FIRST PRESIDENT'S HOUSE (SITE)

The first President's House was built from 1794 to 1795 by Samuel Hopkins. It was one of UNC’s first buildings, and was located on Chapel Hill Lot 2. It was a wood-frame house purpose-built for the president of the University. It stood on Cameron Avenue at the western edge of the campus where Swain Hall is now located. Several university presidents and professors lived there, including David Ker and his wife Mary (from 1795 to 1796), James S. Gillaspie (in 1796), UNC's first President Joseph Caldwell (from 1796 to circa 1805), William Bingham, (circa 1805 to 1806), UNC's second President Robert Chapman (from 1812 to 1817), Elisha Mitchell (from 1818 until his death in 1857), Andrew D. Hepburn (circa 1860 to 1871), Joshua W. Gore ("who rearranged and beautified it") (circa 1882 to 1908), and lastly Andrew H. Patterson (circa 1908 to 1913).

Its use as the UNC president's house was discontinued when what became known as the second president's house (on Lot 19 on Franklin Street) was utilized by (in 1817) returning UNC President Joseph Caldwell as his official residence.

The house is said to have been dismantled and moved by local businessman Junius D. Webb to a lot west of campus (to 211 McCauley Street), but local newspapers state that it was demolished in September and October, 1913. So, likely only parts/pieces and/or sections of the house were moved/recycled and transformed into a more modern dwelling.

There were several outbuildings on the property, to include the dwellings of enslaved people. Most, if not all, of UNC's presidents and faculty members prior to April 1865 owned slaves. For instance, Elisha Mitchell enslaved numerous people over the years: In 1840 he enslaved 4 females and 14 males; in 1850 he enslaved 7 females (ages 8 to 70) and 13 males (ages 18 to 57).

There was also a small cemetery towards the rear of the property, utilized from circa 1829 to 1862, that was removed in 1961.

View north west, circa 1906 (photo by Collier Cobb, via UNC)

View north east, circa 1892 (via UNC)

Plans for the house, by Samuel Hopkins, 1794 (via UNC)

Excerpt of the 1797–1812 map “Plan of the Village at the University" (via UNC)

1911 Sanborn map excerpt; house is lower center

A sketch of the First President's House, by Hope Summerell Chamberlain, drawn in 1926 (13 years after it was demolished).