Howell Hall

Completed in 1906 to house the Department of Chemistry (which had been in Person Hall), this building was the first on campus to be funded by a direct appropriation from the state. When the chemistry department moved to Venable Hall in 1925, the building, which had been known as the Chemistry Buildi...

Cake Race

In the 1920s students began an annual tradition of running a cross-country race around the campus, with the winners receiving a cake. There were apparently many participants and many opportunities to win: for the 1923 race, the "ladies of Chapel Hill" prepared 100 cakes for the runners. Cake...

Pit preachers

The promise of a ready audience and a tolerance for free speech on campus has long made the Pit a popular location for preaching. The "pit preachers" are usually evangelical Christians seeking to educate, chastise, or convert passing students. Many are noted for their fiery rhetoric, not to ...

Area Health Education Centers

In 1972 the UNC School of Medicine received federal funding to open Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) as part of an effort to improve health care across North Carolina by providing training and access to information for health care providers in rural areas. In 1974 the program was expanded with s...