|
University of Georgia State Historical Marker
-
Photo: David Seibert
-
-
University of Georgia
State Historical Marker
-
Located at the UGA Arch at
the Main Entrance to the Campus, Broad St. opposite College
Ave., Athens
33.957483, -83.37526
(Text)
UNIVERSITY OF
GEORGIA
Endowed with
40,000 acres of land in 1784 and charter in 1785,
the charter
was the first granted by a state for a government
controlled university.
After Louisville and then Greensboro were
first selected,
the current site was chosen.
The first president,
and author of the school's charter, Abraham
Baldwin, resigned
when the doors opened, and was succeeded by
Josiah Meigs.
The University first began to thrive under Moses
Waddel, who
became president in 1819. Alonzo Church was president
in 1829-1859.
During the War
for Southern Independence, most of the students
entered the
Confederate Army. The University closed its doors in
1864, and did
not open again until January 1866. After the war,
many Confederate
veterans became students.
Famous pre-war
professors were John and Joseph LeConte and
Charles F. McCay,
while famous students were Robert Toombs,
Alexander H.
Stephens, Howell Cobb, and Crawford W. Long.
Plans for a
modern university were first developed by Walter B.
Hill and realized
under Harmon W. Caldwell. The best known of
the post-war
presidents (now chancellors) was David C. Barrow.
The builder
of the modern plant was Chancellor Steadman V. Sanford.
029-1 GEORGIA
HISTORIC MARKER 1991
- (Note: The first state historical marker
for the University of Georgia was erected by the Georgia Historical
Commission in 1952. The above marker is a replacement for the
earlier one and contains essentially the same text, with only
minor editorial changes. Interestingly, both it and the 1952
original contain a factual error. Since 1932, the chief officer
of the University of Georgia has been known as "president"
-- not "chancellor" (a title reserved for the chief
officer of the State Board of Regents).
-
- Click here
for a view of the University of Georgia Arch and historic marker.
Go to Clarke County Historical Markers
Go to Georgia Historical Markers website
|
