Old Miami, 1787–1885
Inventing College Life
1787
- July 13, Northwest Ordinance passed by Continental Congress
- September 17, United States Constitution written; ratified 1788
1794
- September 30, President George Washington signs patent for Symmes Purchase
1795
- August 3, Miami Tribe signs Treaty of Greenville
1803
- September 1, commissioners of the legislature locate the Miami College township on public lands in the Cincinnati district
1809
- February 17, the Miami University chartered by State of Ohio
1810
- Village of Oxford laid out in the college township; Miami University campus surveyed
1811
- Log schoolhouse erected on University Square to serve Oxford Township
1816
- Construction of first classroom building, Franklin Hall (later part of Old Main), begun
1822
- Proposed relocation of Miami University to Cincinnati defeated in legislature
1824
- President Robert Hamilton Bishop inaugurated; classes begin
1825
- Erodelphian Literary Society and Union Literary Society organized
1828
- First residence hall, North Hall (later Elliott Hall), constructed
1835
- Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity established
1836
- William Holmes McGuffey publishes his first Eclectic Reader
- Second residence hall, South Hall (later Stoddard Hall), constructed
1838
- Oxford Theological Seminary established
1839
- Alpha chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity founded
1841
- President George Junkin inaugurated
1842
- President Junkin issues Laws of Miami University for Government of the Faculty and Students
1844
- President Junkin resigns following student disruptions
1845
- President Erasmus D. MacMaster inaugurated
1846
- Conflict among literary societies, board, and faculty
- Miami Tribe removed from traditional lands to western territories
1848
- January 12, Old Main sealed with snow, seventeen students dismissed or depart
- December 27, Alpha chapter of Phi Delta Theta fraternity founded
1849
- President MacMaster resigns
- President William C. Anderson inaugurated; joins Phi Delta Theta fraternity
- Oxford Female Institute (later Oxford College) chartered; John W. Scott, principal
1852
- Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity established
1853
- Western Female Seminary (later Western College) chartered; Helen Peabody, principal
1854
- Oxford Female College chartered; John W. Scott, principal
- President John W. Hall inaugurated
1855
- Alpha chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity founded
1859
- Junction Railroad reaches Oxford
1861
- April 12, American Civil War begins
- Ozro Dodds, student, and Professor Robert W. McFarland form volunteer companies for Union
1866
- President Robert L. Stanton inaugurated; seeks new funding sources for Miami
1871
- Andrew D. Hepburn named president
1873
- National financial panic, low enrollment, no endowment; trustees suspend operation
1873–1885
- Miami Classical School and Miami Classical and Scientific Training School operate on campus
1885
- President Robert W. McFarland takes office; Miami reopens classes
