1849
City of Ripon is founded.
1851
Ripon College is founded as a college preparatory school on January 29 (now known as Founder’s Day) originally named Ripon Lyceum.
1861
College closed for one year because of the Civil War. Buildings occupied
1863
The school becomes a four-year college and is renamed Ripon College. Today, the campus has grown to 250 tree-covered acres with 26 buildings.
1867
Luthera H. Adams, Harriet H. Brown, Susan A.W. Salisbury and Mary F. Spencer graduate as Ripon’s first class. Present at the ceremony were three limestone buildings that are still in use today: East, Smith, and West Halls.
1868
College Days, Wisconsin’s oldest continually published college newspaper, is first published as a monthly literary magazine. The Presidential seal was developed and still in use today.
1893
The state’s oldest football rivalry begins. Ripon takes the field against Lawrence University and wins 24-6.
1900
Sarah Clyde Mitchell Morse graduates, but not before writing our Alma Mater. More than a century later, the tune is still sung at events and chimes from the Harwood Memorial Union clock tower.
1907
Crimson (student yearbook) is first published and can be seen in the College archives.
1911
Ripon’s debate team writes the constitution for Pi Kappa Delta—now a national honors society for debaters and orators.
1917
Ripon joins the Midwest College Conference.
1919
ROTC unit established at Ripon College, one of only two in Wisconsin, the other at UW-Madison.
1925
The National Forensic League is founded and hosts the first national speech tournament for high school students.
1952
Ripon College is awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Only 290 colleges and universities in the country have received this honor.
1956
WRPN, our student radio station, is established on campus.
1991
The nickname of the College was changed from Red Men and Red Ladies (formerly Redmen) to Red Hawks and new logos were designed.
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