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The hip, villagey atmosphere of CHAPEL HILL , on the southwest outskirts of Durham, has benefited from the rise to national prominence of such local bands as Superchunk, Archers of Loaf and Ben Folds Five. It's also the hometown of James "Carolina on My Mind" Taylor. About fifty percent of the 45,000 population are students, and its position as a bastion of white liberalism in a poor rural state brings the town its detractors; that said, it's a pleasant enough place to hang out for a while, joining the hordes of students in the laid-back bars and coffeehouses along Franklin Street , which fringes the north side of campus. Franklin continues west into the adjacent city of Carrboro , though there's very little to distinguish the transition.

The University of North Carolina , dating from 1789, was the nation's first state university and holds some fine eighteenth-century buildings. The earliest is Old East , its original brick painted a fashionable tan in the 1840s. Evidence of the university's wealth can be seen at the splendid Morehead Planetarium , East Franklin Street (star shows $4.50, surrounding exhibits free; tel 919/549-1236), which serves as a NASA training center, and at the Ackland Art Museum , South Columbia and Franklin streets (Wed-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; free; tel 919/966-5736), which is strong on Greek and Roman antiquities. The UNC visitor center (tel 919/962-1630) is in the west lobby of the Planetarium, and they lend out Walkmans that allow you to do a self-guided tour of the campus.