This file includes institutions that have closed, merged, or
changed their names.If you note a
need for changing or updating information, please notify
ray.brown@westminster-mo.edu.
An index with links to separate pages for other states and countries is
available at http://www2.westminster-mo.edu/wc_users/homepages/staff/brownr/ClosedCollegeIndex.htm.There is also a blog
at http://collegehistorygarden.blogspot.com/ with links to other resources.Thanks for your interest!
College
Name
City
State
Start Date
End Date
Affiliation
Other Information
Source
American
Temperance University
Harriman
Tennessee
1893
http://www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=22&l3=39&top=10
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples Colleges: A History.1987.
Andrew
College
Trenton
Tennessee
property purchased in 1875 for
use as public school
Andrew
Jackson Business College
Tennessee
Austin
Peay State College
Clarksville
Tennessee
1927
state supported
founded as two-year junior
college and teacher training institution on grounds of the former
Southwestern Presbyterian University; authorized to offer baccalaureate
degrees after 1939; name changed to Austin Peay State College in 1943 and to
Austin Peay State University in 1967
http://www.apsu.edu/General/history.aspx
Athens
Female College
Athens
Tennessee
1857
Methodist Episcopal Church South
in 1866 became East Tennessee
Wesleyan College; in 1886 became Grant Memorial University and in 1906, U.S.
Grant University in 1889, the Athens School of the University of Chattanooga;
became independent of University of Chattanooga in 1925 as Tennessee Wesleyan
College
www.twcnet.edu/Academics/history.html
Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A
Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
Cummins uses 1899 for founding,
though may've operated as early as 1870; in 1905 consolidated with
Collierville Male Academy as Collierville High School
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples
Colleges: A History.1987.
www.scs.k12.tn.us/SCS/high/Collierville/info/history.htm
Belmont
Junior College
Nashville
Tennessee
1890
1913
merged with Ward Seminary to
become Ward-Belmont
http://www.belmont.edu/hr/look.html
Bledsoe
College
Tennessee
www.segenealogy.com/tennessee/tn_county/ble.htm
Blount
College
Knoxville
Tennessee
1794
grant of public lands received
from state in 1807 and name changed to East Tennessee College; closed in 1809
for a decade, reopening in 1820
http://web.utk.edu/~mklein/brfhist.html
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
Bluff
Springs Academy
Gibson County
Tennessee
may've granted bachelors
degrees; John E. Wright, attended and graduated in 1858, his father, Levi
Wright, served as Supt. of Schools in the county; the elder Wright was a
founder of Wake Forest College in North Carolina
http://www.rootsweb.com/~tndyer/family/diploma.html
Goodspeeds History of Tennessee, 1887
Bolton
College & Agricultural High School
Brunswick
Tennessee
http://www.crl.edu/collcat/collcatB.htm
Boscobel
College
Nashville
Tennessee
Botanico-Medical
College
Memphis
Tennessee
1846
1861
name changed in 1859 to Eclectic
Medical Institute of Memphis
Haller, John. Kindly Medicine: Physio-Medicalism in America 1836-1911. 1997.
led by William David Carnes
until 1857; suspended operations for a time beginning in 1860; Carnes served
again as president from 1872-1878
www.state.tn.us/sos/statelib/pubus/bibvanbu.htm
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples Colleges: A History.1987
www.therestorationmovement.com/carnes,wd.htm
Caledonia
College
Caledonia
Tennessee
Edwin H. Randle, founding
president; closed and burned during the Civil War; considered predecessor for
McKenzie College
Carson
College
Jefferson City
Tennessee
1880
successor of Mossy Creek Baptist
College that was founded as Mossy Creek Baptist Seminary in 1851; name
changed to Carson College in 1880; merged with Newman College for Women in
1889 to become Carson-Newman College
http://www.cn.edu/site/NS_subsites/TheCollege/cnh_History.htm
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
Centenary
College
Cleveland
Tennessee
property purchased by Bob Jones
in 1933 and relocated a school from Saint Andrews Bay, FL (founded in 1926);
in 1947 moved to Greenville, SC to become Bob Jones University
http://www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=22&l3=39&top=10
Ringenberg, William C.The Christian College: A History of Protestant Higher
Education in America. 1984.
Central
Tennessee College
Nashville
Tennessee
1867
1900
Freedmen's Aid Society of
Methodist Episcopal Church
founded as school for freedmen;
Meharry Medical deparment opened in 1875, a law department in 1879, and
dental and pharmaceutical departments were opened in 1880; name changed to
Walden University
http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/haley/menu.html
Ringenberg, William C.The Christian College: A History of Protestant Higher
Education in America. 1984.
Central
University
Nashville
Tennessee
1872
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
adopted name of Vanderbilt
University in 1873;Cornelius Vanderbilt and his wife contributed $1 million
and other family members contributed another $10 million by 1895;
nonsectarian after 1914
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
Ringenberg, William C.The Christian College: A History of Protestant Higher
Education in America. 1984.
Chattanooga
University
Chattanooga
Tennessee
1886
Methodist Episcopal
became Grant University in 1889,
University of Chattanooga in 1907, independent of church in 1909, merged with
University of Tennessee and Chattanooga City College in 1969, now the
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
Clarksville
Female Academy
Clarksville
Tennessee
1846
Methodist Episcopal Church South
offered a collegiate program and
post-graduate courses
Blandin.The History of Higher
Education of Women in the South.1909.
Clinton
College
New Middleton
Tennessee
1834
1850's
founded by Dr. Francis H.
Gordon, James B. Moores and Willie B.
Gordon,and established in October,
1833, on the Lebanon and
Trousdale Ferry Turnpike. Dr. F. H. Gordon and Prof. James B.
Moores (the latter of whom became an eminent lawyer) were for
many years the principal teachers in the college, the doors of
which were permanently closed sometime during the decade of the fifties.
Blandin.The History of Higher
Education of Women in the South.1909.
Columbia
Institute
Columbia
Tennessee
1836
Episcopal
offered a collegiate program for
a time; by 1909 operated as a preparatory school
Blandin.The History of Higher
Education of Women in the South.1909.
Corona
College
Lebanon
Tennessee
http://www.cumberland.edu/about/history.html
Correspondence
Literary College
Van
Tennessee
1900
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples
Colleges: A History.1987.
Cumberland
College
Nashville
Tennessee
1785
founded as Davidson Academy,
became Cumberland College in 1806, University of Nashville in 1826, State
Normal College in 1875, Peabody Normal College in 1889, and George Peabody
College for Teachers in 1909
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
Cumberland
Female College
McMinnville
Tennessee
1851
1896
Cumberland Presbyterian
5 teachers and 100 students in
1851; forced to close during Civil War; presidents: A.M. Stone (1851-55),
J.M. Gill (1855-57), D.M. Donnell (1857-1871), A.M. Burney (1871-1880), N.J.
Finney (1880-1896)
www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/mcdonold/42-49.htm
www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/schools/CumberlandFemaleCollege.htm
Blandin.The
History of Higher Education of Women in the South.1909.
www.tngennet.org/warren/gdsp-dex.htm
chartered in 1909 as the
University of Dixie, but known as Dixie College; deeded to Cookeville &
Putnam Counties in 1915 and operated as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute as a
high school and jr. college; offered a 4-yr program after 1929; name changed
to Tennessee Technological University in 1965
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples
Colleges: A History.1987.
www.tntech.edu/history.html
Draughon
Junior College of Business
Kingsport
Tennessee
1991
Draughon
Junior College of Business
Knoxville
Tennessee
1884
1991
East
Tennessee College
Knoxville
Tennessee
1809
designated in 1869 as the
land-grant institution in the state; in 1879 name changed to University of
Tennessee
http://web.utk.edu/~mklein/brfhist.html
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
East
Tennessee Wesleyan University
Athens
Tennessee
Methodist Episcopal Church
successor to Athens Female
College; predecessor to Grant Memorial University
www.twcnet.edu/Academics/history.html
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
founded by Tolbert Fanning and
Bowling Embry; enrolled 150 students in first year; known for adoption of
Fellenburg's work-study concept; Cummins states that operations suspended in
1861, reopened briefly in 1865, but permanently closed that year when fire
destroyed campus; Hunt & Carper give 1879 as closing date
Young, M. Norvel.A History of Colleges
Established and Controlled by Members of the Churches of Christ. 1949. pp. 34-52.
Hunt and Carper, eds.Religious Higher Education in the United States.1996.
Cummins, D. Duane. The Disciples Colleges: A
History.1987.
Giles
College
Tennessee
http://www.tngenweb.org/giles/history/gs.html
Grant
Memorial University
Chattanooga / Athens
Tennessee
successor to East Tennessee
Wesleyan University; predecessor to Athens School of the University of
Chattanooga
www.twcnet.edu/Academics/history.html
Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations. 1982.
Greeneville
College
Greeneville
Tennessee
1794
1868
Presbyterian
though proposed in 1794, classes
probably started in 1803; suspended classes during Civil War and in aftermath
of the war, merged with Tusculum College
founded as Henderson Male and
Female Institute, became Henderson Masonic Male and Female Institute in 1877,
became West Tennessee Christian College in 1885
successor for Mosheim Institute;
named Holston Synodical College for 1897; for two years after 1906, known as
Holston College; then, Cowden College until 1910; building purchased for
Greene County for high school
http://patsabin.com/Mosheim/schoolhist.htm
Howard
College
Gallatin
Tennessee
1837
Odd Fellows
Blandin.The History of Higher
Education of Women in the South.1909.
Irving
College
Warren County
Tennessee
1840
Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)
Goodspeed's history gives 1835
as founding date and states that the school operated until May, 1861,
reopening in 1882
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples
Colleges: A History.1987.
www.tngennet.org/warren/gdsp-dex.htm
Jackson
College
Columbia
Tennessee
1830's
Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations.
1982.
http://www.tngenweb.org/maury/gsdf.htm
Knoxville
Medical College
Knoxville
Tennessee
1900
1910
began operation in 1895 as
medical department of Knoxville College
La
Grange Female College
La Grange
Tennessee
1854
first president was David B.
Johnson who died soon after institution opened; John D. Meredith was
president 1858-1867; closed during the war, reopened and continued operation;
building later used as public school and burned in 1921
www.lagrangetn.com/college.htm
La
Grange Synodical College
La Grange
Tennessee
b1839
Presbyterian
Burke notes Masonic and
Presbyterian ties; new brick building in 1855 with John H. Gray, pastor of
Beale St. Second Presbyterian Church as president; occupied by Federal troops
during Civil War
Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations.
1982.
www.lagrangetn.com/college.htm
Lawrence
College
Alexandria
Tennessee
1860
Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)
Goodspeed's history gives 1858
as founding date
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples
Colleges: A History.1987.
www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/gdsphist.htm
presidents: E.W. Essary (1895),
J.A. Mount, A.J. Barton (1896), Andrew L. Todd (1898), J.L. McNatt (1898),
W.R. Phillips (1899-1900), Robert L. Sutton (1901-1903)
Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations.
1982.
Madison
College
Madison
Tennessee
1904
7th Day Adventist
founded as Nashville
Agricultural Normal Institute on a farm of 412 acres; a sanitarium and campus
industries were integral to the plan of work and study for students
biography of W.D. Carnes has him
serving as president of Manchester for seven years from 1865-1872
Young, M. Norvel.A History of Colleges
Established and Controlled by Members of the Churches of Christ. 1949.
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples Colleges: A History.1987.
www.therestorationmovement.com/carnes,wd.htm
Mary
Sharp College
Winchester
Tennessee
1850
1896
Baptist
founded as The Tennessee and
Alabama Institute; first U.S. women's college to require both Latin &
Greek in a four-year course of study and awarded A.B. degree.
Harwarth, Maline, and
DeBra.Women's
Colleges in the United States.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/PLLI/webreprt.html;
http://www.mtsu.edu/~library/wtn/colleges/msharp.html
Blandin.History
of Higher Education of Women in the South.1909.
Masonic
College
Macon
Tennessee
William Rainey Harper, later
president of University of Chicago, served as principal of Masonic College
for one year in 1876
enjoyed numerous name changes
becoming Montgomery Masonic College in 1850, Stewart College in 1855,
Southwestern Presbyterian University in 1875; moved to Memphis in 1925
becoming Southwestern at Memphis and in 1984 renamed Rhodes College
founded as Caledonia College and
burned during the Civil War; later moved and name changed with J.W.P.
McKenzie serving as president after 1871; 1882 known as McTyire Institute and
later after 1899 McTyire School
McKenzie
College
Chattanooga
Tennessee
1940's
1992
Roy E. McKenzie, Jr. was
president
Memphis
Conference Female Institute
Jackson
Tennessee
1843
became coed in 1923 with move to
Jackson, TN and changed name to Lambuth College; Lambuth University after
1991
www.lambuth.edu/aboutlambuth/history.html
www.henderson-lea.hc.k12n.net/donahue/madison/gsmed.htm
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
http://www.tngenweb.org/goodspeed/madison/#school
Memphis
Hospital Medical College
Memphis
Tennessee
1876
1911
see entry for Nashville Medical
College
http://www.utmem.edu/history_archives/
Mid-South
Bible College
Memphis
Tennessee
1960
founded as Mid-South Bible
Training Center in 1941; name changed to Mid-South Bible Institute in 1948;
to Mid-South Bible College in 1960; name changed to Crichton College in 1987
www.crichton.edu/about_us/mission.htm
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories.2003.
Milton
College
Fayetteville
Tennessee
1856
alma mater of Willa McCord Blake
Eslick who served in U.S. House of Representatives
institution for women; operated
as companion institution of Franklin College
Young, M. Norvel.A History of Colleges
Established and Controlled by Members of the Churches of Christ. 1949. p. 51.
Montgomery
Masonic College
Clarksville
Tennessee
1848
became Stewart College 1855,
Southwestern Presbyterian University in 1875; moved to Memphis in 1925
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
Morristown
College
Morristown
Tennessee
1881
1989
United Methodist
started by Freedman's Aid
Society of Methodist Episcopal Church; two year institution for blacks;
acquired by Knoxville College in 1989 and operated for a few years until
financial difficulties led to closure of Knoxville College-Morristown in 1994
founded as Mossy Creek Baptist
Seminary; predecessor of Carson-Newman College (after 1889)
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
http://www.cn.edu/site/NS_subsites/TheCollege/cnh_History.htm
Murphy
College
Sevierville
Tennessee
1892
1936
http://www.crl.edu/collcat/collcatM.htm
Nashville
College for Young Ladies
Nashville
Tennessee
founded by George W. Price who
previously had served as president of Huntsville (AL) Female College and
later was professor of physiology at Vanderbuilt Medical School
http://www.crl.edu/collcat/collcatN.htm
Nashville
Medical College
Nashville
Tennessee
1876
1879
The University of Tennessee,
College of Medicine has its roots in Nashville as the Nashville Medical
College. That college as organized in 1876, and in 1879 was acquired by the
University of Tennessee as its medical department. The Memphis Hospital Medical
College was also found in 1876 but, because of the yellow fever epidemic in
Memphis, did not actually hold classes until 1880. In 1909 two Nashville
schools merged and were operating as the joint Medical department of the
University of Nashville and the University of Tennessee. It moved to Memphis
in 1911 and merged with the College of Physicians and Surgeons to become the
University of Tennessee, College of Medicine...
college for young women founded
by A.N. Eshman; it gained national attention for its complimentary
educational tours for students; after the school closed a printing plant on
campus served until 1924 as the Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House; in
1921, a spectacular fire claimed the college’s main building
http://www.nashville.gov/mhc/education.htm
Roger
Williams University
Nashville
Tennessee
1929
Baptist
http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/haley/menu.html
Rogersville
Synodical College
Rogersville
Tennessee
1849
Presbyterian
founded by Odd Fellows
Blandin.The History of Higher
Education of Women in the South.1909.
Schier and Russett.Catholic Women's
Colleges in America.2002.
Scarritt
College of Christian Workers
Nashville
Tennessee
1892
1988
Methodist Episcopal
Scarritt Bible and Training
Institute established in Kansas City, MO; moved to Nashville in 1924 as
Scarritt College for Christian Workers; from 1980-1988 known as Scarritt
Graduate School; Women's Division of United Methodist Church reclaimed
ownership when institution closed
Schier and Russett.Catholic Women's
Colleges in America.2002.
Soule
College
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
1825
1916
Methodist Episcopal
organized as "The Female
Academy"; named for Bishop Soule of the ME Church in 1852; clsoed during
Civil War when buildings were damaged; reopened after the war
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/8859/soule_college.html
Blandin.History
of Higher Education of Women in the South.1909.
Southern
Junior College
Collegedale
Tennessee
1892
Seventh-Day Adventist
founded as Graysville Academy,
became Southern Industrial School in 1896, Southern Training School in 1901,
Southern Junior College in 1916, Southern Missionary College in 1944,
Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists in 1982, and Southern Adventist University
in 1996
Songe, Alice H.American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes.1978.
http://www.southern.edu/?page=about_us/history.php
Young, M. Norvel.A History of Colleges
Established and Controlled by Members of the Churches of Christ. 1949.
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples Colleges: A History.1987.
predecessor to present day Union
University; name changed to Union soon after 1907; new charter in 1925
transfering rights from Tennesseee Baptist Convention to Union trustees
name changed to Southwestern
Presbyterian in 1924 and institution moved to Memphis, TN; predecessor to
Rhodes College; buildings in Clarksville served as foundation for Austin Peay
Normal School when it was founded in 1927 as a two-year junior college and
teacher training institution
closed during Civil War,
reopening in 1865; property sold and operated under several different
administrators; burned in 1886 and rebuilt
http://www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=22&l3=39&top=10
Blandin.History
of Higher Education of Women in the South.1909.
Tennessee
Junior College
Martin
Tennessee
1927
name change to University of
Tennessee, Martin in 1951
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of
College & University Name Histories.2003.
Tennessee
Manual Labor College
Ebenezer
Tennessee
1867
1872
Disciples of Christ
three hundred acres of land
purchased for establishing an institution for freedmen; enrollment of as many
as 180 students; closed due to financial scandal by corrupt development
agents
The Tennessee Conference in
1885, Bishop Turner presiding, passed a resolution to establish the school.
Revs. E. Tyree (now bishop), T. B.
Caldwell and G. W. Bryant were the committee to locate the school,
which was first called Shelbyville High School. The first principal was
Rev. C. S. Bowman, who also pastored the Shelbyville A. M. E. Church.
Succeeding presidents have been Revs B. A. J. Nixon, W. H. Shelby,
C. H. Boone, J. H. Boone, and the present incumbent, Rev. J. A. Jones.
In 1896 the institution was chartered as "Turner Normal and Industrial
Institute," which has later been changed to "Turner
College." The
departments are theological, English, normal, college, preparatory,
commercial, music, sewing and millinery. There were last year 137
students and 9 teachers. There have been 33 graduates from the
normal course. Among the distinguished graduates is Rev. H. L.
P. Jones, pastor of St. Paul Church, Nashville, Tenn. The property consists of 2 acres and 3 buildings,
valued at $30,000. The
institution is supported by the Tennessee conferences.
Its income is about $5,000 per year. (Wright)
formed by consolidation of
Chattanooga and Grant Memorial University; predecessor of Tennessee Wesleyan
College
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of
College & University Name Histories.2003.
Union
University
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
1848
1873
Baptist General Assembly of
Tennessee
closed from 1859 until 1868,
then reopened briefly before closing permanently in 1873; considered a
predecessor of Union University in Jackson, TN;
www.uu.edu/about/
University
of Dixie
Cookeville
Tennessee
1909
name change to Tennessee
Polytechnic Institute in 1915; to Tennessee Technological University in 1965
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of
College & University Name Histories.2003.
University
of Nashville
Nashville
Tennessee
closed by Peabody Board of Trust
for founding of Peabody College
http://web.utk.edu/~ddonahue/turner/gt-c13c.htm
Mathis, David. Image, Institution, and Leadership:
Philip Lindsley and the Modern University Presidency, 1825-1850. Ed.D. dissertation. 1985.
http://www.bonps.org/tour/westernmilitary.htm
institution started to decline,
particularly after depression of 1914-15; medical department formed a
separate Meharry Medical College in 1915; Walden renamed Walden College in
1922 and moved to new site operating as a junior college until financial difficulties
forced closure; campus vacant until 1935 when leased by Trevecca Nazarene
College
William Davis Carnes selected as
president in 1878, but resigned before dying November 1879; evolved into the
McMinnville public school after 1886
Cummins, D. Duane.The Disciples Colleges: A History.1987.
www.therestorationmovement.com/carnes,wd.htm
www.tngennet.org/warren/gdsp-dex.htm
West
Tennessee Christian College
Henderson
Tennessee
1869
Churches of Christ
founded as Henderson Male and
Female Institute, became Henderson Masonic Male and Female Institute in 1877,
became West Tennessee Christian College in 1885, Georgia Robertson Christian
College in 1897, National Teachers Normal and Business College in 1907, and
after 1919 Freed-Hardeman College; (some references refer to Georgia Roberson
College)
Young, M. Norvel.A History of Colleges
Established and Controlled by Members of the Churches of Christ. 1949.
Hunt and Carper, eds.Religious Higher Education in the United States. 1996.
www.fcoc.com/history/barret.htm
www.rootsweb.com/~tncheste/goodspeed.shtml
Songe, Alice H.American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name
Changes.1978.
West
Tennessee College
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
1844
1874
Baptist
reopened by Southwestern Baptist
University after 1874; Blackmar gives location as Jackson
www.uu.edu/about/
www.henderson-lea.hc.k12n.net/donahue/madison/gsmed.htm
Hunt and Carper, eds.Religious Higher Education in the United States.1996.
Blackmar, Frank W. "The History of Federal and State Aid to Higher
Education in the United States," in Herbert B. Adams, ed.Contributions to American Educational
History. 1890.
West
Tennessee State Teachers College
Memphis
Tennessee
1912
state supported
founded as West Tennessee Normal
School; became West Tennessee State Teachers College in 1925; name change to
Memphis State College in 1941, to Memphis State University in 1957 and to the
University of Memphis in 1994
Brenner, Morgan G.The Encyclopedia of
College & University Name Histories.2003.
Wirt
College
near Hartsville
Tennessee
1838
founded as Wirt Seminary; later
known as Enon College
Burke, Colin B.American Collegiate Populations.
1982.
www.hartsvilletrousdale.com/History.html
