The Old Well isn’t doing so well. But repair effort aims to get landmark back in shape.
Visitors to the UNC campus hoping to snap iconic springtime selfies at the Old Well may be disappointed, as work begins this week to make repairs to the popular landmark.
Crews were set to begin Thursday installing a safety fence around the Old Well, the university announced this week, making the pillared structure temporarily inaccessible.
According to a news release from UNC’s Facilities Services, workers will then erect scaffolding to support the structure so they can repair three of its columns. The project will include replacing white pine used in the construction with longer-lasting red mahogany.
The work is expected to take two to three weeks, depending on the weather.
The well was built in 1795 to provide water for the campus. The original wooden shelter over the well was replaced with a neoclassical rotunda in 1897, the university says, and that structure was replaced in 1954 with one more stout. That’s the rotunda that stands today and is a destination for parents and alumni visiting campus.
This story was originally published March 7, 2019 at 12:31 PM with the headline "The Old Well isn’t doing so well. But repair effort aims to get landmark back in shape.."
