The Carolina Inn Blog

Years later, as the parent of high school students, I traveled to visit colleges across the United States. I came home, time after time, grateful that in Chapel Hill and for our University, we have a beautiful and treasured place to stay right on campus.

It’s really no surprise that The Carolina Inn is called “the University’s living room.”  Meetings, memorial services, weddings, celebrations, fundraisers, reunions, seminars and more happen at the Inn on a daily basis.

We have the experience and vision of John Sprunt Hill, UNC Class of 1889, and an extraordinary convergence of events to thank for the creation of The Carolina Inn.

• During Hill’s college years, the first Carolina football game was played in 1888 against Wake Forest. Our biggest rival in those early years was the University of Virginia. Trainloads of alumni and supporters started filling the town on football Saturdays. Townsfolk festooned porch railings in their houses along Franklin Street with blue and white bunting for the football weekend.  Hotel rooms in town were scarce.

• In 1889, to coincide with Hill’s graduation festivities, the University organized an invitation to alumni to return to campus for the Centennial Celebration.

• On University business in 1921, Hill spent the night at the Eagle Hotel (where Graham Memorial is now). He couldn’t sleep that night, as luck would have it.  Supposedly, the racket of rats rustling in the corner of his room was the final straw. He dressed and walked out into the night across campus. A full moon lit the way. He stopped at Mrs. Graves Boarding House, on the corner of Cameron and (now known as) South Columbia Street.

Hill bought Mrs. Graves’ house. He hired Arthur Nash, the architect developing Polk Place, to design The Carolina Inn to blend into the style of the campus. Nash’s design for the Inn was inspired by Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home.

Hill and his family gave The Carolina Inn to the University in 1935 with the stipulation that profits go to the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library, which continues today. An engraved brass plaque from 1941 now hangs at the front desk of The Carolina Inn: “This generous gift affords a cheerful inn for visitors, a town hall for the state and a home for returning sons and daughters of alma mater.”

Historian Kenneth Zogry writes in his book, The University’s Living Room: A History of the Carolina Inn, “…the story of this place is complex; sometimes joyful and sometimes sorrowful, sometimes proud and sometimes embarrassing. But these contradictions are just what make the place, and its history, so compelling.”

Oh my, if the Inn’s walls could talk! And, now, they almost do. Have you walked the halls lately? History has indeed been brought to life in photos and memorabilia, all lining the halls. Peek inside the new gym for guests. Of course, a guest can change the wrap on the punching bag to, shall we say, “neighboring schools.” This is Chapel Hill, after all!  

“Fridays on the Front Porch,” gets into full swing in the month of May. Every Friday, 5 pm – 9 pm, a live bluegrass band plays on the front lawn of the Inn, with food and drinks available. Most special of all is the mix of folks sittin’ and enjoying the music, the start of the weekend, and each other. A true experience of this Southern Part of Heaven. See you there!

http://www.chapelhillmagazine.com/blogs/chapel-hill-magazine-blog/renovating-the-universitys-living-room

1) The Preserve - A Davis Love III Signature Golf Facility
2) Room 180 in The Carolina Inn, AAA Four Diamond Hotel built in 1924
3) Gene Fones, the affable General Manager of The Preserve Golf Club
4) Tasting North Carolina Wine made primarily from Muscadine Grapes and Vinifera grapes (there are now 76 wineries in North Carolina)
5) Walking Franklin Street, the main street in Chapel Hill - full of boutiques, restaurants & students

To read the full list, click here.

The event highlighted an eight minute film of Governor  Terry Sanford calling for racial equality in a 1963 speech in The Carolina Inn’s Old Well Room. Click here to view and download the speech.

Guests were also treated to a discussion with the authors moderated by William Friday followed by a book signing with the authors. Historical 1960s photography by North Carolina photographer Billy Barnes was displayed in the Alumni Room.

"Chapel Hill is home to the University of North Carolina, part of the world-famous Research Triangle. It attracts residents who enjoy a healthy lifestyle, cultural and historic attractions, and an intellectual environment. The area is home to one of the most educated populations in the U.S., as reflected by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' three high schools, four middle schools and 10 elementary schools. The district has the state's highest average SAT score. And more than 90% of students go on to college."

By BusinessWeek
To view BusinessWeek's current issue click here.

Been to Chapel Hill yet?  Tell us about your fall getaway in "The Southern Part of Heaven."  What were the perks?  What were your favorite spots in town?  We want to hear all about it!

“There are notable distinctions between college towns and other American cities. In the student-centric spots, bicycles seem to outnumber cars. Affordable restaurants serve up authentic cuisines from all around the world. The streets are densely packed with businesses, making for a highly pedestrian-friendly environment. Nature is usually accentuated: the shimmering Lake Champlain, back dropped by a saw tooth silhouette of peaks, forms the western edge of Burlington. Madison, WI, is situated on an isthmus between two lakes that draw hordes of hikers and bikers. Boulder, CO, is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream.

And don’t forget the bars. Each of these locales offers plenty of opportunities for imbibing, many of them ideal for both people-watching and soaking in the scenery. It’s hard to beat sunset cocktails at Austin’s Oasis, where tiered decks jut from a 450-foot-high cliff over Lake Travis.

These attractions are mainly geared toward the students, naturally, but they can be readily enjoyed by those with no homework assignments or college connections. After all, few sports experiences can top the rafter-shaking raucousness in Chapel Hill, NC, during a Tar Heels basketball game. Many schools benefit from world-class art collections in glittering facilities designed by marquee architects; Chapel Hill’s Ackland Art Museum, featuring a wing by Polshek Partnership, tempts visitors with Warhols, Titians, and Dalís in a way that many university-less cities cannot.”

From September 2009 By C. J. Hughes Travel & Leisure

Bluegrass Comes to Carolina Inn on Fridays
by Lucie Shelly
Friday, September 4, 2009 

When Fridays on the Front Porch began at the Carolina Inn in 2003, the free event quickly garnered popularity among bluegrass enthusiasts and those looking for outdoor summer music.

This season looks to be no exception, as the crowd is bigger than ever, said Laurence Bézy, marketing manager for the Carolina Inn.

With the advent of the 2009 football season, organizers have decided to continue Tailgate Party on the Front Porch, an event they began last year.

The tailgate program also features live music just as Fridays on the Front Porch does. But it takes place on home game days and begins three hours prior to each football game.

Both events offer food and beverages for purchase from the bar.

“If you like Fridays on the Front Porch, you will definitely like it,” Bezy said of the tailgate series.

The performances this season will feature mostly recognizable local bands, such as Big Fat Gap and the Gravy Boys.

The organizers also are looking to introduce a few new groups.

“Most of the bands are local, but we have two new bands from the Asheville area,” Bézy said.

But for regulars of the event who have picked their favorites, don’t fear: they will return.

“The ones that come back every year are the local bands, and they will be back again for this season,” she said.

Local favorites the Gravy Boys will perform at Saturday’s tailgate.

The band has been a staple at the Carolina Inn for the past two years.

Steve Celestini, the lead vocalist, said the series is one of the group’s absolute favorite events to play.

“From the three-year-olds kickin’ up dirt and dancing to college kids and local folks with a few years on them — it’s a great atmosphere,” he said.

Celestini described the music of the Gravy Boys as “acoustic Americana.”

With bluegrass infusions, twangs of country and covers of musicians such as Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, the Gravy Boys cater to a variety of tastes.

“We take a lot of pride in our crowd rapport and engaging in what the fans call shenanigans,” he said.

Today’s show will feature event-regulars Big Fat Gap, who play strictly Carolina bluegrass.

Lead singer Miles Andrews said that in recent years the concerts have become packed events.

“It’s such a great venue with a large lawn where you can sit up close for the music or hang around the back for socializing and soak it in,” he said.

If you go:

Fridays on the Front Porch: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays through Oct. 9.

Tailgate Party on the Front Porch: Saturdays of home football games, 3 hours before kickoff.

Click here for a link to the article.

The Triangle Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives, NACE, held its monthly gathering at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill Tuesday. This was a particularly special occasion as the Triangle chapter members recently returned from the national meeting of the organization, bringing home the Chapter of the Year Award.

NACE is the oldest and largest professional organization that encompasses all aspects of the catering industry. The NACE gathering on Tuesday was centered in the Old Wing of the hotel.

"Summertime at the Carolina Inn" was made up of four rooms styled and presented by members of the organization. One room featured a seven-layer wedding cake at its center anchored by decorations in each corner. The second room was designed more like a social gathering and featured a popcorn maker, a pool table and Dave Brown of Coastal Cigars making fresh cigars on the spot.

The main ballroom, where the meeting was held, prominently displayed colorful daybeds, a stage, two food stations and two bars. The final room, called the Ice Room, was put together by Sugarland bakery, and featured a gelato bar and a martini bar. Doc and Katrina Ryan, owners of Sugarland, served up samples of the chilled desserts.

The event was not all about food and style, though. Amy Greene, the special events coordinator for Spice Street Restaurant and active NACE member, was busy selling raffle tickets to benefit the organization's fundraising efforts. Suzanne Pesta stopped by the table to support the effort.

Each year, the Triangle chapter sponsors a community service fundraiser to benefit the Interfaith Food Shuttle's Backpack Buddies. Proceeds from the raffle, which included two tickets to see David Copperfield at the Durham Performing Arts Center, and a hot air balloon ride for two, will benefit the Backpack Buddies program. The drawing will be held next month.

At the beginning of the program, Triangle NACE President Mark Day addressed the crowd briefly before other members of the group made remarks. The program was short and then it was on to the music, provided by Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos.

Brooke Fork and Alli Eidenmiller took in the music and fun together. Eidenmiller, who owns Sweet Memories Bakery, came to the event as a guest. Fork, on the other hand, is a new member of the organization, joining just two weeks earlier. Fork spoke highly of the group, stating it was a great organization.

Next up for the Triangle Chapter of NACE is its annual Top of the Table Design Challenge, which will be held Sept. 22 at Bay 7 on the campus of the American Tobacco Historic District.