University of Maine

Established by the Morrill Act of 1862, Maine State College officially opened its doors in September of 1868 as a primarily agricultural school. By 1897, the Maine state legislature voted to change the name of the school to University of Maine, and expand the focus toward liberal arts. The flagship school of the University of Maine system, the Orono campus has had a significant impact on Maine life from its scientific inventions to its cultural contributions. Located on the banks of the Stillwater River, the university has always attracted motivated undergraduates and graduate students. From its earliest days, it has worked to be the state’s center of learning, discovery, and service to the public. Here the history of the state’s land grant university from 1865 to 1940 is presented in hundreds of striking photographs. They tell the story of the the school, including its academic, social, athletic, and administrative history as it grew over its first 75 years.