Lincoln College, Illinois
| Type | private, coeducational |
|---|---|
| Established | 1865 |
| President | David Gerlach |
|
Academic staff
|
50 |
| Undergraduates | 1,100 |
| Location | Lincoln and Normal, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nickname | Lynx |
| Website | www |
Lincoln College (chartered Lincoln University) is a private, independent liberal arts college located in Lincoln, Illinois. Lincoln College is a hybrid college offering both two-year and four-year degree programs for its students. Lincoln College was established in 1865 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but is now independent and has no formal church affiliation. There were a few sites that were looked at as possibilities, and in December 1864, the site of Lincoln was selected. Due to the Civil War, the denomination wanted to create a college in the North because the denomination's other schools were located in the South. At this same time a movement started in the new community of Lincoln to start a college. On February 6, 1865, the Illinois General Assembly granted the charter that established the university. President Lincoln was aware the school would be named after him. Lincoln University was the first institution named for Abraham Lincoln and the only one during his lifetime. The groundbreaking for University Hall, the first college building, was held on the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, which was six days after the charter had been granted. By September 1866, University Hall's construction was completed. In November 1866, the college opened its doors to men and women alike. In 1868, there were three people who received their degrees.
In 1901, Lincoln College affiliated with the Decatur College and Industrial School (now Millikin University) in Decatur, Illinois. The name of the school was changed from Lincoln University to Lincoln College of the James Millikin University. James Millikin, a wealthy Decatur livestock breeder, offered Lincoln University a $50,000 grant for the a new building at the Lincoln campus if the school would turn over its charter. The $50,000 grant was on the condition that the citizens of Lincoln would raise $25,000 towards the new building project. The $25,000 was raised and the $50,000 grant was provided to the Lincoln campus.
In 1929, Lincoln became a junior (2 year) college no longer offering 4 year degrees as it had done since its inception. Many junior colleges were created in the 1920s and 1930s and this helped the college through the financial problems of the depression and war.
The Lincoln College campus had experienced substantial growth following World War Two. The college has seven dorms, numerous classroom buildings, a library, several classroom buildings, and a new building, the Lincoln Center, which hosts a gymnasium, offices, classrooms, and the newly relocated Abraham Lincoln Museum.
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