Pettigrew Hall

Pettigrew Hall

Pettigrew Hall, part of the three-part Battle-Vance-Pettigrew building, opened in 1912 as a dormitory. Built on northwest corner of McCorkle Place on Franklin Street, the modern dorm featured steam heat, water, and shower baths on every floor. The building served as a dorm until the late 1960s, when it was converted to office space, used most recently by the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. The building is named for alumnus and Civil War general James Johnston Pettigrew. Valedictorian of the class of 1847, Pettigrew was one of the most acclaimed students of his generation. After graduation he traveled, wrote, and practiced law in South Carolina. Initially a reluctant secessionist, he eventually joined the South Carolina militia and was appointed to lead a North Carolina regiment in the Civil War. He rose to the rank of brigadier general, was wounded in battle multiple times, and eventually died from wounds suffered while leading his regiment in the ill-fated Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Date Established: 1912

Date Range: 1912 – Present

Battle-Vance-Pettigrew building, ca. 1920s. Pettigrew Hall is on the left. UNC Image Collection, North Carolina Collection Photo Archives, Wilson Library.