University of Washington

The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a major public research university in the Seattle metropolitan area. Also known as Washington or UW (pronounced U Dub) and locally as The U, it is the largest university in the Pacific Northwest and one of the oldest public institutions of higher education on the West Coast of the United States. The university is made up of three campuses with its flagship campus in Seattle's University District, and upper division campuses in Tacoma and Bothell. The University of Washington has been coined as one of the "Public Ivies" - a public university that provides an "ivy league" collegiate experience.

History

The city of Seattle, Washington was one of several settlements in the mid to late 19th century vying for primacy in the newly formed Washington Territory. In 1854, territorial governor Isaac Stevens recommended the establishment of a university in Washington. Several prominent Seattle-area residents, chief among them Methodist preacher Daniel Bagley, saw the siting of this University as a chance to add to the city's prestige. They were able to convince early founder of Seattle and a member of the territorial legislature Arthur A. Denny of the importance of Seattle winning the school. The legislature initially chartered two universities, one in Seattle and one in Lewis County, but later repealed its decision in favor of a single university in Lewis County, provided locally donated land could be found. When no site emerged, the legislature, encouraged by Denny, relocated the university to Seattle in 1858.

Related Topics:
Seattle, Washington - 19th century - Washington Territory - 1854 - Isaac Stevens - Methodist - Daniel Bagley - Arthur A. Denny - Lewis County - 1858

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In 1861, scouting began for an appropriate 10 acre (40,000 m²) site in Seattle to serve as the campus for a new university. Denny, along with fellow pioneers Edward Lander and Charlie Terry, donated a site on "Denny's Knoll" in what is today downtown Seattle. This tract was bounded by what are now 4th and 6th Avenues on the east and west and Union and Seneca Streets on the north and south.

Related Topics:
1861 - Acre - Edward Lander - Charlie Terry - Downtown Seattle

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The UW opened officially on November 4, 1861, as the Territorial University of Washington. The following year, the legislature passed articles formally incorporating the University and establishing a Board of Regents. The school struggled initially, closing three times: in 1863 for lack of students, and again in 1867 and 1876 due to shortage of funds. But by the time Washington entered the Union in 1889, both Seattle and the University had grown substantially. Enrollment had increased from an initial 30 students to near 300, and the relative isolation of the campus had given way to encroaching development. A special legislative committee headed by UW graduate Edmond Meany was created for the purpose of finding a new campus better able to serve the growing student population. The committee selected a site on Union Bay northeast of downtown, and the legislature appropriated funds for its purchase and subsequent construction.

Related Topics:
November 4 - 1861 - 1863 - 1867 - 1876 - Washington - Union - 1889 - Edmond Meany - Union Bay - Downtown

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The University relocated from downtown to the new campus in 1895, moving into the newly built Denny Hall. The regents tried and failed to sell the old campus, and eventually settled on leasing the area. The University still owns what is now called the Metropolitan Tract. In the heart of the city, it is among the most valuable pieces of real estate in Seattle and generates millions of dollars in revenue annually.

Related Topics:
1895 - Metropolitan Tract - Real estate - Dollars

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Organizers of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition eyed the still largely undeveloped campus as a prime setting for their world's fair. They came to an agreement with the Board of Regents that allowed them to use the campus grounds for the exposition. In exchange, the University would be able to take advantage of the development of the campus for the fair after its conclusion. This included a detailed site plan and several buildings. The plan for the A-Y-P Exposition prepared by John C. Olmsted was later incorporated into the overall campus master plan and permanently affected the layout of the campus.

Related Topics:
1909 - Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition - World's fair - John C. Olmsted

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Both World Wars brought the military to the campus, with certain facilities temporarily loaned to the federal government. The subsequent post-war periods were times of dramatic growth for the University. The period between the wars saw significant expansion on the upper campus. Construction of the liberal arts quadrangle, known to students as "The Quad," began in 1916 and continued in stages until 1939. The first two wings of Suzzallo Library, considered the architectural centerpiece of the University, were built in 1926 and 1935, respectively. Further growth came with the end of World War II and passage of the G.I. Bill. Among the most important developments of this period was the opening of the medical school in 1946. It would eventually grow into the University of Washington Medical Center, now ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top ten hospitals in the United States.

Related Topics:
World War - Liberal arts - Quadrangle - 1916 - 1939 - Suzzallo Library - 1926 - 1935 - World War II - G.I. Bill - 1946 - University of Washington Medical Center - U.S. News and World Report - Hospital - United States

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In the early 1950s, the University of Washington Police Department was established. It currently has jurisdiction over the University of Washington campus and University-owned housing, except for the Radford Court apartments in Sand Point.

Related Topics:
1950s - Sand Point

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In the 1960s and 1970s, enrollment at the UW more than doubled--from around 16,000 to 34,000--as the baby boom generation came of age. As was the case at many American universities, this era was marked by high levels of student activism, with much of the unrest focused around opposition to the Vietnam War.

Related Topics:
1960s - 1970s - Baby boom - Student activism - Vietnam War

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The University opened branch campuses in Bothell and Tacoma in 1990. These campuses offer curricula for students seeking bachelor's degrees who have already completed two years of higher education. They operate master's degree programs as well.

Related Topics:
Bothell - Tacoma - 1990 - Bachelor's degree - Master's degree

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