Auburn University was first chartered in 1856, and opened its doors in 1859 for 80 male students. Interrupted by the Civil War, the school was reopened in 1866 and placed under the provisions of the Morrill Act as a land-grant institution. Its name changed in 1872, to the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, reflecting a shift in scholastic emphasis. By the beginning of the 20th century, Auburn's student body included women and football players, but remained racially segregated until 1963.
     Today, Auburn University enrolls over 23,000 students and employs a main campus faculty of 1200. The 1888 Samford Hall, pictured here, serves as an administration center. When the original Old Main burned in 1887, the new building used bricks salvaged from the original. Named from Governor William J. Samford (1900-1901), the new structure mirrored the first, except for an additional entrance and its famous clock tower. The original Seth Thomas clock was replaced by modern clockworks in 1995, broadcasting the Auburn University fight song, War Eagle, at noon every day. Auburn is still reveling in its second national football championship, completing a perfect 14-0 season and taking the title on January 10, 2011. When the stands are filled in Jordan-Hare Stadium (inset photo) on a Saturday afternoon, it becomes Alabama's 5th largest city. Auburn's burnt orange and navy blue team colors date back to 1892, when the Tiger's record was 2-2.