[Chapel Hill]

jessedeconto — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:08:25 -0400

Chapel Hill, home of the state’s flagship university, has nearly 50,000 residents, half of them students at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Nicknamed the “Southern Part of Heaven” for its leafy setting, mild weather and tolerant attitude, Chapel Hill is most famous for Carolina basketball.

What are the local attractions?

The UNC Tar Heels play basketball at the Dean E. Smith Center, named for the university’s legendary coach. Residents and visitors can enjoy the foliage at the N.C. Botanical Garden, the Coker Arboretum, Battle Park and the Carolina North-Horace Williams trails. Chapel Hill, with neighboring Carrboro, offers a vibrant arts scene, including venues such as UNC's Memorial Hall and Ackland Art Museum, along with the Cat's Cradle rock club. One of America’s biggest annual Halloween parties -- like the occasional national basketball championship -- draw tens of thousands to tree-lined Franklin Street.

What's the history?

Though the town was not incorporated until 1851, the first building lots were sold on October 12, 1793, the same day the cornerstone was laid for the first UNC building, making it the oldest public university in the United States. With the town about 500 feet above sea level, the town is named for an Anglican church, New Hope Chapel, which sat at the intersection of what are now Columbia Street and Cameron Avenue. New Hope Chapel Hill, still among the highest points in a growing town, is now the location of the Carolina Inn, a historic hotel on the university campus.

Who runs the town?

The largest town in Orange County, Chapel Hill has a nine-member Town Council, including a mayor and a mayor pro tem. The council sets policy, and the Town Manager oversees day-to-day operations. Town leaders consider Franklin Street the jewel of Chapel Hill, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitor's Bureau all work to improve downtown's business climate.

Several groups help to keep citizens engaged in local politics, such as Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth, the Sierra Club's Orange-Chatham Group, and Students United for a Responsible Global Environment. Active citizens debate local issues online at Orange Politics, Squeeze the Pulp and Orange Chat.

Who lives here?

The median age in Chapel Hill was 24 as of the 2000 census. The racial breakdown is 77.9 percent white, 11.4 percent black, and 7.2 percent Asian. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 3.2 percent of the population. Bachelors degrees or higher are held by 73.7 percent of the population over 25.

What about public safety?

Police services are provided by the Chapel Hill Police Department. Here are the crime statistics for 2006 (source: SBI):

Murder: 2

Rape : 24

Robbery: 81

Aggravated Assault: 146

Burglary: 528

Larcenies: 1,609

Motor Vehicle Theft: 74

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[Chapel Hill]