chapel Hill-Carrboro, North Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Orange County, North Carolina Historic district contributing properties in North Carolina University and college residential buildings University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill buildings