Old Well reopens at UNC for 1st sip of the year after accessibility renovations
The Old Well, a UNC-Chapel Hill landmark that’s closely tied to the university’s image and is steeped in campus lore, has reopened after renovations this summer to improve accessibility.
The iconic structure reopened in time for the first day of classes on Aug. 21. And it’s just in time for the long-held tradition of students taking a sip from the Old Well on the first day of each semester, with lore being that it ensures academic success — namely, a 4.0 GPA.
The renovations, which began May 30, added a sloped ramp leading up to the well’s drinking fountain from the paved bricks surrounding the structure, and lowered the drinking fountain.
The well’s fountain previously has only been accessible by using two steps.
The new ramp is made of granite that matches the existing base steps, and the steps will remain around most of the structure. The landscape surrounding the Old Well, including trees, will remain.
History of the Old Well
Renovations to the well mark one of a few major changes to the structure since the original well was constructed in 1795.
Originally covered by a wooden shelter, the well’s neoclassical design and rotunda date to 1897, when then-university president Edwin Alderman proposed a new design based on the Temple of Love at Versailles.
In 1954, that deteriorating structure was demolished, and the current Old Well — “a sturdier replica,” according to the university — was built in its place, using water supplied to the well’s fountain by the town of Chapel Hill.
Other changes to the well included the installation in 2001 of a valve to prevent the fountain from freezing during cold weather and repairs to three of the structure’s columns in 2019.
In recent years, the university had installed a temporary ramp to access the structure, including for important milestones in the academic year, such as the first day of classes and spring commencement. The ramp was left in place year round beginning in January 2022, while the university explored “a permanent solution,” Stephanie Berrier, UNC director of communications and marketing for finance and operations, told The News & Observer by email.
The well is also used as the image in the university’s official logo.
This story was originally published May 23, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Old Well reopens at UNC for 1st sip of the year after accessibility renovations."
