1903: Col. J.W. Childers sells A.B. Barret some land west of Abilene. 1906: A.B. Barret is the first president. 1906: The Childers Classical Institute opens its doors. Enrollment grows from 25 to 85 students the first year.

1924: Batsell Baxter becomes the young school's sixth president. 1927: The Board of Trustees purchases the 680 acre Hashknife Ranch. Jan. 28, 1929: The old administration building burns. Sept. 5, 1929: The new campus opens. Oct. 29, 1929: The stockmarket crashes.

1940: Don H. Morris takes office as president. Unprecedented enrollment increases after World War II. 1946: Barracks from nearby Camp Barkeley are moved to the Hill for housing, classrooms and offices.

Feb. 22, 1966: Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Coliseum-Auditorium take place. Feb. 26, 1967: The first Lectureship tent - covering 19,000 square feet with space for 165 exhibitors - is set up on a parking lot. July 1, 1968: The McGlothlin Campus Center opens. The McGlothlin group consists of Ray, Jack, and Hal McGlothlin and Joe Corbin. May 3, 1969: Don Morris is elevated to Chancellor and John Stevens is appointed president. 1965: ACC has 3,000 students enrolled.

Feb. 22, 1982: William J. Teague is inaugurated as the ninth president of ACU.

Judge Ely Blvd. is moved east to accomodate construction of new buildings for Bible and business administration.

1981: ACU adds its School of Nursing.

1986: The NPR affiliate KACU-FM is launched.

May 21, 1988: ACU becomes the first school to sweep four NCAA track and field titles in one year (men and women, indoor and outdoor) with victories by the men and women at the Division II championships in San Angelo.

 

2000: ACU ranks among the top 10 percent of institutions in the nation in endowment. 2001: A record 4,761 students are enrolled. 2003: The new Williams Performing Arts Center opens. May 2004: David Leeson becomes the first ACU graduate to win the Pulitzer Prize, journalism's highest honor, for his coverage of the invasion of Iraq.

John G. Hardin helps ACU survive the Depression with a gift of $160,000 in bonds.

Dec. 2, 1950: ACU completes an 11-0 season in football with a victory of 13-7 over Gustavus Adolphus College in the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Ind. The Wildcats of coach Garvin Beauchamp, in their only undefeated, untied season in school history, recorded the only perfect 11-0 season in college football that season. Jan. 8, 1951: KACC goes on the air with their inaugural broadcast. Dec. 6, 1951: The college is officially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. July 15, 1954: The Summer Workshop for Bible class teachers begins. Dec. 1, 1956: Bobby Morrow anchors the U.S. to a world record of 39.5 in the 4x100 relay to win his third gold medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne. 1955: Student enrollment passes the 2,000 mark.

Feb. 22, 1976: Abilene Christian College becomes Abilene Christian University. Oct. 16, 1976: ACU senior Ove Johansson kicks a world record 69-yard field goal on the final play of the first half in a 17-0 win over Texas A&M-Commerce in the Wildcats’ homecoming game in Shotwell Stadium. 1977: ACC passes the 4,000 enrollment mark. Aug. 30, 1977: Mr. And Mrs. W.C. Sikes are honored as namesakes of the new $1,421,000 dorm for women to be called Sikes Dorm. Sikes Dorm was the first dorm to have a private bath in every room. Aug. 27, 1979: Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing in cooperation with Hendrick Hospital begins offering the bachelor of science in nursing degree. (ACU, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University)

June 11, 1990: Garvin and Judy Beauchamp are honored as the amphitheater is named Beauchamp Amphitheater. Bob and Cheryl Gowens are responsible for the Tower of Light and the Tower Chimes. Feb. 1992: Dr. Royce Money formally becomes the 10th president of ACU at his inauguration ceremony. He allowed a group of students to help write his speech as part of a class project. May 6, 1993: The ACU Foundation is chartered with Dan Garrett, vice chancellor, as director. Aug. 17, 1996: Former Wildcat all-America running back Wilbert Montgomery is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame with Terry Bradshaw, Walter Payton and seven others at ceremonies in South Bend, Ind.