College of California

Chartered in 1855, and operated in Oakland, Calif. until 1869.

From the description of Documents of the College of California, 1850-1869. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 45217065

Brief History

The College of California was chartered in 1855 and operated in Oakland, California until 1869. Initially it functioned as a preparatory academy, under the name of College School, and the first college class of ten freshmen began in 1860. The aspirations of the College led it to search for a larger site as early as 1856, and this search gradually led to the acquisition of land north of Oakland at a site the trustees named Berkeley, after George Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne.

In 1866, California took advantage of the Morrill Land Grant Act and created the Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College. The trustees of the College of California realized the implications for their own institution's lack of financial support and offered all the college's assets if the legislature would create a University of California combining the aims of the Agricultural, Mining and Mechanical Arts College and the more humanities-oriented College of California. An act to found the university was passed by the California legislature and was signed into law on March 23, 1868. The College of California offered no instruction after the 1868/69 academic year.

From the guide to the Reports of the College of California, 1858-1866, (The Bancroft Library. University Archives.)

Brief History

The College of California was chartered in 1855 and operated in Oakland, California until 1869. Initially it functioned as a preparatory academy, under the name of College School, and the first college class of ten freshmen began in 1860. The aspirations of the College led it to search for a larger site as early as 1856, and this search gradually led to the acquisition of land north of Oakland at a site the trustees named Berkeley, after George Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne.

In 1866, California took advantage of the Morrill Land Grant Act and created the Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College. The trustees of the College of California realized the implications for their own institution's lack of financial support and offered all the college's assets if the legislature would create a University of California combining the aims of the Agricultural, Mining and Mechanical Arts College and the more humanities-oriented College of California. An act to found the university was passed by the California legislature and was signed into law on March 23, 1868. The College of California offered no instruction after the 1868/69 academic year.

From the guide to the Documents of the College of California, (The Bancroft Library. University Archives.)

Brief History

The College of California was chartered in 1855 and operated in Oakland, California until 1869. Initially it functioned as a preparatory academy, under the name of College School, and the first college class of ten freshmen began in 1860. The aspirations of the College led it to search for a larger site as early as 1856, and this search gradually led to the acquisition of land north of Oakland at a site the trustees named Berkeley, after George Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne.

In 1866, California took advantage of the Morrill Land Grant Act and created the Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College. The trustees of the College of California realized the implications for their own institution's lack of financial support and offered all the college's assets if the legislature would create a University of California combining the aims of the Agricultural, Mining and Mechanical Arts College and the more humanities-oriented College of California. An act to found the university was passed by the California legislature and was signed into law on March 23, 1868. The College of California offered no instruction after the 1868/69 academic year.

From the guide to the Letter Book of the College of California, 1849-1867, (The Bancroft Library. University Archives.)