New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts facts for kids
College seal, from the 1912 edition of The Granite yearbook
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| Type | Public college |
|---|---|
| Established | Hanover, New Hampshire (1866) |
| Relocated | Durham, New Hampshire (1893) |
| Renamed | University of New Hampshire (1923) |
The New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (NHC) was a special kind of college. It started in 1866 in Hanover, working with Dartmouth College. This college was a "land-grant" school, meaning it received land from the government to help teach farming and technical skills.
In 1893, NHC moved to Durham. Later, in 1923, it changed its name and became the University of New Hampshire (UNH). This change happened because the state government, called the New Hampshire General Court, passed a law.
Contents
How the College Started
The college began because of a law called the Morrill Act of 1862. This law gave federal land to states. New Hampshire used this land to create a college focused on farming and mechanical arts.
New Hampshire College officially started in 1866. It opened its doors to students in 1868 in Hanover. At first, it was closely connected with Dartmouth College. Dartmouth's president even led the new college.
Moving to Durham
A man named Benjamin Thompson lived in Durham. He was a farmer who loved education. When he passed away on January 30, 1890, his will became public. He left his farm and money to the state. He wanted them to use it to build an agricultural college.
On March 5, 1891, the Governor, Hiram A. Tuttle, signed a law. This law accepted Benjamin Thompson's generous gift. Soon after, on April 10, 1891, Governor Tuttle signed another law. This new law allowed the college to move from Hanover to Durham.
A New Beginning
Students were excited about the college moving to Durham. The graduating class of 1892 even held their ceremony in a barn that wasn't finished yet on the Durham campus.
On April 18, 1892, the college leaders voted. They decided to move all college items from Hanover to Durham. In the fall of 1893, classes officially began in Durham. There were 51 new students and 13 older students. The college also started offering advanced studies for graduate students.
Becoming the University of New Hampshire
In 1923, Governor Fred H. Brown signed a new law. This law changed the college's name to the University of New Hampshire. Some farming groups in the state had tried to stop this name change in 1911, but they didn't succeed this time. The University of New Hampshire officially began on July 1, 1923.
Images for kids
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Culver Hall in Hanover, New Hampshire, was the first building of the college. It was built between 1871 and 1872 and taken down in 1929.
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