January 15, 1844

On this day, The University of Notre Dame received an official college charter from the state of Indiana. The Bishop of Vincennes offered land to Father Edward Sorin for the University in 1842 on the condition that he build a college within a two year period. The school began as a primary and secondary school, after acquiring two students, and was housed in the original log chapel. It began, as most in that time did, as an all-male institution with a female chapter called St. Mary’s College founded two years later. As the campus expanded, the Indiana General Assembly granted the school its college charter, official named University of Notre Dame du Lac.