CHAPEL HILL -- Franklin Street is the heart of Chapel Hill, home to long-time traditions, and the place to go for restaurants, shopping, parades, protests and celebrations.

From the auction of the village lots in 1793, to the 2005 celebration of UNC's basketball championship, milestones in the town's history have taken place on our main thoroughfare.

Now the tale of the town's beloved thoroughfare has opened as a permanent exhibit at the Chapel Hill Museum, 523 E. Franklin St.

Stroll down a 1940s streetscape, photographed by Bayard Wooten, and experience Franklin Street then and now. Meet characters like "Papa D" Danziger, the Austrian refugee who brought Viennese candy, pastries and charm to Chapel Hill. Test your knowledge with a series of questions like the one here.

The images, the stories, and the voices of Chapel Hill come together to tell the story of the street and its colorful history: from the general stores to the protests to the flower ladies that have given Franklin Street its character.

The Chapel Hill Museum is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.