Chapel Hill, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chapel Hill
Town
Franklin Street
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Southern Part of Heaven
Motto(s):  "Learning, Serving & Working Together To Build A Community Where People Thrive."
Chapel Hill Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Chapel Hill Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Orange (most) Durham (small part)
Founded	1793
Chartered	1851
Named for	New Hope Chapel
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	21.75 sq mi (56.32 km2)
• Land	21.60 sq mi (55.93 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2)  0.69%
Elevation	262 ft (80 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	61,960
• Estimate  (2023)	62,043
• Density	2,869.05/sq mi (1,107.75/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	27514-27517
Area codes	919, 984
FIPS code	37-11800
GNIS feature ID	2406255
Primary Airport	RDU

Chapel Hill is a town in North Carolina, United States. It is mostly in Orange County, with a small part in Durham County, North Carolina. In 2020, about 61,960 people lived there. This makes Chapel Hill the 17th largest town in North Carolina.

Chapel Hill and Durham are part of a larger area called the Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area had about 608,879 people in 2023. When you add Raleigh and Cary, they form the Research Triangle. This bigger area had about 2,368,947 people in 2023.

The town of Chapel Hill was started in 1793. It is built around Franklin Street and covers about 21.3 square miles. Many historic buildings and areas in Chapel Hill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care are very important to the town's economy and culture. You can also see many colorful murals painted by local artists around town.

History of Chapel Hill

Early Days and Founding

Before Europeans settled here, the Occaneechi Indians lived in the area. This was north of where Chapel Hill is today, near Hillsborough.

One of the first European settlers was William Barbee. He received land in 1753. His son, Christopher Barbee, later gave 221 acres of land for the University of North Carolina. This made him the university's biggest donor.

Chapel Hill grew up around a small church built in 1752. This church was called New Hope Chapel. The The Carolina Inn now stands on this spot. In 1819, the town was officially started by the North Carolina General Assembly. It was created to support the new university. The town was given its official charter in 1851. Its main street, Franklin Street, was named after Benjamin Franklin.

Chapel Hill During the Civil War

At the start of the Civil War, about four out of ten people in Chapel Hill were enslaved. About half of the town's population was Black. In April 1865, as the war ended, soldiers from the 9th Michigan Cavalry came into Chapel Hill. They stayed in the town and at the university for over two weeks.

Civil Rights and Modern Times

In 1969, Chapel Hill made history. The town elected Howard Lee as mayor. He was the first African-American mayor elected in a mostly white town in the Southern United States. Lee served from 1969 to 1975. During his time, he helped create Chapel Hill Transit, which is the town's bus system. He also helped start the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

About 30 years later, in 2002, a state law made bus rides free for everyone in Chapel Hill. This change led to many more people using the buses. It also helped take many cars off the roads. The buses are funded by town taxes, federal money, and university student fees.

In 1993, Chapel Hill celebrated its 200th birthday. The town also opened the Chapel Hill Museum. This museum shows the history and people of Chapel Hill. It has exhibits on famous people like James Taylor and Paul Green.

Many other historic places in Chapel Hill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity House, the Chapel Hill Historic District, and the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery.

Geography and Weather

Chapel Hill is in the southeastern part of Orange County. A small part of it reaches into Durham County. To the west is the town of Carrboro. To the northeast is the city of Durham. Most of Chapel Hill's borders are next to undeveloped areas, not other towns.

The town covers about 21.75 square miles. Most of this area, about 21.60 square miles, is land. A small part, about 0.15 square miles, is water.

Chapel Hill has a mild climate. Summers are warm and humid, while winters are cool. The hottest month is July, with average highs around 89.5°F (31.9°C). The coldest month is January, with average lows around 29.4°F (-1.4°C). The town gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. Snowfall is usually light, with about 2.8 inches per year.

Population and People

Who Lives in Chapel Hill?

In 2020, Chapel Hill had 61,960 people living in 20,369 households. About 10,552 of these were families.

Here's a quick look at the different groups of people living in Chapel Hill in 2020:

In 2010, the town had 57,233 people in 20,564 households. About 26.2% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.35 people. The average family had 2.98 people.

The median age in Chapel Hill in 2010 was 25.6 years old. This means half the people were younger and half were older. About 17.4% of the population was under 18. A large group, 31.5%, was between 18 and 24 years old.

Chapel Hill is known for having many educated residents. About 77% of adults (25 and older) have at least an associate degree. Also, 73% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Education in Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is home to excellent schools. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district serves most of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. These schools are known for their strong academics.

• High Schools: East Chapel Hill High School, Carrboro High School, and Chapel Hill High School have all received national awards for being great schools. In 2008, Newsweek magazine ranked East Chapel Hill High as the 88th best high school in the country. It was also the highest-ranked public high school in North Carolina.
• Private Schools: There are also private schools in Chapel Hill for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. One example is the Emerson Waldorf School.
• University: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1789. It is a public research university and the main campus of the University of North Carolina System.
• Music: The state's main youth orchestra, Piedmont Youth Orchestra, is based in Chapel Hill.
• Library: The Chapel Hill Public Library is also located in the town.

Culture and Fun

Chapel Hill is a main town in a big area, but it still feels like a small town. When combined with its neighbor, Carrboro, the area has about 85,000 people.

• Murals: You can see many large, colorful murals painted on buildings around town. Most of these were painted by Michael Brown, who went to UNC.
• Festifall: For over 30 years, Chapel Hill has hosted an annual street fair called Festifall in October. Artists, craftspeople, and food vendors set up booths. Musicians and other groups perform. Tens of thousands of people attend this fair each year.

The Sorrell building on Franklin Street has housed a movie theater (currently called the Varsity Theatre) since its construction in 1927.

• Morehead Planetarium: The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center was the first planetarium built on a U.S. college campus. It opened in 1949 and was one of only six planetariums in the nation at the time. It's still an important landmark. Astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs even trained there! A giant sundial is a famous feature in front of the planetarium on Franklin Street.

• Town Spirit: The university's influence is everywhere. Even the fire departments show it! Each fire station has a fire engine painted in Carolina blue, the university's color. These engines also have UNC decals, including a firefighter Rameses, the UNC mascot.

• New Communities: Chapel Hill also has modern village communities like Meadowmont Village and Southern Village. These areas have shopping centers, green spaces for events, community pools, and schools. There's also a traditional mall called University Place with many different stores.

Delicious Food

Bon Appétit magazine called Chapel Hill one of America's "Foodiest Small Towns." It's becoming a popular place for American cuisine. Some restaurants that have been recognized nationally include Mama Dip's, Crook's Corner, Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, and Lantern Restaurant.

Music Scene

Chapel Hill has been a starting point for many famous musicians. Artists like James Taylor, Superchunk, Ben Folds Five, and Porter Robinson began their careers here. The town is also a center for old-time music.

Merge Records, a well-known music label, started in Chapel Hill before moving to Durham. Even famous musicians like Bruce Springsteen and U2 have performed in Chapel Hill.

Sports Excitement

The Dean Smith Center is home of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball.

The University of North Carolina is very successful in college basketball and women's soccer. A strong love for these sports is a big part of Chapel Hill's culture. There's a big rivalry called the Tobacco Road rivalry between North Carolina's four main college teams: the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Duke Blue Devils, the NC State Wolfpack, and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

The two largest sports venues in town are home to UNC teams. The Dean Smith Center is where the men's basketball team plays. Kenan Memorial Stadium is home to the football team. Chapel Hill also has Carmichael Arena and the new Dorrance Field for other sports.

• Trails: Chapel Hill has many trails for walking and biking. Some popular ones include Battle Branch Trail, Morgan Creek Trail, and Bolin Creek Trail, which is the oldest and most popular greenway.

Local Media

Chapel Hill has several local media outlets:

• Radio: WCHL (1360AM, 97.9FM) offers local news, talk shows, and sports. WUNC (91.5FM) is a public radio station on the UNC campus. WXYC (89.3FM) is a student-run radio station that made history in 1994 by being the first radio station in the world to broadcast over the internet.
• Newspapers/Magazines: The Daily Tar Heel is the independent student newspaper for the university and town. The Sun Magazine is an independent, ad-free magazine that has published essays, interviews, and stories for over 40 years.
• TV: The Chapel Hill area also has TV stations that serve the Raleigh-Durham area.

Getting Around Chapel Hill

Bus Service

Chapel Hill has a bus system called Chapel Hill Transit for getting around town. Go Triangle buses connect Chapel Hill to other nearby cities like Raleigh, Durham, and Hillsborough. The Hillsborough service is run by Chapel Hill Transit.

Light Rail Project

There were plans for a light rail line between Chapel Hill and Durham. This project was being planned in 2017 but was stopped in April 2019.

Famous People From Chapel Hill

UNC's wooded campus is near the town center

Many notable people have lived in or are from Chapel Hill. Here are a few:

• Lewis Black, a comedian and actor.
• Fred Brooks, a computer scientist.
• Elizabeth Cotten, a musician.
• Hubert Davis, a UNC basketball coach and former NBA player.
• Sarah Dessen, an author.
• Ben Folds, a musician.
• John Grisham, a famous author.
• Howard Lee, the first Black mayor of a mostly white town in the South.
• Porter Robinson, an electronic music producer.
• Aziz Sancar, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
• Dean Smith, a legendary basketball coach.
• James Taylor, a famous musician.
• Thomas Wolfe, an author who went to UNC.

Sister Cities

Chapel Hill has one sister city:

• Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal (Galápagos, Ecuador)

Images for kids

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  A mural at Amber Alley between Franklin and Rosemary streets

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  Caroll Hall which houses the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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  Chapel Hill fire truck, painted with the colors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill