The Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had its beginnings in 1819, when Denison Olmsted was brought down from Yale University, probably through the influence of his friend and classmate Elisha Mitchell. The department was formally organized in the 1890s and has been consistently strong, especially after undergoing something of a renaissance under the leadership of Francis P. Venable (1856-1934). Carolina Chemists by Maurice Bursey offers an extremely detailed history of the department and its major figures. Additional information about the department can be found in the Records of Alpha Chi Sigma, Rho Chapter, the honorary chemistry fraternity at the university.
From the guide to the Department of Chemistry of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1956-1967, 1986-1987, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.)
