When was West Virginia University founded?
History of West Virginia University
February 7, 1867
Under the terms of the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, the West Virginia Legislature created the
Agricultural College of West Virginia on February 7, 1867, and the school officially opened on September 2 of the same year.[2][3]
On December 4, 1868, lawmakers renamed the college West Virginia
University to represent a broader range of higher education.[4] The University was built on the grounds of three former academies, namely the
Monongalia Academy of 1814, the Morgantown Female Academy of 1831,
and Woodburn Female Seminary of 1858.[5] Upon its founding, the local newspaper claimed
that "a place more eligible for the quiet and successful pursuit of science and literature
is nowhere to be found."[3]