Franklin Street (Chapel Hill)
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| Franklin Street | |
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
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| Erected | c. 1790 |
| Location | Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Website | Town of Chapel Hill |
Franklin Street is a prominent thoroughfare in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boasted as the "Main Street of North Carolina", it loosely serves as the northern border of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus and could be considered the center of social life for the school and the town, as it is home to numerous coffee shops, restaurants, music stores and bars. The street in downtown Chapel Hill is notable for its festivities, nightlife, and culture.[1] The stretch of college-oriented businesses continues west into neighboring Carrboro. Both streets are home to small music venues, like the Cat's Cradle and the Arts Center, which were influential in the birth of Chapel Hill rock.
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[edit] Geography
The three-mile length is divided into West and East Franklin Streets. West Franklin begins at the intersection of South Merrit Mill Road where Carrboro's East Main Street ends. West Franklin moves east-northeast through the town's historic business district to Columbia Street, where it becomes East Franklin. East Franklin continues the straight path through the business district, passing campus and then curving north "down the hill" through some of Chapel Hill's historic neighborhoods. East Franklin Street ends just beyond Ephesus Church Road, where it morphs into U.S. Highway 15-501 towards Durham.
[edit] Heritage
Named after Benjamin Franklin by the commissioners of the University (Franklin was a proponent of practical education for youth), the street has been in use under its current name since the 1790s, when construction of the University began [1]. The stretch of Franklin from Columbia to Raleigh streets borders the campus, allowing views of wooded McCorkle Place [2] (the North Quadrangle, named after Reverend Samuel E. McCorkle, who authored the original bill requesting a charter from the NC General Assembly for the University in 1784). McCorkle Place is home to some of the school's oldest structures: Old East and Old West Dormitories, Person Hall (originally the University chapel), the South Building (main administration building), and the Old Well (site of the original well for the University).
Just east of campus along Franklin Street are several of Chapel Hill's historic homes [3], including the President's House, the Samuel Phillip's House, Spencer House, Widow Puckett House, Hooper-Kyser House, the Presbyterian Manse, Kennette House, Archibald-Henderson House, and the town's first law office (known as "Mr. Sam's Law Office" - now a private residence).
Franklin Street has long been a favorite destination for entertainment and nightlife for Carolina students, Chapel Hill locals and visitors from Carrboro, Hillsborough, Durham and Raleigh. Going out for a night of revelry on Franklin Street has been known to be referred to as "going uptown".[citation needed]
[edit] Historical businesses
- Colonial Drugstore: Originally located on West Franklin Street (closed 1996), was the site of sit-ins in the Spring of 1960 when students from Lincoln High School made a stand at the establishment's soda fountain. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Martin Luther King visited and spoke on the UNC campus, thrusting Chapel Hill into the national debate on civil rights.[3] Colonial Drug was also the longtime home of the "Big O", a beverage made from fresh-squeezed oranges similar to orangeade[4]
- Ramshead Rathskeller: This establishment served famous UNC alumni its signature lasagna from 1948 until 2008. Customers included Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse and Roy Williams.[5]
- Sutton's Drugstore: Largely unchanged since it opened in 1923, operates one of the last-remaining traditional soda fountains in North Carolina. Photos on the walls showcase past patrons for more than 30 years.[5]
[edit] Celebrations
Franklin Street is home to several yearly festivals/gatherings, some of which are nationally famous:
- Victory celebrations: Students and sports fans have been known to spill out of bars and dormitories upon the victory of one of Carolina's sports teams. In most cases, a Franklin Street "bonfire" celebration is due to a victory by the men's basketball team,[6][7] although other Franklin Street celebrations have stemmed from wins by the women's basketball team and women's soccer team. Upon the event the men's basketball team team reaches the national championship game, local stores are known to halt sales of Carolina-blue paint to avoid a repeat of the 1993 jamboree which resulted in Franklin Street being painted blue by celebrating fans.[8]
- Halloween: Franklin Street is most notable for its Halloween celebration which occurs annually on October 31. Tens of thousands of all age groups attend the event each year; nearly 80,000 attended in 2004.[9] The event is not town sponsored and the town actually discourages out-of-towners from attending; yet, an influx of non-residents descend on the town each year despite the town's suggestion.[10] In an attempt to promote order during the event the Town of Chapel Hill now closes the street to traffic after 8:00 p.m. on Halloween and directs visitors to satellite parking decks around the town, from where buses can shuttle tourists to the main event area.[11] Attendees of the event typically dress in costume and stroll Franklin Street enjoying the wide array of festive atire and snapping photos.
[edit] Issues
Franklin Street has had problems in 2007 with an increased amount of loitering and panhandling, which has been attributed to an increasing homeless population in Chapel Hill and the nearby location of a homeless shelter.[12] The town has vowed to move the homeless shelter to another location, but has not yet done so. At least two property owners have said that they will move the locations of their businesses.[13][14]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The World Music Central guide to Chapel Hill. For cultural travelers shopsinterested in local roots music, venues, CD , instrument makers, etc.
- HTYP: Chapel Hill, NC (wiki-based directory)
- OrangePolitics Multi-author blog about progressive politics in the Chapel Hill area, founded by local activist Ruby Sinreich.
- Uniting Neighbors of Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
[edit] References
- ^ Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership - History of Downtown Chapel Hill and Franklin Street.
- ^ murals in Chapel Hill by artist Michael J. Brown.
- ^ JSTOR-The Scholarly Journal Archive - Civil Rights Organization and the Indigenous Movement in Chapel Hill, N. C., 1960-1965.
- ^ Old Colonial Drugstore Shelf from Chapel Hill, Home of the "Big O"!.
- ^ a b The Daily Tar Heel-Older Stores, Eateries Give Town Character.
- ^ News and Observer: Bonfires mark Tar Heels' win (March 5, 2007).
- ^ News and Observer: Radical changes for Chapel Hill celebrations.
- ^ Sports Fan Magazine - Students paint Franklin Street Carolina blue.
- ^ Town of Chapel Hill: Halloween.
- ^ UNC GradSchool - Lifestyles: Halloween on Franklin Street.
- ^ Town of Chapel Hill: Halloween 2005 Parking.
- ^ Loitering raises concerns in town.
- ^ Is there any good place for a men's homeless shelter?.
- ^ Another business planning to move.
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