Top 15 Oldest University Campuses in the United States

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Top 15 Oldest and Most Beautiful College Campuses in the US

Many lists have been compiled to determine which U.S. campuses are considered the most aesthetically pleasing. After a thorough period of polling and investigating, Knowinsiders.com has compiled a list of the 15 oldest and most aesthetically pleasing college campuses in the United States.

Students from all over the world, including those from the United States, have been drawn to the historical charm of these universities for decades. Historic significance can be found in everything from the buildings and trees to the public amenities and even the moss on the ground.

1. The College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary - Photo: 13newsnow

Established: 1693

The College of William and Mary is the oldest university in the American South and the first institution of higher learning in the US to implement an honor code of conduct for students. It is named after the British co-monarchs who were in power at the time and granted the university its royal charter, the first for any university in the US.

The college, which is ranked 601-650 globally, is also among the top 450 institutions in the world for the arts and humanities. Three US presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, received an education there.

2. Rollins College

Photo: orlandoweekly

Established: 1885

From its founding in 1885, Rollins University has been located in Winter Park, Florida. The 28 hectare-wide institution has lecture rooms, a scientific center, a library, dorms, a sports center, a theater, and other amenities for students' learning, research, activities, fun, and entertainment. The school also appears serene and poetic due to the surrounding greenery and lakeside location.

3. Yale University

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Established: 1701

Following on our list of the oldest universities in the US is Yale University, which was formed as a "Collegiate School" and is presently rated 17th globally. In honor of a gift from Elihu Yale, a governor of the British East India Company, it was christened Yale in 1718. Also in same year, Yale relocated from its prior locations in Clinton, Saybrook, and Wethersfield to its present site in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yale was initially founded to educate ministers in theology and holy languages, but by 1777 the curriculum had expanded to include humanities and sciences. Yale was also the first institution in the US to grant a Ph.D. in 1861. In terms of law studies, it is currently ranked fourth in the world, and sixth in terms of arts and humanities.

4. Princeton University

Photo: ivyachievement

Established: 1746

Nassau Hall is not only the oldest structure at Princeton University but also a significant American historic site. That's because it served as the location for meetings of the American Congress for a while. The structure was originally finished in 1756 for the College of New Jersey. It was the biggest stone structure in all of America at the time. Moreover, Nassau Hall sustained substantial damage as a result of a deadly conflict that took place on nearby ground during the Revolutionary War.

In actuality, George Washington's victory over the British occupying Nassau Hall at the Battle of Princeton was a significant turning point in the War. Nassau Hall now functions as a gathering place and the president of Princeton's office.

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5. Moravian College

Photo: youvisit

Established: 1742

Moravian College has its roots in Bethlehem Female Seminary, which was established in 1742 by 16-year-old Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, the benefactor of the fledgling Moravian communities in Nazareth and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Count Nikolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf was the father of this young school's founder. The seminary was the first boarding institution for girls in the United States.

A boys' school opened in the same town as the Bethlehem girls' school around the same time, and another one built in nearby Nazareth a year later. In 1759, both boys' institutions combined to form Nazareth Hall, and in 1807, the Moravian College and Theological Seminary was founded as a men's college.

Both the Bethlehem Female Seminary and the Men's School were authorized to award bachelor degrees in 1863.

The Moravian Theological Seminary maintained a closely related but academically separate identity as a graduate school of theology. In 1913, Bethlehem Female Seminary changed its name to the Moravian Seminary and College for Women, and in 1954, the institutions finally merged to form Moravian College.

6. Bryn Mawr College

Photo: brynmawr

Established: 1740

Bryn Mawr University in Pennsylvania is considered one of the most beautiful schools in America thanks to its Gothic architecture. The school was designed based on the Cambridge University prototype. In addition, all buildings in the dormitory are named after Welsh landmarks.

7. The University of Delaware

Photo: whyy

Established: 1743

In New London, Pennsylvania, the University of Delaware was founded as a religious institution. In the 1760s, the institution relocated to Newark, Delaware, and in 1843, it adopted the name Delaware College. The University of Delaware opened its first study abroad program in 1923 and today runs multiple campuses throughout the state.

The school's name was once more changed in 1843, this time to Delaware College. The University of Delaware received its current name in 1921. The university merged with the adjacent Women's College of Delaware in 1945, at which point it became a coeducational institution.

Despite being a privately run university, the school is financed by the government as a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant, and urban-grant research institution.

8. Lewis & Clark University

Established: 1867

Lewis & Clark University in Portland, Oregon, is located on Palatine Hill. Established in 1867, up to now, the school still retains its close-to-nature beauty with old trees and wide lawns. In addition, Lewis & Clark also has historic buildings such as the Frank Manor area or the Roger lecture hall.

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9. Columbia University

Photo: usnews

Established: 1754

King George II of England issued a royal license in 1754 that allowed King's College, the predecessor to Columbia University, to be established. The oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York is Columbia University, which is the final institution on our list but claims to be the fifth-oldest university in the US.

From the start, Columbia University has been a prestigious institution that attracts top talent and fosters its students' thirst for knowledge. For instance, Columbia founded the nation's first medical school to provide an M.D. degree in 1767.

Even though Columbia University was expanding and attracting some of the best brains in the colonies, classes were interrupted in 1776 when the American Revolutionary War started. The school's British loyalists were expelled, and American revolutionaries took control of it and gave it the new name of Columbia College.

10. Brown University

Photo: usnews

Established: 1764

Being the first Ivy League institution to admit students of all religious affiliations is a testament to Brown's longstanding commitment to inclusivity and openness. One of the first colleges in New England, the institution began operations in Warren, Rhode Island, before relocating to Providence in 1770. Just a few noteworthy Brown alumni include political scion John F. Kennedy Jr., media mogul Ted Turner, and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

11. College of Charleston

Photo: scpictureproject

Established: 1770

The College of Charleston is the oldest academic school south of Virginia, according to records. Despite being delayed by the American Revolution, the school finally got its charter in 1785. The city of Charleston, South Carolina, assumed control of the institution's management in 1837, making the school the first municipal college in the country. Since 1970, enrollment has increased more than 1,000%, and it is currently governed by the state.

12. Franklin & Marshall College

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Established: 1787

Franklin & Marshall College was established in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the middle of the 19th century, when the institution's original name, Franklin College, was changed to honor the great American philosopher Benjamin Franklin. Franklin College, the institution that established America's first coeducational college in the 1700s, quickly changed to a male-only setting and didn't resume admitting women until 182 years later.

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13. Georgetown University

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Established: 1789

Georgetown University, which is in Washington, D.C., is the nation's first Jesuit and Catholic university. After John Carroll acquired 60 acres for the institution in 1789, classes at the newly founded Georgetown College began in 1792 with little over 40 students present. Despite enrolling in undergraduate courses and being elected president of his freshmen and sophomore classes, former President Bill Clinton lost the election for the general student body.

Georgetown University has expanded since its establishment to include nine undergraduate and graduate schools, providing degree programs in 48 areas to more than 17,000 students from more than 130 different countries. The oldest continuously operating student theatrical company in the nation, the largest student-run financial institution, the largest student-run business, and one of the oldest debate organizations in the country are all located in Georgetown.

14. Sewanee University

Photo: duhocnamphong

Established: 1857

Sewanee University was founded in 1857 in Tennessee. The school is located in the mountains of the Cumberland Plateau. With an area of up to 53 km2, the large Gothic-style buildings seem to be nestled among the green forests.

15. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Photo: wikipedia

Established: 1789

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a reputation for being a dominant force in collegiate basketball over the past few decades, but in 1789, the university made history for a different cause. The first public American postsecondary institution to provide degrees in the 18th century was UNC-Chapel Hill, which was also the first public university in the entire nation. In actuality, it was laborers in North Carolina's pine forests who walked through the tar generated by burning pine boughs that gave UNC its well-known "Tar Heel" moniker.

Now, it serves as the University of North Carolina System's flagship institution and offers degrees in more than 70 different academic fields across 15 colleges on its 17 locations. Founders and CEOs of Fortune 500 businesses, three astronauts, nine World Cup champions, one US President, one US Vice President, 38 governors, and 98 members of Congress are among the alumni and professors of UNC. 49 Rhodes Scholars, 23 Pulitzer Prize winners, and nine Nobel Prize laureates round out the distinguished alumni list.

Conclusion

Let KnowInsiders.com walk through the U.S universities that are named the most beautiful in the United States above. In this list, there are top schools in terms of quality and reputation such as Yale or Princeton.

Strolling under archways and long corridors, relaxing on the lawns, and discovering ancient books in the library will inspire students and encourage them to achieve well in their studies.

If you find a beautiful school, please leave a comment below!

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