Humboldt College was an institution of higher learning in
Humboldt, Iowa
Humboldt is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,792 at the time of the 2020 census, gaining 340 people over the 2000 total.
History
Frank A. Gotch Park (just south of present-day Humboldt and Dakota City) was a ...
from 1872 until it closed in 1916. Only three people ever obtained degrees from Humboldt College.
History
Creating the "Harvard of the West"
Stephen Taft moved from
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
to the prairie of
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
in 1862, with hopes of founding an intellectual community that would rival the Eastern cities. He had five goals for his city, but the most important goal was founding a college "of university importance" that would not dissent into "factional disputes or denominational barriers".
["Humboldt, Iowa History." Humboldt County Historical Association]
Online History.
Retrieved August 20, 2010. The Springvale Collegiate Association met for the first time in 1866, and upon renaming of the community to Humboldt, the group would meet again in 1869. Despite the excitement in the town for a college, the voters of Humboldt denied Taft the funds to purchase swampland on the city's northern boundary.
Not defeated, Taft looked East for financial backing, but funds were still scarce. Taft almost missed a deadline that would have caused an automatic default on his loan, but was wired the money with half an hour to spare. Eventually, Taft raised the necessary funds to buy the swamp, and the groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 17, 1870. Taft ended his convocation to the attendees by saying "Hundreds are here present today. Tens of thousands shall gather here a hundred years hence to commemorate the birth of the institution and rejoice in the blessings it shall have conferred."
Opening
The first day of class at Humboldt College was September 13, 1872. As was the case with most period colleges, the first three years of education were material covered in today's high schools, since the public education ended at eighth grade. The first (and final) graduating class would come in 1879 and consist of three people.
Taft had failed to make an endowment fund large enough to ensure permanency, and following financial crises in the East, the college would close in 1916.
Closing
The building was put up for rent, but with the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
approaching, tenants could not be found. The college was razed in 1926. The academics were moved to
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, where it operated as the Humboldt Institute until the mid-seventies.
Humboldt now
Without the college to attract intellectuals, Humboldt fell short of Taft's lofty expectations. There is only one remaining building from the college, and it is privately owned.
References
{{Reflist
Educational institutions established in 1872
Educational institutions disestablished in 1916
Education in Humboldt County, Iowa
Defunct private universities and colleges in Iowa
1872 establishments in Iowa
Humboldt, Iowa