In 1886, founding president David Bancroft Johnson successfully petitioned Boston philanthropist Robert C. Winthrop and the Peabody Fund for seed money to form a training school for teachers. Winthrop opened its doors to 21 students in Columbia, S.C., using a borrowed, one-room building. The school soon received state assistance and moved to its permanent Rock Hill home in 1895. It expanded its mission over time to become a comprehensive institution. Winthrop assumed university designation in 1992. Explore the links at left to discover more about Winthrop’s rich history, its notable traditions and more.
