Franklin Street (Chapel Hill)


Franklin Street is a prominent thoroughfare in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Historic Franklin Street is considered the center of social life for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as the town of Chapel Hill.
It is home to numerous coffee shops, restaurants, museums, bookshops, music stores and bars. The street in downtown Chapel Hill is notable for its nightlife, culture, and regular festivities. The stretch of college-oriented businesses continues west into neighboring Carrboro, where the street's name changes to Main Street. Both streets are home to small music venues, like the Cat's Cradle and the Carrboro Arts Center, which were influential in the birth of Chapel Hill rock. UNC's Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, as well as the Ackland Art Museum are also located in this area.

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 intersects with U.S. Highway 15-501 before Durham. Over time, Chapel Hill and Carrboro have meshed together to form historically charming communities that offer a wide range of activities and cultural experiences to enjoy.

Heritage

Named after Benjamin Franklin by the commissioners of the University, the street has been in use under its current name since the 1790s, when construction of the University began. The stretch of Franklin from Columbia to Raleigh streets borders the campus, allowing views of wooded McCorkle Place. McCorkle Place is home to some of the school's oldest structures: Old East and Old West Dormitories, Person Hall, the South Building, and the Old Well.
Just east of campus along Franklin Street are several of Chapel Hill's historic homes, including the President's House, the Samuel Phillips House, Spencer House, Widow Puckett House, Hooper-Kyser House, the Presbyterian Manse, Kennette House, Archibald-Henderson House, and the town's first law office. Many of the homes are featured on an annual holiday tour that benefits the Chapel Hill Preservation Society. After playwright Paul Green won the Pulitzer Prize in 1927, he used his newfound wealth to buy a house on East Franklin Street. Green's career is documented in the exhibition "The Paul Green Legacy" at the Chapel Hill Museum, at 523 E. Franklin Street.
The original Chapel Hill High School was located on Franklin Street until, due to desegregation efforts of the mid-1960s, it was demolished in favor of the construction of a new high school across town. The site of the high school became what is currently Carolina Square shopping center. White Chapel Hill High School merged with the black Lincoln High School to form the new Chapel Hill High School.
Franklin Street has long been a popular destination for entertainment and nightlife for Carolina students, Chapel Hill locals and visitors from Carrboro, Hillsborough, Durham and Raleigh.
"Flower ladies" sold their goods on Franklin Street for more than 50 years from the 1920s on.

Historical businesses

Five businesses currently located on Franklin Street have been open for more than 50 years: Chapel Hill Tire Company, University Florist, Carolina Coffee Shop, Sutton's Drug Store, and Julian's clothing store.
Ramshead Rathskeller: This establishment served famous UNC alumni its signature lasagna from 1948, when it was opened by a Jewish Austrian by the name of Ted Danziger, who came to Chapel Hill as a refugee from the Holocaust. "The Rat" was the first restaurant in the area to employ an entirely African-American staff. A popular spot with students and alumni, the restaurant, which extends over a catacomb-like basement with many different rooms, was filled with UNC memorabilia and history. "The Rat" was one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Chapel Hill, but was sold and later closed down in 2008 due to non-payment of taxes by the new owners. Its decor and memorabilia were auctioned off, leaving just the bones of the structure. The future of its unique location is unknown. Customers included Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse and Roy Williams.
Franklin Street is home to several yearly festivals/gatherings, some of which are nationally famous:
In the 1970s, hippies with street carts on Franklin Street were outselling businesses with storefronts, which led to business complaints and the Chapel Hill Town Council banning street vendors. The council first tried to block sidewalk sales of everything but flowers, but when the street vendors found ways around the rule, the council blocked all street vendors from Franklin Street. As of 2009, the town council is considering allowing street vendors again, although some business owners do not want street vending to be legalized due to the competition.
Franklin Street had problems in 2007 with an increased amount of loitering and panhandling, which was attributed to an increasing homeless population in Chapel Hill and the nearby location of a homeless shelter. 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.