History of the College

Centre College was founded by Presbyterian leaders and officially chartered by the Kentucky Legislature on January 21, 1819. The name reflects the College's location in the geographic center of Kentucky; British spellings were common at the time. Instruction began in Old Centre—the College's first building—in the fall of 1820, with a faculty of three (including the president) and a student body of five. Classes followed the classical curriculum of the day, including Latin, Greek, rhetoric, and logic. Construction on Old Centre began in 1819 and was completed in 1820 at a cost of $8,000. It was designed to hold up to 400 students in the College and a grammar school. It has been used continuously since Centre's beginning and today houses administrative offices, meeting rooms, and the Admission Office's welcome area for prospective students. Despite early financial hardships, disputes within and outside of the Presbyterian Church, and several wars (including the occupation of Old Centre by both Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War), Centre has remained open and committed to its educational mission since its founding.