Many universities claim to be the oldest in the nation. One of them is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Its claim is not without merit ? it was built in 1789. One of the first buildings to be constructed in this public university was Old East. Its construction was finished in 1793. It previously served both as classroom and as dormitory.

Done in an Italianate architectural style, Old East stands in the UNC campus grounds in front of the Old Well, a water fountain that is also one of the oldest buildings in the campus. It also serves as a popular university symbol. At present, Old East is functioning exclusively as a dormitory. In 1877, then-Governor of North Carolina Zebulon Vance declared the Old East?s anniversary as University Day. Old East was added to the National Register of Historic Place on October 15, 1966.