Old East, University of North Carolina
Also known as: East Building
Why it's listed
Old East is a brick building on Cameron Avenue at the center of the original University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill. Designed by James Patterson and built by Samuel Hopkins, it was begun in October 1793 and dedicated in January 1795. It is described as the first state university building constructed in the United States, and it housed the first state university in the nation to admit students. The first student, Hinton James, arrived weeks after dedication. Originally two stories and ten bays long, the building gained a third story in 1822-24 under state architect William Nichols. In 1844-45, New York architect Alexander Jackson Davis added five bays at the north end, porches on the east front, and a bracketed Italianate cornice. Condemned as unsafe in 1922 after walls bowed, it received a fireproof concrete frame by 1925 without major changes to its exterior. It remains in use as a freshman dormitory.
Significance in brief: Old East is described as the first state university building constructed in the United States. It was the original home, and for many years the entire physical plant, of the first state university in the nation to open its doors to students. It was later enlarged and given Italianate detailing by noted architect Alexander Jackson Davis.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000596, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | University of North Carolina campus, Chapel Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | James Patterson; William Nichols; Alexander Jackson Davis (Samuel Hopkins, builder) |
| Architectural style | Italianate detailing (1844-45 alterations by Alexander Jackson Davis) on an original brick Flemish bond building |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 21, 1965 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition and in active use as a freshman dormitory; not open to the public. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Chapel Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.91257, -79.05048 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083892
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.