Emerson Field

Emerson Field

Emerson Field was completed in 1916 and used as the university's main athletic field for football, baseball, and track. It was named in honor of alumnus Isaac Emerson (class of 1879), who donated funds for the field. Emerson, who studied chemistry at UNC, made a fortune when he invented and sold a new headache remedy called Bromo-Seltzer. Emerson Field was hailed as a state-of-the-art athletic facility when it was opened, boasting concrete bleachers holding up to 3,000 spectators, modern locker rooms, and a cinder running track. The football team quickly outgrew the field, moving to Kenan Stadium in 1927, and track events moved to Fetzer Field in 1935, but the baseball team remained at Emerson through 1965, leaving in time for the field to be cleared in 1967 for a major construction project. The field was located along Raleigh Street at the current site of the Graham Student Union and Davis Library.

Date Established: 1916

Date Range: 1916 – 1967