Strolling the Streets of Chapel Hill, North Carolina

As part of the important Triangle Region of North Carolina, Chapel Hill's history predates most of American history. Indeed, the nation's first public university - The University of North Carolina - is situated in the town and shapes much of the town's culture, liberal mannerisms, and populace. A trip to Chapel Hill is a must for those who visit the Raleigh-Durham area and a little walking tour can reveal much about Chapel Hill's flavor.

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Like so many college towns, Chapel Hill is the University of North Carolina. As the town's largest employer, UNC's influence permeates the town. Indeed without UNC, Chapel Hill would probably not exist. Still, nearly 50,000 residents call Chapel Hill home and it, along with the neighboring town of Carrboro, offer much to visitors.

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College basketball fans know UNC because of its men's basketball team which recently won the college national basketball championship. With a very good women's team on hand as well, UNC's basketball programs are considered to be among the top programs in the nation. Still, interest in sports isn't for everyone and Chapel Hill goes well beyond the sports amenities extolled by the university.

Strolling down the streets of UNC reveals all that the town has to offer: a haven for artists, a home for improvisational comedians, the requisite coffee bars, health food stores, eateries, live music performances, colorful murals, and more. Festivals in the spring and fall bring in tens of thousands of people to the downtown area, but on campus activities easily dwarf what regularly goes on in the business district.

Founded in 1792, UNC has an onsite planetarium that was built in the late 1940s. It has been used by some NASA astronauts as part of their training for various missions. The planetarium is open to the public and it, along with the universities 16 libraries, is a popular place to visit. Beyond that, there are enough student run shows and events to keep the Chapel Hill visitor busy even outside of basketball season.

The best times of the year to walk the streets of Chapel Hill are in the Spring and in the Fall. Summer heat and winter cold tend to limit the outdoor activities, but the town thrives year round nevertheless. Yes, the requisite color in town is "Carolina Blue" so get used to the Tarheel way of life when visiting historic Chapel Hill, the home of the prestigious University of North Carolina.

Strolling the Streets of Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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All About Chapel Hill, NC

Chapel Hill may be small, but it's certainly mighty. As part of the Durham-Raleigh-Chapel Hill Research Triangle, Chapel Hill is home to the University of North Carolina, a large research industry, and a populace focused on education and culture.

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As a college town and part of a region that has the highest number of Ph.D-holders per capita in the country, Capitol Hill is both educated and fairly liberal. The small town of just over 50,000 makes public education a top priority and is widely known for the high quality of its school system, with East Chapel Hill High and Chapel Hill High both recently ranking amongst Newsweek magazine's top 100 schools in the country.

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Along with its neighbor town, Carrboro, Chapel Hill also has a vibrant cultural and music scene. The town is home to record labels like Merge Records (The Arcade Fire) and Yep Roc (Billy Brag) alongside popular artists like James Taylor and Ben Folds, who began his career in the small but bustling city.

Overall, the city is known for a friendly attitude, great restaurants, an abundance of coffee shops and independent retailers along with a fantastic spirit that exudes itself from the myriad of murals throughout the city to events like its massively popular and somewhat quirky annual Halloween street party. The smallest of the three Research Triangle cities, Chapel Hill does its best to stand out.

Basic Chapel Hill Demographic Stats:*

*based on 2000 census

Population: 48, 715

Racial Make-up: White (77.95%), Black or African American (11.42%), Asian (7.18%), Pacific Islander (1.16%), Hispanic or Latino (3.21%) Native American (0.42%), and just over 3% reporting from other or a mixed background.

Median Income: Household - , 410. Family - , 200.

Median Age: 24

Home Ownership Rate: 42.9%

Crime: Violent crime rate (as reported by the FBI in 2003): 4 per 1,000. Number of homicides and murders: 0.

All About Chapel Hill, NC

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