Chapel Hill Historical Society

08/27/2026

We had a "standing-room-only crowd" for our book launch event at Flyleaf Books on Tuesday, August 25 for "Clipped Wings: The Story of Horace Williams Airport." We heard author Daniel Schwartz talk about the history of Chapel Hill's airport from its barnstorming days in the 1920s to its controversial closing in 2018, and his personal reminiscences about the airport that led to his becoming a professional pilot. You can purchase copies of "Clipped Wings" from Flyleaf Books, or from our online bookstore at https://chhs-books-online.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/clipped-wings-the-story-of-horace-williams-airport

08/05/2026

Bill Spransy shares a Chapel Hill memory from 1960:

"In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina
Can't you see the sunshine?
Now, can't you just feel the moonshine?
And ain't it just like a friend of mine
To hit me from behind?
Yes, I'm gone to Carolina in my mind….”

It was a typical early June day, full of promise and sunshine when the six of us, Bland Simpson, Mark Phialas, George Penick, Dave Harrison, Charlie Flowers and I shared a booth in the Rathskeller’s Subway Room for lunch. Bland’s uncle, who was the manager of Ledbetter Pickard, the stationary store sitting atop the Rat, had graciously arranged for us to get together to celebrate the previous days ending of the 1960 school year and our matriculation from Glenwood to the seventh grade at the junior high school (the site go Granville East these days).

Finishing lunch we exited the Rat and half of us headed down the parking lot and the other half of us headed up Amber Alley to the steel stairs leading up to Franklin Street. Aa we reached the top of the stairs, we each began to head our own ways when I spotted two of our former former classmates weaving in and out of the foot traffic chasing one another with water guns. In front was Danny Decker, who was a class ahead of us and five yards behind Danny ran my pal, James Taylor. The year before, James and I found ourselves in the same classroom and developed a really nice friendship. I'd found him engagingly friendly, funny and casually brilliant in everything he did and I was funny and friendly , so we hit it off quite well.

I’m not exactly sure why but when he came racing by I turned toward him and ‘slugged” him in his right shoulder. It was a thing between guys of our certain age to “greet” one another by hitting each other in the arm and I was just carrying forward my part of that social contract. Apparently I had consumed more than my legal limit of Coca~Cola at lunch, because I hit him hard enough for him to stop chasing Danny, spin around and loudly exclaim “BILL!" before turning and begin chasing Danny up the second flight of the 4th Amber Alley staircase.

We didn’t see each other the rest of that Summer and really each other except to say “Hi” when we passed in the school hallways. And we both sort of forgot about, or so I thought, it until 8 years later when I listened to “Carolina On My Mind” for the first time. I must say I was floored my pal had remembered that hit enough to include it in his hit song and the images from that day at the intersection of Franklin and Amber Alley came flooding back.

08/01/2026

Planning begins on Carolina North project...

A group of key stakeholders at UNC Chapel Hill on Monday toured the site of what is set to be a major expansion project for the university.

07/26/2026

The Chapel Hill Historical Society announces the publication of author Daniel Schwartz's book, "Clipped Wings: The Story of Horace Williams Airport. Join us at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, August 25, at Flyleaf Books for a book signing and presentation on the history of Chapel Hill's former airport!

On May 15, 2018, just days short of its ninetieth anniversary as an airfield, Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. was officially closed by its owner, the University of North Carolina. Since its beginning as a barnstorming airfield run by local airplane enthusiast Charley Martindale in the 1920s, the airport had served as a training field for World War II pilots, a dedicated transport facility for the university's Medical School, and a conveniently located airport for local small aircraft pilots.

UNC graduate and professional pilot Daniel Schwartz combines a detailed history of the airport with a personal memoir of his experiences there as a student pilot. He vividly describes the controversies and conflicts that arose with the university and the town of Chapel Hill as aircraft technology evolved from biplanes to jets and helicopters. While there were accidents and complaints about noise levels at the airport that was once described as the "illegitimate offspring" of the town and the university, many lives were saved by the airport's medical transport capabilities. Schwartz includes interviews with many of the personalities associated with the airport over the years. Their reminiscences lend color and depth to the story of the "little airport that could."

On May 15, 2018, just days short of its ninetieth anniversary as an airfield, Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. was officially closed by its owner, the University of North Carolina. Since its beginning as a barnstorming airfield run by local airplane enthusiast Charley Martinda...

07/23/2026

Calling all history-lovers and fashionistas!

THIS SUNDAY ‼️ the Burwell School Historical Site welcomes you to a special “sew and tell.”

Get crafty✂️🪡while our volunteer, Susan, weaves a tale of petticoats, parasols and privilege in the Old South.

07/23/2026

We've all heard the story of Cornwallis paving the streets of Hillsborough during this occupation of Hillsborough, but how true is that story? Check out this week's What Happened? article in the News of Orange to find out what our research has uncovered about the history of the paving of Hillsborough's streets.
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07/23/2026

In the early 1920s, brilliant minds like Arthur Harrison designed landmarks that defined city skylines across the country, yet systemic barriers meant their names were left off the dedication plaques. Uncovering these hidden blueprints isn't just about looking at old buildings—it's about reclaiming the intellectual genius that built our modern world from the shadows.

07/23/2026

𝙀𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩! Each week we will be highlighting one of the incredible Orange County residents featured in our current special exhibit "United We Stand." This week we are highlighting Tiffany Graham Barber, Pharmacy Manager/Owner of Hillsborough Pharmacy.

Barber’s first job was with the pharmacy of a local grocery chain. But, she knew that she wanted to own her own pharmacy, “To provide care the way that I was trained to – the way it should be without corporate constraints.” Her training had been based on the tenet that patients’ needs superseded all other concerns. She did not want to prioritize metrics. Good fortune came her way in 2011, when she received a call from the pharmacist/owner at Hillsborough Pharmacy about a routine prescription transfer. While the two were talking, the owner indicated that he would like to sell his interest in the partnership. The offer aligned perfectly with Barber’s goals and situation. She purchased the pharmacy and has been the manager and owner for almost 15 years.

Because Hillsborough Pharmacy is an independent community pharmacy, Barber offers individualized programs to ensure customers have access to the medications they need, that they are taking their medicines properly and on schedule, and that they can afford the treatments. Often, these services require her to act as an intermediary with insurance companies. A top priority for her has been a robust immunization program. She said, “I want people To be healthy. We are a fast-paced society but we cannot allow that to interfere with care.”

To learn more about Tiffany and the other individuals featured in this exhibit, please visit the museum to view the "United We Stand Exhibit" and make sure to pick up a free exhibit catalogue.
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07/23/2026

The USS Underwriter Raid, the first Civil War exhibit on MosaicNC, was published today! On February 2, 1864, Commander John Taylor Wood led about 230 Confederate naval men and officers in a daring raid off the coast of New Bern, North Carolina, targeting the USS Underwriter. In a swift assault featuring hand-to-hand combat, heavy gunfire, and the swinging of cutlasses, Wood’s men captured the vessel and took many U.S. sailors prisoner. Although the complementary Confederate army effort failed, the Underwriter was burned and the raid was praised for its boldness. Learn more at https://mosaicnc.org/underwriter