Nestled at the prominent northeast corner of East Franklin and Hillsborough Streets in Chapel Hill stands a unique building with a rich history: the Samuel Fields Phillips Law Office. This one-story structure, dating back to 1843, offers a glimpse into the town’s early days and its significant figures.
The building’s architecture is distinctive, characterized by its side-gabled design and stuccoed brick exterior. Pedimented gables and stucco-covered buttresses at the corners add to its visual appeal. Six-over-six, wood-sash windows punctuate the walls, while an interior stuccoed chimney hints at its age. The façade features two two-panel wood doors, sheltered by a front-gabled porch. This porch is supported by stucco-covered, L-shaped piers, topped with a stepped parapet that cleverly conceals the gable roofline. A later addition, built after 1949, extends from the rear, seamlessly matching the original building’s style with its gabled roof, inset design, and pilaster-separated bays. Arched surrounds frame the six-over-six windows on the west and north elevations of the addition, and paired one-light French doors on the east elevation. A low stone wall gracefully borders the front and left sides of the property, adding to its historic streetscape presence on East Franklin Street.
Originally constructed in 1843 for Samuel Field Phillips, the building served its initial purpose as a law office. Its historical significance extends beyond architecture, playing a pivotal role in Chapel Hill’s early educational landscape. In 1847, Phillips repurposed the structure as a preparatory school for boys. Further solidifying its academic legacy, William Horn Battle utilized the building for classes of the University of North Carolina’s first law school. This makes it not only Chapel Hill’s first law office but also a place shared by two of the town’s most influential early residents: Samuel Phillips and William Battle.
Today, the Samuel Fields Phillips Law Office building, located on East Franklin Street, is recognized for its historical contribution. As noted in a 2015 survey, it is designated as a Contributing Building within the Chapel Hill Historic District. Its enduring presence on East Franklin Street serves as a reminder of Chapel Hill’s rich past, from its early legal and educational foundations to its present-day vibrant community.
Source: Heather Wagner Slane, National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Chapel Hill Historic District Boundary Increase and Additional Documentation, Orange County, OR1750 (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, 2015).
