On March 11, 1889, the North Carolina General Assembly issued a charter for Elon College, a four-year coeducational institution founded by the Christian Church. The name Elon, the Hebrew word for a grove of oak trees, was chosen to describe the school’s 87-acre wooded site at Mill Point. Founding President William S. Long supervised construction of the first buildings, including Main Building, which stood near the location of Alamance Building, and East Dormitory. Bricks came from a clay quarry and brickyard located on today’s South Campus. An inaugural class of 76 students enrolled in September 1890, taught by President Long and six faculty members.

The building housed much of Elon College's operation in its early years, including the administrative offices, library, chapel and most classrooms. Also known as “Old Main” and “The College,” the building was destroyed by the January 1923 fire and its remnants were razed.

The Elon College Monthly was first published in June 1891, marking the debut of the first medium for student expression at the college. The publication included articles and personal items written by students and included a few ads. It was published by the three Literary Societies at Elon: the Philologian, Psiphelian and Clio societies.

Nathaniel G. Newman, C.C. Peel and Herbert Scholz make up the first graduating class.

M. Irene Johnson is the first female graduate and becomes first female faculty member. She represented the entire graduating class that year.

Glee Club, the first student musical group, is also formed.

The yearbook is named after the three original Literary Societies at Elon: the Philologian, Psiphelian and Clio societies.

The senior class shrinks from 46 to 30 as men enlist to fight in WWI, but the college continued its program even though seriously handicapped. Before the conflict ended, the total number of Elon students and alumni in service reached 601, of which 15 were casualties.

On January 18, 1923, a fire destroyed Main Building, including all student and alumni records, the president’s safe and nearly all the library books. Noted as the most dramatic event in the history of Elon College, the fire caused an estimated $125,000 in damages. College trustees immediately voted to rebuild. The fire was first noticed by college sophomore, William B. Terrell, who was in another building and saw a small flame in a second story window in the Administration Building. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Alamance County residents are active in fundraising, rebuilding and expanding the college after the disastrous 1923 fire. The cornerstone of the Whitley Auditorium was laid May 23, 1923. At the Commencement ceremony that year, the cornerstone of the Alamance Building was laid in the presence of a large crowd.

Three three-story buildings are completed: Duke (containing science labs, classrooms and offices), Carlton (library) and Mooney (containing classrooms, offices, a small auditorium and meeting rooms for social and religious activities).

Dramatic arts students, known as the Playmakers and later Elon Players, organize to establish a chapter of the National Dramatic Fraternity, Delta Psi Omega, with performances held in Whitley Auditorium. From 1935-1955, they held three full-length public performances per year called the “Players' Evenings.”

During the Great Depression, with debt from campus construction, Elon faced financial collapse. In 1931 enrollment declined from 400 to 87, faculty received almost no pay and President William Harper resigned. In 1932 the college lost its accreditation. President Leon Smith appealed to alumni and received donations of $3,000 to continue operations. He avoided arrest by a deputy sheriff looking for the college’s remaining assets, persuaded creditors to accept partial payments, convinced faculty to compromise on delinquent salaries and recruited many students from the defunct Atlantic University in Virginia Beach, Va. By 1943 the college was debt free.

The first issue of the Elon Colonnades, the student literary magazine, is published in May. The 27-page issue included 35 contributions by students and a color cover. The editorial staff included 10 students under the supervision of English professor Fletcher Collins Jr.

W. Clifton Elder '25, a Burlington businessman and trustee of the college, is selected to receive the first outstanding alumnus award. He received a plaque and a citation during the Alumni Association's annual banquet.

During World War II, Elon’s enrollment shrank from 580 to 370 and 13 faculty left for military service or war-related work. Students created the “V for Victory” club and the Student Service Organization to organize war efforts on the home front. In 1943–44 the 325th College Training Detachment of the Army Air Corps was stationed at Elon, where 672 recruits were trained in academic subjects and pre-flight skills. By 1946 returning GIs increased enrollment to nearly 700. World War II claimed 32 Elon students and alumni, and Alumni Memorial Gymnasium is named in their honor as well.

Elon played its first football game at Burlington Memorial Stadium in 1949. The Fighting Christians defeated the Edenton Marines 80-0. The term 'Fighting Christians' was first used during the 1922-23 sports season to describe the spirit of Elon athletes who proudly wore their Maroon and Gold uniforms.

The facility was dedicated Dec. 2 to the memory of Elon alumni who died in WWI and WWII. The new building was not only used for athletic events but also for other functions including concerts, fairs, convocations and commencements.

As Elon expanded its academic programs (it offered day and nigh school), enrollment sore from 705 students in 1953 to 1,070 in 1955. The campus was busy around the clock and lights remained on all night, a far cry from the past when lights were cut off at 11 o'clock each night.

Trustee and N.C. Secretary of State Thad Eure drafts a new charter for the college, clarifying ownership and relationship with the church, which would still be related to the institution but would not own the college.

Many of Elon’s first students arrived in 1890 at the depot next to campus, which was originally built for freight but later expanded for passengers, and included a telegraph office and post office. Trains stopped four times daily and the Southern Railway added a car on game days so students could travel to football and baseball games off campus. By 1961 the rail era had ended at Elon and the railroad demolished the depot, granting the strip of land on the north side of the tracks to the college for student parking. In 2010, the university partnered with the North Carolina Railway Company to build a pedestrian underpass to improve access to South Campus.

Johnson delivered a speech primarily on foreign affairs that was heard by the largest crowd ever assemble at Elon up to then.

On July 15, 1968, about 200 volunteers carried armloads of books, transfering 67,000 volumes from Carlton building to the new Iris Holt McEwen Library. For each 10 loads of books carried, participants received a ticket. Ten tickets entitled the holder to a steak supper that evening. The card catalog was replaced by an electronic catalog in 1993 and computer workstations were added in 1995.

Also that year, Tau Kappa Epsilon becomes the first nationally chartered fraternity on campus.

Elon’s first Winter Term in 1969 included a British history study abroad course based in London. Additional courses were soon added in Europe and by the 1980s courses were also offered in Russia, Israel, Egypt and Jordan. Bill Rich was named coordinator of study abroad in 1985, the same year as the first semester abroad program. In 1999 a $1 million gift by Isabella Cannon ’24 endowed what is now the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center, and Elon received its first #1 national ranking in study abroad from the Institute of International Education. Today, Elon operates study abroad courses around the world and 72 percent of Elon grads have an international study experience.Students take the first study abroad trip to England.

The Caroline Powell Building, formerly known as the Classroom-Office Building, opens. Jordan Gymnasium and Beck Pool are constructed.

Basketball becomes the first women's varsity sport.

In October, the first edition of the student newspaper, The Pendulum, was printed. Though the venture was poorly equipped at first-the editorial staff had a drafting table, T-square and two typewriters at their disposal-it soon became a permanent part of the college scene.

On Dec. 8, 1977, WSOE broadcasted for the first time on campus. The maximum range of the 10-watt radio station was roughly 20 miles. Programs included pop music played from records, campus news and educational presentations. Documentaries, profiles and other features were added later.

The Fighting Christians won back-to-back NAIA national football championships in 1980 and 1981. The 1980 squad finished 9-1 and ranked third in the NAIA. They won their first championship by a score of 17-10. The following year, they captured their second NAIA title in below-freezing temperatures on Phil Renn's 23-yard field goal, 3-0.

The historic senior oak tree-the traditional place for photographs, first kisses and marriage proposals-dies and is removed.

The 1982 construction of Scott Plaza and Fonville Fountain in front of Alamance Building is frequently cited as a turning point in the development of Elon’s modern campus. The area was previously an entrance road from Haggard Avenue and a parking lot for faculty and staff. The new master plan for the historic quad, conceived by landscape architect Wayne McBride working with President Fred Young, generated some controversy. Some likened Elon’s plans to creating Disneyland. However, the beautiful plaza framed by oak trees and historic buildings soon became the location for Elon’s weekly College Coffee community gatherings and Commencement and New Student Convocation receptions.

The Master of Business Administration program becomes Elon's first master's program. Five MBA degrees are awarded during the 1986 Commencement ceremony.

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business is established thanks to a $1million gift by the Martha and Spencer Love Foundation. The gift was the largest in in the 97-year history of the college. The school was named in honor of its benefactors for their impact in the business world and the region's economy through their company, Burlington Industries, which Spencer Love founded in Burlington, N.C., in the early 1920s.

Undergraduate enrollment exceeds 3,000 students. Meanwhile, a new graduate program, the Master of Education, is launched.

The 75,000-square-foot facility houses Elon's Performing Arts department and is specifically designed for teaching and performance. The centerpiece stage is McCrary Theatre, a large fully equipped theatre and concert hall. It also includes the Yeager Recital Hall and the 100-seat Black Box Theatre.

Jimmy Powell Tennis Center, a 12-court, championship tennis complex, opens and is recognized as one of the finest collegiate tennis complexes in the nation.

The Elon College Chapter of Habitat for Humanity received charter in September of 1988. It was one of the first 30 chapters of Habitat for Humanity in the nation. The first major project was a complete renovation project finished in the fall of 1989. The first house constructed was completed in the fall of 1991.

In 1989 Elon celebrated its centennial, taking pride in the 13,416 men and women who were awarded degrees in the first 100 years. A five-year plan leading up to the centennial included the Pride II fundraising campaign and many goals for improving academic and student life programs. The Centennial year included a visit to campus by former President Jimmy Carter, a performance by jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie and presentations of Elon Medallions to President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley and legendary trustee Thad Eure. The 1889 cornerstone box was opened by President Young, who later sealed a new time capsule that is located behind the Elon Seal in Moseley Center.

The Center for Service Learning is established. In 1997, the center is endowed as the John R. Kernodle Jr. Center for Service Learning.

Elon's Investing In Excellence Campaign raises $21 million and the Elon Vision strategic plan, which transformed the campus with many new facilities, is launched. The goal of the new plan was to establish the college as a “premier undergraduate institution on the Eastern Seaboard.” The plan responded to a challenge from trustee chair Wallace Chandler ’49 to envision where Elon should be in 2000. The 17 objectives of the Elon Vision included construction of McMichael Science Center, Belk Library and Rhodes Stadium. Enrollment grew by almost 1,000 students in the 1990s and applications for admission nearly doubled.

Also that year, the 4500-square-feet Stewart Fitness Center opens.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dedicates Moseley Center, Koury Center and the Center for the Arts.

The Loy Center provides on-campus facilities for Greek organization. The Greek courtyard was named for Lib Apple Loy.

Programs initially housed in the science center include biology, physics, chemistry and the master of physical therapy, which was also established that year. The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with more than 70 computers, 27 high-tech instruments such as a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and a scanning electron microscope. The building features 17 teaching labs, 14 student research labs, classrooms, faculty offices and 11 reading and conference rooms.

Elon Athletics began competing in NCAA Division I in 1999. Also that year, the Danieley Center is dedicated. The center, which was named in honor of President Emeritus James Earl Danieley, includes a Commons Building that features a fireplace lounge, computer room and dining facility.

The Phoenix is adopted as the new athletics identity; Isabella Cannon '24 delivers the Commencement address at age 96, which is broadcasted on national television; Elon awards its 20,000th degree and Queen Noor of Jordan speaks at fall convocation.

Also that year, the Carol Grotnes Belk Library opens; the College of Arts and Sciences, Schools of Education and Communications are established; The NewCentury@Elon strategic plan is created. The plan’s goal was “to be a national model of engaged learning, founded upon our traditions of innovation and community.”

On June 1, 2001, Board of Trustees Chair Noel Allen ’69 and Secretary Ed Powell and President Leo Lambert gathered
at the front of Moseley Center to sign a new charter, officially changing the institution’s name to Elon University. The historic moment was the culmination of a decade-long community discussion, recognizing the growth in academic programs, personnel, facilities and enrollment that took place in achieving the goals of the Elon Vision strategic plan. Trustees declared that Elon University would remain student-centered, promoting engaged learning and close, mentoring relationships between students and faculty

The Town of Elon College becomes Town of Elon, Rhodes Stadium opens and the Elon Vision campaign concludes, raising $46.7 million. Former President George Bush visits campus.

Isabella Cannon International Studies Pavilion and William R. Kenan Jr. Honors Pavilion open in the Academic Village; primatologist Jane Goodall speaks at Spring Convocation; former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto speaks at Fall Convocation; Belk Track and White Field are completed.

Elon enrolls first class of Doctor of Physical Therapy students; broadcasting legend Walter Cronkite visits campus; Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks at Spring Convocation.

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business achieves AACSB International accreditation; former presidential adviser David Gergen serves as Elon's first Isabella Cannon Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership; Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel speaks at Spring Convocation; Board of Trustees votes to establish Elon University School of Law in Greensboro, N.C.; Ella Darden and Elmon Lee Gray Pavilion opens in Academic Village.

Pioneering astronaut John Glenn dedicates site of new Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center; Elon named one of nation's 25 "Hottest Colleges" by Newsweek-Kaplan; Doctor of Physical Therapy program graduates charter class; construction begins on School of Law facility in Greensboro.

Elon University School of Law opens in downtown Greensboro, N.C. with a charter class of 115 students; the school is formally dedicated by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The need for the school and its location in downtown Greensboro, N.C., was based on a study of a feasibility committee. Many Triad businesses, foundations and individuals provided funding, with the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation purchasing the former Greensboro Public Library building to house the school. The school received full American Bar Association accreditation at the earliest possible date in 2011. Since its founding, Elon Law has expanded its Greensboro campus and the reputation of the school continues to grow.

The Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center also opens.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell delivers Convocation for Honors address; The Oaks, a student residence complex, opens; School of Communications achieves ACEJMC accreditation; Elon named one of nation's top three universities for community service in President Bush's inaugural Higher Education Service Honor Roll; total enrollment exceeds 5,000 for the first time.

The Colonnades Dining Hall and the Colonnades Residence Halls A & B open and William Henry Belk Pavilion and Luvene Holmes and Royall H. Spence Jr. Pavilion open in the Academic Village. Also, the Elon Academy, an outreach program for Alamance County high school students, is launched and the Lumen Prize is established as the university's premier award recognizing student scholarship.

Former President Bill Clinton speaks on campus on behalf of his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is running for president. Elon University School of Law receives provisional approval by the American Bar Association; Breanna Detwiler becomes the first Elon student to receive the prestigious Truman Scholarship.

In 2009, the School of Communications launches a master's program in interactive media; also, Elon University School of Law graduates its charter class.

Elon trustees approve the addition of a master's program in physician assistant studies and the establishment of the 56-acre Elon University Forest. The inaugural class of the master's program in physician assistant studies enrolls in 2013.

Also in 2010, a full renovation of Alumni Gym is completed, including the newly-named Robertson Court.

Alumni Field House opens at Rhodes Stadium, the new headquarters of Phoenix athletics; Elon trustees approve establishment of a School of Health Sciences; the Colonnades Residential Neighborhood is completed, including three new residence halls, Harper Hall, Staley Hall and Kivette Hall, along with Elon's first geothermal energy system; five new Greek Life houses open in Loy Center.

The Ever Elon campaign concludes in December, raising a record $107.3 million.

The Gerald L. Francis Center opened as the home of Elon's School of Health Sciences; The Station at Mill Point, a townhouse residential neighborhood for juniors and seniors, opened on Williamson Avenue; the undergraduate program of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business was ranked among the nation's best by Bloomberg Businessweek; the Student Professional Development Center opened in Moseley Center; trustees approved the addition of women's lacrosse as a new NCAA Division I sport.

In fall 2013, Elon opened the first two buildings in the Global Neighborhood, an international-themed residential area adjacent to the new Lakeside Dining Hall that is part of the university’s $100 million plan to transform the residential campus. The seven campus neighborhoods also include the Station at Mill Point (2012), the Colonnades (2007 & 2011), the Oaks (2006), Danieley Center, the Historic Neighborhood and Loy Center. The plan is designed to increase the percentage of students who live on campus and integrate academics, living-learning communities and co-curricular activities to meet students’ needs at each stage of their college careers.

In February 1900, two Elon students petitioned to play a game against Guilford College. Their request was granted, and the team traveled to Guilford on March 23. The Quakers overwhelmed the Fighting Christians, 32-3. The teams played a second game on April 24 on Elon's campus, but again Guilford easily dispatched Elon, 38-3.

On Nov. 5, dedication ceremonies were held for the completed William S. Long Student Center and three men's dormitories, Hook, Brannock and Barney Halls, named in honor of veteran faculty members Alonzo Hook, Ned Brannock and John Barney.

In 1963 Paul deMontaigne of Martinique became Elon’s first black student; President J. Earl Danieley personally escorted him to his first class in the evening program. The next semester, Glenda Phillips became the first fulltime black student, and in 1969 Eugene Perry became the first black student to graduate. Wilhelmina Boyd became the first full-time black faculty member in 1987. The Office of Multicultural Affairs was created in 1993, El Centro de Español opened in 1998, and the Gender and LGBTQIA Center opened in 2013. Religious diversity expanded with the establishment of Elon Hillel in 1994, the Catholic Newman Center in 2009 and the opening of the Numen Lumen Pavilion, a multi-faith center, in 2013.

In 2003 Elon purchased 73 acres of the Elon Homes for Children property, including Johnston Hall, Holt Chapel and Truitt Building. The acquisition exemplified the historic partnership between the university and the organization founded as the Christian Orphanage by the Southern Christian Convention. Orphanage superintendents included Elon trustee Charles Johnston and alumni John G. Truitt ’17 and Walstein Snyder ’45. The Elon Homes property was named South Campus, including Phoenix Club Sports Fields. The university purchased the remaining Elon Homes property in 2012, including facilities that will serve the needs of the university’s academic and student life programs.

In April 2010 the Phi Beta Kappa Society granted a charter to its 57 Elon faculty and staff members, formally establishing a chapter at the university. The nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society acknowledged Elon’s extensive progress in enhancing its arts and sciences programs. Forty-seven students were inducted into the chapter’s inaugural class. As part of a day-long celebration, Elon dedicated Phi Beta Kappa Commons in the center of the Academic Village, a seven-building quadrangle developed from 2002 to 2013. Lindner Hall, the anchor building in the quad, is the headquarters for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences.