Special Collections & Archives: Hamilton College

Originally established as the Hocker Female College by James Hocker in 1869, the four-story Italianate structure was located on North Broadway, just north of Fourth Street in Lexington, Kentucky. In recognition of William Hamilton, who made a large donation in 1878, the school was renamed Hamilton Female College. In 1889 Kentucky University (now Transylvania University) became a major stockholder of the school and in 1903 assumed complete charge of it. Under the leadership of President Burris Jenkins, Hamilton College was converted into a two-year junior college, the first in Kentucky. Women students who completed their studies at Hamilton frequently transferred to Kentucky University to secure A.B. degrees.

The college offered a high-quality academic program. It also had a policy of strictly supervising the social activities of its students, although this was liberalized when Kentucky University became coeducational in 1889. The school functioned successfully until the 1920s, when diminished financial resources resulted in a large debt. Hamilton College ceased to exist as an independent college after 1932 and the building was converted into a women's dormitory for Transylvania students until 1958. It was razed in 1962.

-From "Hamilton College" entry by John Wright in the Kentucky Encyclopedia.

1869: School established by James Monroe Hocker under the name Hocker Female Institute. Robert Graham is selected as the first President of the college.

1875: H. Turner becomes President.

1876: John Thomas Patterson becomes President.

1877: James Hocker sells the college to a board of trustees and Hocker Female Institute is officially incorporated under the legislature.

1878: Name is changed to Hamilton College in honor of a $10,000 donation from William Hamilton.

1888: Josiah Burnsides Skinner is made Principal, while President Patterson steps back officially but retains strong ties to the school.

1889: Kentucky University becomes a controlling stockholder of Hamilton. Kentucky University begins admitting women into the School of Liberal Arts.

1890: J. B. Skinner becomes President.

1898: President Skinner dies during the academic term and his widow Julia Lenoir Skinner completes the year in his stead.

1899: Barton Campbell Hagerman becomes President.

1903: Luella Wilcox St. Clair becomes President. Kentucky University assumes administrative control of Hamilton, and education at Hamilton is converted from a four year Baccalaureate program to a two-year Junior College program.

1909: Hubert Gibson Shearin becomes President. 

1914: Errett Weir McDiarmid becomes President. Bourbon Female College merges with Hamilton, which brings Ida Van Arsdell Thompson to serve as Lady Principal. 

1918: Thomas A. Hendricks becomes President.

1919: Elizabeth B. Williamson becomes Dean.

1920: Alice Tribble Karr becomes Acting Dean.

1923: Mrs. A. D. Harmon becomes Acting Dean.

1925: Hilda Threlkeld becomes Acting Dean.

1928: Hamilton College Board of Trustees re-assumes administrative control of the College.

1932: Junior college returns to Transylvania's control, high school continues to be administered by Hamilton. Hamilton College's main building is converted into a women’s dormitory for Transylvania College students and renamed Lyons-Hamilton Hall.

1962: Lyons-Hamilton Hall is demolished. 

For in-depth citations of the information in this timeline, please click here.