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“Touched by Magic”
With village charm and metropolitan flare, town and campus truly are “touched by magic.”
The “strange magic” found by an alumnus revisiting Chapel Hill in the 1950s still touches the town and the institution that created it. It is strong magic, indeed more powerful today than ever in the University's two centuries.
The village of the nineteenth century and the town of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is a small city beginning its third century as the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In truth, it is difficult at times to say which is the more powerful magnet: Chapel Hill or the University.
Since its founding in 1795, the University has become one of the nation's leading universities, renowned for its liberal arts education, professional schools, specialized research, and public service programs. But neither size nor reputation has diluted the magic.
“The Perfect College Town”
When students arrive in Chapel Hill, they discover a campus conducive to learning and living. The beauty of the 729 acre central campus is seductive, regularly converting visitor to resident, skeptic to believer. Ancient oaks and eclectic architecture are laced together by miles of brick walkways and rock walls, all within an easy stroll of a truly charming downtown. Author Richard Moll, in his guide to the best U.S. colleges and universities, called Chapel Hill “the perfect college town.”
Although it still calls itself a town, and some of its residents prefer to think of it as a village, Chapel Hill is a bustling community of 48,000 people in central North Carolina. Its four distinct seasons are a bonus that has inspired some to refer to it as “The Southern Part of Heaven.” Its winters are short and mild, with temperatures averaging 40 degrees. Winters will bring at least one snowfall, but shorts and T-shirts are the fashion from late spring to early autumn.
Because of its proximity to the state capital of Raleigh and other educational institutions, Chapel Hill offers a stimulating menu of intellectual and cultural events, from art to music to drama. And sports fans can revel in Atlantic Coast Conference basketball and many other sports.
Chapel Hill has been enriched in recent years by the growth of Research Triangle Park, located twelve miles east of town. This state-sponsored research center has attracted a distinct population of scientists, engineers, and other professionals who add to the diversity of the area.
For more information on finding places to live, consult ILSSA's Housing Information for New Students or UNC's Department of Housing and Residential Education Web site.