Moore Square is often seen as a gathering + recreation place for Raleighites. If you head over to the downtown spot now, you might see a market of local vendors or locals watching a movie on the lawn. If you walked past the square ~160 years ago, you might discover that Moore Square served as sleeping quarters for Union soldiers after the Civil War.
Moore Square has been central to the Raleigh community for 225+ years. In 1792, William Christmas was sent to Raleigh to survey the area for the new state capital. In Christmas’ plan for the city, Moore Square was one of four designated areas for public use. Today, only Moore Square and Nash Square remain.
The square was named after Alfred E. Moore, former NC Attorney General. Moore also helped found the nation’s first public university, UNC Chapel Hill, and served on the board of trustees from the school’s establishment in 1789 until 1807.
The square was also the site of Eastern Ward school, currently known as Baptist Grove Church. The school was built in the 1840s + operated until around 1861 when the Civil War began. Union soldiers settled on Moore Square and remained there from 1865 to 1871.
The landscape of Moore Square has changed drastically over time. In 2017, Moore Square temporarily closed for renovations + reopened in 2019 with a fresh look and new features, including a splash pad for kids, two lawn areas, and 30-foot-wide sidewalks on the south edge of the park near the Moore Square Market.
Want more of Moore Square? Stop by Moore Square’s visitor center at 226 E. Martin St. and explore the exhibit detailing the historic significance + the surrounding district.
