Appalachian State University / History

Our History

125 years of educational leadership

Appalachian State University has been committed to educational access and excellence since 1899.

Appalachian State University celebrates 125 years of educational leadership in 2024. Founded in 1899 as Watauga Academy, App State has developed into a premier public institution — one that honors our founding commitment to educational access and excellence and our rural mountain heritage through teaching, research and service. Brothers Blanford Barnard “B.B.” Dougherty and Dauphin Disco “D.D.” Dougherty, along with D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty, established Watauga Academy with a goal of providing access to education for those in the isolated and rural “Lost Provinces” of Western North Carolina. Their vision continues to thrive more than a century later, with generations of Mountaineers across the state, nation and world standing as testament to the power of education to change both lives and communities.

What started as a small rural academy quickly evolved into the Appalachian Training School (1903), then the Appalachian State Normal School (1925), and later the Appalachian State Teachers College (1929). In 1967, we became the comprehensive, four-year university we are today, and the university became part of the University of North Carolina System in 1971. Our more than 150 undergraduate degree and 80 graduate degree/certificate programs prepare students for leadership roles across various fields, from business and education, to health sciences and sustainable technology. The university continues to innovate new degree programs that are aligned with the workforce development needs of the state’s industries and prepare students to excel in their future careers.

At left, App State co-founders D.D. and Lillie Shull Dougherty are shown in the early 1900s, and, at right, university co-founder B.B. Dougherty and his brother, D.D., are shown in the 1920s. Photos courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

The opening of our second campus, the App State Hickory campus, in fall 2023 marked a new chapter in our mission to increase access to higher education. Prior to the campus’s establishment, the Greater Hickory area was the largest metropolitan area in the state without a public university campus. App State has also partnered with ed tech nonprofit Project Kitty Hawk to offer streamlined App State Online degree programs designed for nontraditional learners — part of a statewide effort to expand higher education access to millions of working adults in North Carolina.

Since becoming a four-year university, App State has earned regional and national recognition for its quality academics, innovative teaching, support for military-affiliated students and transfer students, programs to enhance the first-year experience and other aspects, lauded by such publications as U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, our athletics programs have reached new heights, with our App State Mountaineers football team capturing national attention through stunning victories in the Southern and Sun Belt conferences and our student-athletes maintaining academic excellence, having earned a cumulative GPA above 3.0 for 12 consecutive years.

Then and Now: 125 Years of App State (Video)

App State is celebrating it's 125th anniversary, and though the buildings and faces have changed, one thing has remained constant: Access to quality higher education.

Then and Now video

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University Timeline

Explore this timeline to learn about Mountaineer milestones, unforgettable events and interesting facts in App State’s history — from 1899 to today. When did football become an official sport at App State? Who was the university’s first leader? Dive in to find out.

View the full timeline

Appalachian Training School students in 1916, with Watauga Academy behind them, at left. Also pictured is Science Hall, built in 1911. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

The Appalachian State University of today would not have been possible without the efforts and dedication of both Mountaineers and local community members. It took funding and supplies donated by Boone community members to complete the build of the institution’s first facility, Watauga Academy, and the resilience of both university members and townspeople to see our shared community through challenging times, including the Spanish flu, both World Wars, the global COVD-19 pandemic, and, most recently, Hurricane Helene. Over the years, countless App State faculty and staff have committed their time, expertise and efforts to elevating our students’ App State Experience through innovative, interdisciplinary and integrative teaching, research and student mentorship, as well as day in and day out work that ensures the university operates efficiently and effectively year-round. And Mountaineer alumni go on to earn advanced degrees, approach life entrepreneurially, build distinguished military careers, work overseas and engage in professions that take them in many directions, all while giving back to the communities in which they live and work — strengthening our state’s economy and enhancing the quality of life for North Carolinians.

A bright future lies ahead for App State, once in which Mountaineers, working with our local and regional communities, find new mountains of opportunity by embracing challenges, innovating solutions and adapting to meet the ever-changing needs of our state, nation and world. Here’s to another 125 years of App State excellence.

Photos

Go on a visual journey of App State’s history by browsing this curated collection of snapshots. The memorable moments, time-honored traditions and Mountaineer faces offer a glimpse into the university’s past and present.

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The Watauga Academy building was the sole building for Watauga Academy school. It was first occupied while still under construction in 1899. The building was used until it was destroyed in a fire on Nov. 22, 1946. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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The 1916 Appalachian Training School men’s baseball team poses on the athletic field, located just south of the Administration Building, at the current location of Holmes Convocation Center. Early baseball teams were forbidden to play during school hours and needed faculty permission to play outside the immediate neighborhood of Boone. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows Appalachian Training School from the north. From right to left are a faculty boarding house, the first Administration Building, built in 1905, and Lovill Home, the first women’s dormitory, built in 1906. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows the front of App State’s original Administration Building, built in 1905. Also known as the Main Building, it was the second building for Appalachian Training School. It included an auditorium, classrooms and administration offices. Originally on the east side of Watauga Academy, built in 1899, it was positioned on the location of the present B.B. Dougherty Administration Building. It was demolished in 1967. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows the 1929–30 women’s basketball team in front of the Women’s Gymnasium, built 1934, at Appalachian State Teachers College in 1930. Women can be seen standing in their uniforms, while two players sit on the steps, one holding a basketball reading A.S.T.C. ’30. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows Conrad Stadium during an autumn football game, circa 1950s or 1960s. Cars can be seen parked around the stadium’s lot and along Stadium Drive. Located at the far western end of App State, the stadium was rebuilt in 1979 and was renamed Kidd Brewer Stadium in 1988. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows the front of the second Administration Building from the Promenade at Appalachian State Teachers College. The building was built in 1924 and destroyed by fire in 1966. It housed administrative offices, an auditorium, classrooms and faculty offices for the departments of English, foreign languages and social studies. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows a float for the 1953 Homecoming Parade at Appalachian State Teachers College. The float is being pulled behind a car with Chapell Wilson Hall visible in the background. Appalachian State Teachers College celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1953, from the date Watauga Academy became a state-supported institution known as Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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Four women in pajamas eat potato chips and drink soda on a bed in a dorm room at Appalachian State Teachers College, circa 1958. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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Three students sit on the ground just south of the Appalachian State Teachers College campus in the 1960s. Pictured at center is App State alumna Nanci Tolbert Nance ’73, who attended Appalachian State Teachers College for three years (1960–63) and returned to Appalachian State University to earn her master’s degree in English in 1973. Chapell Wilson Hall, built in 1938, the Education Building, built in 1925, and Whitener Hall, built in 1954, are visible in the background. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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The Mountaineers football team and cheerleaders run onto College Field at the start of the Homecoming game at Appalachian State Teachers College in October 1960. The Men’s Gymnasium, built in 1934, can be seen in the background. The field was located on the present site of Rankin Science Hall and was replaced in 1962 by Conrad Stadium. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows a northern view of Appalachian State Teachers College after a snowstorm, circa 1960–61. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows the newly constructed front entrance to the D.D. Dougherty Library in 1963. Students can be seen entering and exiting the building. The building was originally constructed in 1935 and served as the campus library for Appalachian State Teachers College until 1969, when the first Belk Library (now known as Anne Belk Hall) opened. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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Appalachian State Teachers College President William Howard Plemmons speaks with students in front of the college’s second Administration Building in 1962. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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A student works in a laboratory classroom in the newly completed Rankin Science Building at Appalachian State Teachers College in the early 1960s. She can be seen pouring a liquid from a beaker into a tube. The Rankin Science Building included classrooms and laboratories for the departments of biology, geology, chemistry and physics. It was completed in 1963 and dedicated to Dean Emeritus James Daniel Rankin. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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A group of students work at a table in D.D. Dougherty Library at Appalachian State Teachers College in the 1960s. The library housed more than 140,000 volumes by 1967 and included a curriculum library, a juvenile library and the Department of Library Science. It was the main library at App State until 1969, when the first Belk Library opened. The building also housed the Department of Military Science. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows a football game being played during Homecoming on College Field at Appalachian State Teachers College in the 1960s. Newland Hall, built in 1939, is visible in the background. College Field served as the primary football and track field for the university until the construction of Conrad Stadium, built in 1962. College Field was located on the current location of Rankin Science Hall. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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App State President William Howard Plemmons gives a speech on a stage during one of the commencement ceremonies in Broome-Kirk Gymnasium at Appalachian State Teachers College in the 1960s. Plemmons had served various educational posts with the University of North Carolina since 1941 and was executive secretary of the North Carolina State Education Commission for three years. He took over the App State leadership post from interim president J.D. Rankin, who retired in September 1955, and served as App State’s president until his retirement in 1969. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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The 1968–69 marching band at App State sits on the bleachers at Conrad Stadium. The marching band was originally started by professor Gordon Nash in 1939 and was managed by the Department of Music. They performed routinely at parades and athletics events during the academic year. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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The App State Appalettes, a group of women students, perform in Broome-Kirk Gymnasium in February 1968. Formerly known as the Mountaineer Marching Team, the Appalettes began as a drill team directed by Appalachian High School Band leader Perry Watson. The Appalaettes reformed in 1966 as a precision dance group and performed dance routines in parades and at pep rallies and other campus events. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows part of the Appalachian State Teachers College Homecoming Parade in 1965. Appalachian State Teachers College varsity cheerleaders are seen riding on a white convertible down King Street in Boone, while other cheerleaders dressed in white walk alongside it. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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James F. Caldwell, the first kindergarten student teacher at App State, sits at a table with two children at the Lucy Brock Nursery School in December 1969. Lucy Brock Nursery School was built in 1965. It included a lab for home economics majors, a play area, an observation booth and an isolation room and could accommodate up to 20 children. It is now known as the Lucy Brock Child Development Lab. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows a man leaning against the exterior of the Student Transit Service (STS) bus at Appalachian State University in January 1974. Student Transport Service utilized the Sigma Tau Epsilon fraternity bus, a refurbished 1959 school bus, and paid student drivers $1.75–$2 an hour. The bus ran on a 30-minute schedule, shuttling students across campus on a route that started and ended at the Bookstore. The route later was expanded around Boone and to Blowing Rock. STS was part of an overall attempt to reduce energy usage during the energy shortage in the 1973–74 school year and aimed to reduce traffic, save gasoline and minimize parked cars on campus. The service ended in April 1974 due to an inability to obtain gasoline, part of an overall shortage in Boone. Bus service ceased until another attempt was made in December 1974 to start a community bus service in Boone but ended four months later due to lack of funds and passengers. AppalCART served as a shuttle bus service for the App State Boone campus starting in 1980. It expanded to the town of Boone in September 1981, after the App State shuttle service joined with the Watauga County Transportation Authority to create a bus service for students and residents of Boone. D.D. Dougherty Library, built 1935, is visible in the background. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows students in a bowling alley in Plemmons Student Union, built 1967, at Appalachian State University in the 1970s. The alley was located in the current location of Greenbriar Movie Theater. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows two cadets in the Department of Military Science at Appalachian State University raising the American flag in front of the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building in November 1970. Saluting cadets, the Service Annex Building, built 1949, and the Steam Generator Plant, built 1924, can be seen in the background. The department, now known as the Department of Leadership, began in fall 1969 and offers the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. It is located in the College of Fine and Applied Arts and offers two-year programs in leadership and military training with no obligation of future military service and an additional two-year program that results in a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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This image shows Discord performing on stage at H’Appy’s at Appalachian State University on Sept. 11, 1986. Discord was a local band in Boone and included App State student Andrew Verville. H’Appy’s began as a Winn-Dixie grocery store in 1965. It was purchased by the university and converted into a nightclub for App State students in 1984. It was remodeled in 1988 and renamed Legends. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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The App State Gospel Choir performs in 1985. Established in 1976, the choir continues to perform today as part of the approximately 200 concerts and recitals presented by App State’s Hayes School of Music each academic year. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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A view of fall convocation at Appalachian State University in 1989. A large banner above the stage reads “Happy 90th Appalachian.” Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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App State Student Ambassadors flash peace signs and smiles while posing in front of the Appalachian State University sign in 1990. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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App State students are pictured in the Reich College of Education in 1994. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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Class of 1995 App State graduates are pictured at the university’s Spring Commencement. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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A group of App State students are shown in the university dining facilities in Trivette Hall in 1995. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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A view of campus in 1998 from the App State bell tower. Construction of App State’s Holmes Convocation Center is visible at top right, and Durham Park and campus tennis courts are shown at center. Photo by Mike Rominger, University Communications

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A group of student orientation leaders at App State are shown in 2003, at the Greenbriar Movie Theater in Plemmons Student Union. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

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App State safety Corey Lynch blocks Michigan’s last-second, 37-yard field goal during the Sept. 1, 2007, match between the two schools in the Big House. The Mountaineers’ 34–32 win against Michigan marked the first time a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) FCS team had beaten a ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent — a moment so significant that the Associated Press changed its policy allowing FCS teams to receive votes in its polls. It is still widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in college football history, according to Sports Illustrated. App State Athletics photo

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App State students go sledding during a snow day on the Boone campus in 2008. Appalachian State University Communications image

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App State cheerleaders show their Mountaineer spirit and pump up the crowd during the 2009 Homecoming Parade down King Street. Appalachian State University Communications image

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An App State student balances on a slackline between two Boone campus trees on Sanford Mall in 2010 as other students watch. Slacklining is a popular pastime at App State. Appalachian State University Communications image

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2012 attendees of Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Energy Summit are pictured in Valborg Theatre. This multiday event brings together faculty, staff and students from colleges and universities, as well as energy managers and visionaries, and government and industry leaders to share ideas and put into action ecological, financial and social processes designed to improve energy efficiency across the University of North Carolina System, the state and beyond. Appalachian State University Communications image

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A double rainbow over Kidd Brewer Stadium at App State’s Boone campus in 2012. Appalachian State University Communications image

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Cheered on by Team Sunergy members, ROSE (Racing on Solar Energy), the team’s multiple-occupant vehicle (MOV), rolls across the 2021 American Solar Challenge finish line in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Team Sunergy secured first place in MOV class and also took home top awards for teamwork and electrical design. Appalachian State University Communications photo

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App State students form the university’s block A on the Kidd Brewer Stadium field in 2017. Appalachian State University Communications photo

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From left, ESPN College GameDay co-hosts Desmond Howard, Rece Davis and Pat McAfee, country music star Luke Combs, co-host Lee Corso and co-host Kirk Herbstreit are pictured on the College GameDay Built by the Home Depot set on App State’s Sanford Mall on Sept. 17. College GameDay’s visit to Boone marked the show’s 96th city visit, and the second time the show has traveled to a Sun Belt Conference school. App State proved it was a worthy location, with a 32–28 Hail Mary win over Troy in front of a sold-out crowd at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Photo by Joshua R.Gateley / ESPN Image

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Country music star Brad Paisley performs as the headliner in the 40th anniversary season of App State’s An Appalachian Summer Festival, on July 27, 2024. Presented by App State’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, the festival is the university’s monthlong annual celebration of the performing and visual arts, with a mix of music, dance, theater, visual arts and film programming held in venues across the Boone campus. It began as a chamber music series and has evolved into one of the nation’s most highly celebrated arts events, respected for both the breadth and quality of its artistic programming. Appalachian State University photo

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The App State Hickory campus, pictured in April 2024, opened to its inaugural class of Mountaineer students on Aug. 21, 2023. Appalachian State University Communications photo

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The Appalachian State University 125th anniversary sign at the university’s Boone campus. Appalachian State University photo

University Timeline

1899

Appalachian State University begins as Watauga Academy, founded in 1899 by Dr. Blanford Barnard “B.B.” Dougherty, his brother, Dauphin Disco “D.D.” Dougherty, and D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty.

An announcement of Watauga Academy’s founding appeared in the July 13, 1899, issue of the Watauga Democrat newspaper, with classes to begin Sept. 5, 1899. Tuition was $1–$3 per month, and board was $4 per month.

Local community members raised $1,100, as well as labor and materials for the two-story, wood frame Watauga Academy building, construction for which began in fall 1899. Classes for the 53 enrolled students were held in the old Boone Academy building, located behind the present-day Boone First Baptist Church, until the Watauga Academy facility was ready for classes in January 1900. Construction of Watauga Academy was completed in 1903.

Shown in this graphic are the Watauga Democrat newspaper announcement of the opening of Watauga Academy in 1899 (left), the historical marker for the Appalachian State Teachers College, which would later become Appalachian State University (center), and the Watauga Academy building. University Communications graphic. Photos courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1900

150 students enrolled at Watauga Academy.

1901

Watauga Academy celebrates its first graduates: Thomas C. Baird, a farmer from Valle Crucis; and Jesse L. Moore, a merchant from Elizabethton, TN.

1903

Watauga Academy became the Appalachian Training School, opening on Oct. 5, 1903, with 325 students and six faculty. The school, which prepared and trained both teachers and students, had three departments: The Public School Department with seven grades; a Teacher’s Course for teacher preparation; and a High School Department. Eight students graduated from Appalachian Training School in 1903, and deans were established the same year.

The school was made possible through $2,000 in state funding — supported by the Newland Bill, drafted by B.B. and passed by one vote on March 9, 1903, at the state legislature — as well as $1,500 in matching funds raised by Watauga County and a $500 gift from local entrepreneur Moses Cone.

Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
Construction of the Doughertys’ family home, located along Rivers Street on the Boone campus, is completed.

The home of Dauphin Disco and Lillie Shull Dougherty, circa 1905. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1904

The Dew Drop — a school bulletin, course catalog and general information pamphlet — is first published. It was published from 1904 to 1930, at which point the name was discontinued but production continued as a standard course catalog. View digitized versions of the catalog.

1905 Dew Drop course catalog. Photo courtesy of App State Special Collections Research Center
Tuition ranged from $4.50 to $11.25 per term, with free tuition for all teachers and students intending to teach a minimum two years in NC public schools. High School classes were $2.50 per month, the first three Public School grades were $1 a month, grades 4–5 were $1.50 and grades 5–6 were $2. Music and art cost $2, while piano classes were $0.25 per month.

1905

The first administration/classroom building is completed east of Watauga Academy. The two-story building, demolished 1967, contained an office, business room and chapel on the first floor and an auditorium and music rooms on the second floor.

The university’s first administration building. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1906

The Lovill Home was built as a women’s dormitory. It housed 85 women and included two society halls, two sitting rooms and two study rooms. Another Lovill Home was built in 1915, and the original Lovill Home became apartments for workers and teachers.

The Lovill Home, the first women’s residence built on App State’s Boone campus. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1907

The Watauga Academy library, which offered three thousand volumes. It was open for one hour each school day. By 1913, the library held 5,000 volumes.

The Watauga Academy library. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1908

An Alumni Association is organized. Today, App State has more than 150,000 living alumni across the state, nation and world.

Class of 1916 graduates of the Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
The first male residence, Newland Hall, is built on the south side of the Boone campus, west of the Doughertys’ home.

Newland Hall, as pictured in the 1922 volume of The Rhododendron yearbook. Photo courtesy of App State Special Collections

1909

Tuition is $10 for all students. Total student fees per term (board, tuition and incremental fees) was reported as $48.50 for men and $44.00 for women. Teachers and students intending to teach in NC public schools were still exempt from tuition payments. Two scholarships for free tuition were available from the University of North Carolina and Trinity College.
371 students are taught at Appalachian Training School in the 1909–10 school year, with 108 in the summer term only.

1911

Science Hall, the first specialized academic campus building, is completed. The building, along with Watauga Academy, was destroyed by fire in 1946.

Science Hall, the first specialized academic building on App State’s Boone campus. Photo courtesy of App State Special Collections, 1922 The Rhododendron

1913

Young women students gain access to grounds for croquet, tennis and other games, located behind the Administration Building.

A group of women students at Appalachian Training School play croquet on a Boone campus field in 1906. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
The Athletic Association, for men’s athletics, is first mentioned in the Dew Drop catalog. Membership was $0.25 per year. The association managed baseball games, a track team and other sports.

1916 men’s baseball team at Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
The quarter term system began. With this system, the university’s academic year operated on a four-part schedule, with fall, winter, spring and summer terms. Today, App State uses a semester system, with the academic year divided into two semesters, fall and summer, and two Summer Sessions.
Library hours are increased to two hours a day, with the library offering 5,000 volumes, two daily papers, and 20 monthly magazines. Bettie Stephenson became the university’s first librarian.
The Book Room provides students with textbooks at wholesale prices. The campus no longer provided books directly.

1915

New River Light and Power (NRLP) — the university’s electric utility — is established with state approval. The utility’s power plant was built on Edmisten Farm, approximately two miles south of campus, and provided electricity for the first time to the Appalachian Training School and six customers in Boone. Electricity and water systems were installed in all campus buildings. Learn more about NRLP’s history.

The New River Light and Power power plant in July 1923. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
Appalachian Training School maintains 16 regular faculty and six assistants. Enrollment reaches 556.

1917

The U.S. enters World War I and enrollment drops to 390 in the 1917–18 school year, with 181 students in summer school only.
An Arts and Crafts Building, also known as the Industrial Arts Building, is constructed on the south end of the Boone campus. The building housed the university’s first gymnasium on its first floor and the manual training program on the second floor. The facility was demolished in the late 1930s.

The Arts and Crafts Building, aka the Industrial Arts Building, at Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1918

A narrow gauge railroad to Boone, NC, is established by the Linville Branch of the Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, known as the Tweetsie Railroad, in October. It ran from Johnson City, TN, to Boone.

Three Appalachian Training School students stand on the tracks of the Linville River railroad, or Tweetsie Railroad, in 1923. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
The Appalachian Training School campus is placed under quarantine during the Spanish Influenza, and students are restricted to campus, with entrances closed to visitors. A few mild cases of sickness among students were reported, but all recovered within a few days.
On Nov. 11, word arrives that World War I has ended. The Appalachian Training School celebrates, with chapel service and a parade.

1919

The North Carolina General Assembly suggests the Appalachian Training School abandon high school education in preference for training elementary school teachers, due to a teacher shortage in the state following World War I.

1921

University trustees elect B.B. Dougherty as sole president of Appalachian Training School and D.D. Dougherty as the school’s business manager.

B.B. and D.D. Dougherty. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection, 1923 The Rhododendron
The North Carolina State Board of Education takes regulatory control of Appalachian Training School, and the school begins phasing out its high school courses and implementing a two-year curriculum.
For the first time, health certificates are required at time of registration, certifying and stating that the applicant is not sick with a contagious disease and has not been exposed to any such disease within 20 days.

1922

The first volume of the university’s yearbook, The Rhododendron, is published. It was released yearly until 1992. In 2004, the yearbook returned, but in 2006, production ended again. The Rhododendron was compiled and published by members of the senior class. View digitized issues of The Rhododendron.

Covers from the 1929 (left) and 1948 (right) volumes of The Rhododendron. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Special Collections
Student enrollment reaches 770 in the 1922-23 school year, and 48 students graduate.

1923

The New River Light and Power (NRLP) plant burns down on March 23, causing a blackout on campus and in Boone that lasts for 17 months. Electricity was restored in the fall of 1924, when the new hydroelectric plant on the Middle Fork of the New River was finished.

The remaining walls of the New River Light and Power Company power plant, circa 1960. The plant was built in 1915 on the Edmisten Farm by the New River, where a dam was constructed to generate hydropower for Appalachian Training School and Boone. It was manned by three people and had an unstable generator prone to power outages. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
The State Board of Education appropriates $125,000 ($2.3 million in today’s dollars) for the construction of a new Administration Building on the western side of the Boone campus, as well as $300,000 (equivalent of $5.6 million today) appropriated for a hydro-electric plant on Middle Fork of the New River and a physical education building.

1924

The university’s first football field is built. It was located on the site that is now home to the Rankin Science Building.
1,097 students enrolled at the Appalachian Training School.
The road between Wilkesboro and Boone is paved to facilitate automobile travel through the area.
The second Administration Building is completed. It was located on the Promenade, approximately where Anne Belk Hall is currently located, and was destroyed by fire in 1966.

The university’s second Administration Building, circa 1940s or 1950s. The initials A.S.T.C. are visible on the front of the building, which stand for Appalachian State Teachers College — the fourth iteration of Appalachian State University. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1925

Appalachian Training School receives approval from the North Carolina General Assembly to offer two-year college courses, and the school’s name is changed to Appalachian State Normal School (ASNS). High school courses were phased out entirely. B.B. Dougherty was named president of ASNS and a new Board of Trustees was formed. ASNS opened on Oct. 5 with 350 enrolled students.

The Administration Building for Appalachian Training School. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
Boone Grade School is constructed as a Demonstration Elementary School, aka Appalachian Elementary School. The school was a cooperative institution between the university and Watauga County Schools, through which the school provided facilities and teachers for Watauga County students, and Appalachian Training School students gained teacher training in their final year. In 1954, a second facility for the school was built beside the Boone Grade School building. Before the Boone Grade School was built in 1924, the school had previously been taught in the university’s Science Hall. The Appalachian Elementary School program ended in 1975.

Children in the Appalachian Elementary School, also known as the Demonstration Elementary School, play in the lot behind two school buildings in the 1960s. The first Appalachian Elementary School building, known as the Education Building, can be seen on the right, and the second building, built 1954, is on the left. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
Profits from New River Light and Power are set aside to be used as a loan fund for students. Currently, NRLP reserves approximately $650,000 each year for the general scholarship fund at App State, which supports the Chancellor’s Scholarship and other university scholarships.

1926

Appalachian State Normal School is accredited by the American Association of Teachers’ Colleges and Normal Schools.

1927

Duck Pond is installed on the Boone campus.

App State’s Duck Pond, circa 1968. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1928

The first organized football team begins intercollegiate sports competition in the 1928–29 school year.

This page from the 1929 volume of The Rhododendron shows the 1929 football team at Appalachian State Normal School, along with the team’s competition schedule for the 1929–30 academic year. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

1929

With approval from the state legislature, Appalachian State Normal School becomes the Appalachian State Teachers College — a four-year college for training teachers. B.B. Dougherty is named president of the college and a new Board of Trustees is formed.

The stone archway entry to Appalachian State Teachers College is pictured in 1936. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection
App State co-founder D.D. Dougherty passes away the same day that registration opened at the new Appalachian State Teachers College on June 10. After her husband’s death, Lillie Shull Dougherty took over as the college’s treasurer and business manager.

This faculty page from the 1931 volume of The Rhododendron yearbook shows App State co-founder Lillie Shull Dougherty, business manager of Appalachian State Teachers College, at right. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Collection

Timeline years 1930 to 2024 can be found here.

View the full timeline

Proclamation honoring App State's 125th anniversary

On Sept. 17, 2024, in the Senate Chamber, U.S. Sen. Ted Budd — an App State Class of 1994 alumnus — read a proclamation honoring Appalachian State University on its 125 years of service to the state and the Western North Carolina region. This proclamation is now part of the Congressional Record. Read the proclamation in full below.

U.S. Sen. Ted Budd’s proclamation honoring the 125th anniversary of his alma mater, Appalachian State University. Photo by Chase Reynolds

125th Anniversary of Appalachian State University

Mr. President, today, I have the distinct honor of recognizing my alma mater, Appalachian State University, on the 125th anniversary of its founding.

Established in Boone, NC, as Watauga Academy in 1899, App State began as a teachers college with 53 students.

Today, it enrolls over 21,000 students, employs more than 3,500 employees, and boasts more than 150,000 living alumni who exemplify the Mountaineer spirit every day.

This strong and steady growth has established App State as a premier public institution and one of the largest in the UNC System.

Given its worldwide reputation, App State has remained true to its mission as a rural institution known for service to its local and regional communities. App State is committed to increasing enrollment of students from North Carolina's rural populations and ensuring timely graduation with as little debt as possible.

The university’s regional impact is undeniable, contributing nearly $2.2 billion to our State's economy. App State continues to maintain a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its campuses in Boone, Hickory, and online.

The university is committed to supporting the workforce needs of North Carolina as one of our State’s leading producers of graduates in business, education, and healthcare.

Moreover, App State has stepped up to meet the growing needs in the areas of veterinary technology, health sciences, and cyber security.

App State’s successes reach beyond the classroom to competitive sports, with more than 400 Mountaineer student athletes in 17 NCAA Division 1 varsity sports. These student athletes earned a cumulative GPA above 3.0 for the 12th consecutive year during the spring semester of 2024.

Since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014, Mountaineer athletics programs have won 13 conference championships. Four of those titles belong to the nationally ranked football team--the legendary triumphs of which are known from Ann Arbor, MI, to College Station, TX.

On behalf of the citizens of the State of North Carolina, I congratulate Appalachian State University on 125 years of service to our State and our region.

I yield the floor.

University Archives and Records

Open to anyone with an interest in the history of App State, University Archives houses not only the official records gathered from offices and departments but also the papers of individuals and organizations that are part of the university’s history.

Appalachian State University's History pages are a project of the University Communications team, with special acknowledgement for work by Jessica Stump, Derek Wycoff and the staff of University Archives.

Institutional history

Watauga Academy

Appalachian Training School

Appalachian State Normal School

Appalachian State Teachers College

Appalachian State University

Then and Now: 125 Years of App State (Video)

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University Timeline

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University Timeline

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Proclamation honoring App State's 125th anniversary

125th Anniversary of Appalachian State University

University Archives and Records