W.W. Pickard ran the Chapel Hill Hotel for 16 years, causing many people to refer to it as ‘Pickard’s Hotel.’ This led to name confusion for some time after Pickard built his own hotel across the street and named it The Pickard Hotel after the university bought the Chapel Hill Hotel in 1907 and renamed it the University Inn. Known as a ‘good gathering place to watch the life of the village go by.’ The Pickard Hotel gained popularity after the University Inn burned down in November 1921. Famous guests that stayed at The Pickard Hotel included Thomas Wolfe and Harry Houdini.

What else was important to Franklin Street’s history? Find out when the Chapel Hill Museum’s permanent exhibit on the history of Franklin Street opens in October. Because the story of Franklin Street is the story of a community, the museum welcomes all financial contributions and loans of photos, documents and artifacts to help chronicle its history. Call 967-1400 to loan or donate and be a part of history.