History University of Kansas

douglas girod, ku s current chancellor

on february 20, 1863, kansas governor thomas carney signed law bill creating state university in lawrence. law conditioned upon gift lawrence of $15,000 endowment fund , site university, in or near town, of not less forty acres (16 ha) of land. if lawrence failed meet these conditions, emporia instead of lawrence university.

the site selected university hill known mount oread, owned former kansas governor charles l. robinson. robinson , wife sara bestowed 40-acre (16 ha) site state of kansas in exchange land elsewhere. philanthropist amos adams lawrence donated $10,000 of necessary endowment fund, , citizens of lawrence raised remaining cash issuing notes backed governor carney. on november 2, 1863, governor carney announced lawrence had met conditions state university, , following year university officially organized. school s board of regents held first meeting in march 1865, event ku dates founding from. work on first college building began later year. university opened classes on september 12, 1866, , first class graduated in 1873.

during world war ii, kansas 1 of 131 colleges , universities nationally took part in v-12 navy college training program offered students path navy commission.

watson library - main branch


famous landmarks , structures

ku home robert j. dole institute of politics, beach center on disability, lied center of kansas , radio stations kjhk, 90.7 fm, , kanu, 91.5 fm. university host several museums including university of kansas natural history museum , spencer museum of art. libraries of university include watson library, kenneth spencer research library, murphy art , architecture library, thomas gorton music & dance library , anschutz library, commemorates businessman philip anschutz, alumnus of university.