Though the Ivy League was only formed in 1954, seven of its eight schools were founded prior to the American Revolution. Tour the country’s “Ancient Eight” campuses with this list:
College Administrative Building · 4 tips and reviews
HISTORY: You're standing in history. Nassau Hall was the site where the Continental Congress first learned the British had signed a peace treaty granting independence to the former colonies in 1783.
HISTORY: Brown moved to its current spot overlooking Providence on College Hill in 1770 and was renamed in 1804 in recognition of a $5,000 gift from Nicholas Brown.
HISTORY: Did you know Harvard University was named after John Harvard of Charlestown, who upon his death in 1638 left his library and half his estate to the institution?
Outdoor Sculpture · Mid-Cambridge · 35 tips and reviews
HISTORY: This monument, created in honor of the university's first benefactor, John Harvard, is a frequent target of pranks, hacks, and humorous decorations from Harvard students.
26 Oxford St (btwn Everett & Kirkland Sts.), Cambridge, MA
Science Museum · Aggasiz - Harvard University · 62 tips and reviews
HISTORY: The Harvard Museum of Natural History is the public face of 3 research museums, including the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Harvard University Herbaria, & the Mineralogical and Geological Museum.
University · Downtown New Haven · 29 tips and reviews
HISTORY: Five US Presidents, 45 Cabinet members, over 500 members of Congress, and countless other senior officials, judges, diplomats, and military officers can call themselves Yale alumni.
College Football Field · Westville · 9 tips and reviews
HISTORY: When the Yale Bowl opened in 1914, it was the first stadium with seating that completely surrounded the field. Today, it's famous for hosting soccer, lacrosse & countless other notable events.
535 W 116th St (Columbia University), New York, NY
College Administrative Building · West Harlem · 13 tips and reviews
HISTORY: Low Memorial Library was the first major building erected on the present Columbia University site. Today it is one of the most important Neo-Classical structures in America.
W 116th St (btwn Broadway & Amsterdam Ave), New York, NY
Outdoor Sculpture · West Harlem · 10 tips and reviews
HISTORY: According to an old school legend, the first Columbia College boy of every class to find the owl hidden in Alma Mater’s robes will graduate valedictorian and marry a Barnard girl.
HISTORY: Cornell has been described as the first truly American university because of its dedication to its land-grant mission of outreach and public service.
HISTORY: One of the most frequently played set of bells on any American collect campus, the Cornell Chimes are housed in the historic McGraw Tower. The 21-bells are played primarily by student chimesmasters.
HISTORY: Uris Library is home to the Andrew Dickson White Library, which was built to hold the 30,0000 books that formed the personal collection of Cornell's first president, Andrew Dickson White.