Jefferson College (Mississippi)
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Jefferson College
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Jefferson College in 2011
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| Location | North St., Washington, Mississippi |
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| Coordinates | 31°34′52″N 91°18′00″W / 31.58111°N 91.30000°WCoordinates: 31°34′52″N 91°18′00″W / 31.58111°N 91.30000°W |
| Area | 78.5 acres (31.8 ha) |
| Built | 1802 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP Reference # | 70000316 |
| USMS # | 001-WSH-0100-NR-ML |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 25, 1970 |
| Designated USMS | May 9, 1985 |
Jefferson College, in Washington, Mississippi, was founded as an all-male college but operated primarily as a college preparatory school and later military boarding school during most of its history. Named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the college was chartered in 1802, but did not begin operation until 1811.
Due to declining enrollment and financial difficulties, the facility closed in 1964. The historic campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was designated a Mississippi Landmark in 1985. The site is operated as an historic museum and park.
Chartered on May 13, 1802, by the General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory, Jefferson College was the first institution of higher learning in Mississippi. It opened in 1811 with 15 students, as a preparatory school, under the name Washington Academy—a one-room, wood-frame structure, built on the college property. By 1817, the institution had become a fully developed college. The first permanent buildings, constructed of brick, were completed in 1820. By 1840, Jefferson College offered the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts.
During the American Civil War, Jefferson College was closed. After the end of the war, the buildings were used by the Freedmen's Bureau to aid transition to a society of free labor. In November 1865, the school's Board of Trustees regained control of the facility. The institution reopened in 1866 as a preparatory school and continued as such until it closed in 1964.
Between 1872 and 1911, under the tenure of Superintendent J.S. Raymond, the college had its longest interval of stable governance, with increased enrollment. By 1893, the institution had been reorganized as a military school, taking the name Jefferson Military College. Instruction was entirely secondary education. Early in the 20th century, dormitories were built to accommodate more recruits. By the late 1930s, enrollment had increased to about 100 students.
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