Tehuacana (1869-1902)
Founding Years
From the beginning, the spirit of higher education at Trinity University has been experiential, rigorous, and intrepid. In 1869, a group of Texas Cumberland Presbyterians united to create a new university of the highest order, out of the ashes of many Texas colleges left decimated by the Civil War. These founders were supported by a 1,100-acre donation from Texas pioneer and politician John Boyd. Trinity held its first classes inside a single renovated farmhouse in tiny Tehuacana, Texas, a village of just 500.
Waxahachie (1902-1942)
Growth and Challenges
Seeking access to greater financial and cultural resources, Trinity moved 75 miles to Waxahachie, a railroad hub and cotton-farming community. About the same time, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church reunited with the larger Presbyterian Church in the U.S., a move that brought considerable educational and financial benefits to the university.
San Antonio (1942-Present)
Transformation and Momentum
With the Great Depression of the 1930s taking a heavy toll, Trinity needed a new home. Fortunately, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce members Robert R. Witt, James H. Calvert, and Cecil W. Miller were determined to attract the university to town.
In 1942, Trinity merged with a local Methodist institution and initially settled on a 10-acre facility on the city’s West Side. In 1945, Trinity purchased the 107-acre, hilltop location atop an old limestone quarry that has become our forever home. Here, historic architect O’Neil Ford created a sparkling, mid-century modern campus, carved right into the quarry.
This Trinity foothold served as the base for the modern Skyline campus to rise through the challenges of the decades ahead. This rock-solid foundation has spurred Trinity’s growth through the present day while preserving our rich legacy of curiosity, innovation, and excellence.