Old East - History

History

The cornerstone of Old East was laid ceremoniously on October 12, 1793 by William Richardson Davie, who served as the governor of North Carolina from 1798 to 1799. The building was originally two stories tall and contained sixteen rooms. The design reflects the University trustees' vision of a quadrangle that ran north toward the town of Chapel Hill. Although the cost of construction is unknown, there are records from 1799 indicating that the University spent a total of $12,180 for work on Steward's Hall, Old East, Person Hall, and the President's House. After its construction, Old East functioned as both a classroom building and a dormitory; today it is exclusively a dormitory.

The contractor in charge of the construction of Old East was James Patterson of Chatham County. By 1804, the building needed significant repairs and was renovated with new doors, window sashes, ladders, and the roof was repainted. The third story was added to the building in 1823. Alexander Jackson Davis was hired by the University in 1844 to lengthen the building by a third and to create a new north entrance. The new rooms were used by the Philanthropic Society and also served as a library. Davis' other additions included large north-facing windows encased by brick panels and two brick porches on the east side of the building. Thomas Day, a skilled and respected African-American cabinetmaker, designed and built the interior woodwork in the society rooms. Old East remained the home of the Philanthropic Society until New East was completed in 1860.