Preservation Chapel Hill

05/29/2026

05/20/2026

Membership Month www.preservationchapelhill.org or call 919-942-7818

05/20/2026

The Coker-Venable House
609 North Street

Named for botany professor William Chambers Coker, this “Prairie Style”house was sensitively renovated with input from covenant-holder
Preservation North Carolina. Although the exterior renovations blend well with the house, the renovations to the foundation and mechanical systems are equally impressive.

Professor William Chambers Coker and his wife, Louise, daughter of university president Francis P Venable, purchased 65 acres north of the village and built their modified prairie style house in 1908.

The Cokers named the house “The Rocks” for a prominent cluster of rocks facing North Street. The rocky area is preserved for public access and contemplation.

The Coker Hills neighborhood was named for Professor Coker, a well known botanist. This property is recognized because of its exceptionally sensitive renovation and preservation of Professor Coker’s legacy.

This property has been awarded a special Preservation Award by Preservation Chapel Hill during Preservation Month 2026.

05/20/2026

Why Become a Member of Preservation Chapel Hill at the Horace Williams House you ask?

Protect Historic Places • Celebrate Local History • Support Community Preservation • Connect With Others Who Love Chapel Hill

05/18/2026

The UNC Study Center -203 Battle Lane

Several years in process, this exceptional historic renovation is both visually compelling as highly functional. Judge William Horn Battle built this structure around 1843 on a site east of the University. The imposing two-story house was originally five bays wide with six over six windows and interior end chimneys. Judge Battle shared a
law office with Samuel Field Phillips located at 401 E. Franklin Street and, along with Phillips, helped to establish the UNC Law School. The judge’s son Kemp Plummer Battle, lived here from 1876-1891 and enlarged the original house by adding flanking wings. The Battle House, also known as Senlac, is listed due to a thorough and historically appropriate upgrade and expansion by the new owner, the UNC Study Center, which was awarded a special Preservation Achievement Award by Preservation Chapel Hill during Preservation Month, 2025.

05/17/2026

Large Scale Historic Renovations

*203 Battle Lane, “Senlac”, The UNC Study Center
*609 North Street, The Coker-Venable House
*610 North Street/211 Glenburie Street, Stacy-Bell House
*412 W. Cameron Avenue, The Mason-Lloyd-Wiley House

These four important historic properties in our community have undergone extensive and thorough renovations.

These projects were renovated “from bottom-up” meaning that a substantial part of the renovation has been
infrastructure.

Exterior additions also took place and were executed thoughtfully blending in with the original character and style of the structure.

In one property it was the addition of a bedroom wing. In another it was the addition of a wing that gave the property aesthetic balance while adding
functionality. The other two were returned to single family ownership from multiple occupants.

05/17/2026

Sorry we will be closed Friday May 29th for an event. Thank you so much!