Document Type
Thesis
Publication Date
5-2010
Abstract
St. Cloud State University was established in 1869 as the 3rd Normal School in the state of Minnesota. Its initial purpose was to train teachers for the Minnesota common schools, the first class of 53 students attended what was previously known as "The Stearns House" on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Located southeast of Stewart Hall, it was used for teaching and later for dormitories and was the start of what would become a thriving University. The Campus was later expanded by the late 1890s to include the "Main Building" which held classes after The Stearns House was torn down in 1895. The University, known as the St. Cloud State Teachers College during this period, slowly expanded its boundaries while the student population grew steadily until the time of World War II. Enrollment for the school dipped in 1945 to its lowest point since 1901, dropping below 300 students. This was quickly turned around by the end of the war and the campus once again began to grow. The 1960s reflected this growth by having the most expansion of any decade with the construction of 11 new buildings to make room for the growing student population. After becoming St. Cloud State University in 1975, the boundaries and enrollment figures have both continued to grow while the University has become a major center for the state of Minnesota.
Recommended Citation
Lundquist, Greg, "The Historical Expansion of Saint Cloud State University" (2010). Student Research in Geography and Planning. 1.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gp_ug_research/1
Comments
This was an undergraduate capstone project.