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URI Timeline
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The Watson House is part of the original 140-acre farm purchased in 1888 to establish an agricultural school in Kingston. Watson House, the oldest structure on campus, was built around 1796 and is located on the corner of West Alumni and Old Farmhouse roads just west of the University’s library.
URI Timeline
1888 
State Agricultural School established
Agricultural Experiment Station established
Watson farm purchased as site
1889 Taft Laboratory
John H. Washburn appointed principal
1890 South Hall
1891 College Hall
Ladd Laboratory
1892 Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts founded May 19
John H. Washburn, President
1894 First class graduated
Alumni Association formed
1895 College Hall burned and rebuilt as Davis Hall
1897 Lippitt Hall
First Grist yearbook published
1898 Preparatory school established
1902 Homer J. Wheeler, Acting President
1903 Kenyon L. Butterfield, President
1904 Extension Department organized
1906 Howard Edwards, President
Greenhouse and Horticultural Building
1907 Master’s degree awarded for first time
1908 Preparatory school discontinued
The Beacon (student newspaper) established as a monthly
Rho Iota Kappa (first fraternity)
1909 East Hall
By charter amendment, name changed to Rhode Island State College
1910 Theta Chi (first national fraternity)
1912 First fraternity house (Beta Phi)
1913 Ranger Hall
Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, national honor society
1918 Academic work suspended April 28
Student Army Training Corps
1919 Academic work resumed January 2
1921 Washburn Hall
1924 Home Management House
1928 Memorial Gateway
Bliss Hall
Edwards Hall
Rodman Hall
East Farm acquired
1930 John Barlow, Acting President
1931 Raymond G. Bressler, President
President’s House
1932 Reorganization of college: Schools of Engineering, of Science and Business, and of Agriculture and Home Economics
1934 Asa Sweet and Edward Sweet lands purchased
1936 Narragansett Marine Laboratory
Animal Husbandry Building
Eleanor Roosevelt Hall
Quinn Hall
Central Heating Plant
Peckham farm purchased
1937 Green Hall
1938 Meade Field
1939 Board of Trustees of State Colleges created
1940 John Barlow, Acting President
1941 Carl R. Woodward, President
1942 War-accelerated program with summer term initiated
Reorganization of School of Science and Business into separate schools of Science and of Business Administration
Engineering Experiment Station established
Industrial Extension Division established
1943 Army Specialized Training Unit assigned to college
1944 Second Peckham farm purchased
Industrial Extension Division replaced by Division of General College Extension
War-accelerated program ended in September
1945 Degree program in nursing established
Sherman farm acquired
1946 Quonset hut colony erected as emergency housing project
School of Home Economics established
1948 School of Arts and Sciences established
Bachelor of Arts degree authorized by Board of Trustees
1949 Bachelor of Arts degree awarded for first time at June commencement
1950 Butterfield and Bressler Halls
1951 Name changed to University of Rhode Island by act of General Assembly
1952 Pastore Chemical Laboratory
1953 Chapter of Sigma Xi, national scientific honor society
Frank W. Keaney Gymnasium
Laboratories for Scientific Criminal Investigation established
1954 Rhode Island Memorial Union
1957 College of Pharmacy established
URI Foundation established
1958 Francis H. Horn, President
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy authorized by Board of Trustees
Child Development Center
Hutchinson, Peck, and Adams Residence Halls
Hope Dining Hall
1959 Woodward Hall
Administration Building
Computer Laboratory established
Potter Infirmary
Wales and Kelley Halls
1960 Fish Oceanographic Laboratory
Independence Hall
Davis Hall and East Hall remodeled
Bureau of Government Research established
Faculty Senate established
1961 Graduate School of Oceanography
Tucker, Merrow, and Browning Halls
Gilbreth Hall
1962 Crawford Hall
W. Alton Jones Campus acquired
Research ship Trident commissioned
1963 Tyler Hall
Graduate Library School established
Weldin and Barlow Halls
1964 Fogarty Health Science Building
Watson House restored
1965 Addition to the Memorial Union
University Library
Law of the Sea Institute established
Sherman Maintenance Building
Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees authorized
Research Center in Business and Economics established
Water Resources Research Center established
1966 Aldrich, Burnside, Coddington, Dorr, Ellery, and Hopkins Halls, and Roger Williams Center
Justin S. Morrill Science Building
Fine Arts Center (Phase I)
Institute of Environmental Biology established
1967 Ballentine Hall
F. Don James, Acting President
1968 Kelley Hall Research Annex
Pell Marine Science Library
Horn Laboratory
First Sea Grant received
Werner A. Baum, President
New England Marine Resources Information Program established
1969 Home Management Center
Curriculum Research and Development Center established
Heathman Hall
Faculty Center
International Center for Marine Resource Development established
1970 Fayerweather Hall
Gorham Hall
Consortium for the Development of Technology established
Marine Advisory Service established
1971 Tootell Physical Education Center
Fine Arts Center (Phase II)
Conference Center, Jones Campus
Administrative Services Center
Board of Regents for Education (Education Act of 1969) takes over direction of higher education
URI named one of first four Sea Grant Colleges and designated National Sea Grant Depository
1972 Biological Sciences Building
Chafee Social Science Building
University College established
Coastal Resources Center established
Graduate apartment complex
1973 William R. Ferrante, Acting President
Research Aquarium
Science Research and Nature Preserve Buildings, Jones Campus
Community Planning Building
1974 Frank Newman, President
Laboratory for the Study of Information Science founded
1975 Addition to the University Library
1976 Research ship Endeavor commissioned
1977 Bachelor of General Studies established
White Hall
Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, national liberal arts honor society
Center for Ocean Management Studies established
Center for Energy Study established
Regional Coastal Information Center established
1978 College of Human Science and Services succeeds College of Home Economics
Norman D. Watkins Laboratory
1979 Information Center
1980 Institute for Human Science and Services established
Robotics Research Center
1981 Center for Atmospheric Chemistry established
Division of University Extension name changed to College of Continuing Education
Board of Governors for Higher Education established by act of General Assembly
1983 Marine Resources Building
Small Business Development Center established
Edward D. Eddy, President
1984 Labor Research Center established
Food Science and Nutrition Research Center
1985 Addition to Pastore Chemical Laboratory
Applied Engineering Laboratory
1986 Anatomy Laboratory
Biotechnology Center established
Division of Marine Resources name changed to Office of Marine Programs
1988 Institute for International Business established
Bachelor of Lanscape Architecture (B.L.A.) established
1989 Fisheries and Marine Technology Building
Pacific-Basin Capital Markets Research Center established
Research Institute for Telecommunications and Information Marketing established
1990 W. Alton Jones Campus Environmental Education Center designated a National Center for Environmental Education
1991 Robert L. Carothers, President
Mackal Field House
Library addition
Social Sciences Research Center
Engineering Building and addition to Kirk Laboratory
Atmospheric Chemistry Center, Narragansett Bay Campus
1992 URI Centennial Celebration
New Sailing Pavilion, Point Judith Pond
Renovation/addition to Memorial Union
Restructuring of Keaney Gymnasium
Sycamore Residential and Conference Lodge, W. Alton Jones Campus
1993 Dining Services Distribution Center
Century Walk installed on the Quadrangle
1995 URI designated an Urban Grant Institution
1996 College of Continuing Education’s Shepard Building restored
Coastal Institute, Narragansett Bay Campus
1998 New Multicultural Center
CCE renamed the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education
College of Resource Development renamed the College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Ocean Technology Center opens
1999 IEP House opens
School of Education established
Vietnam War Memorial dedicated
Ann Gall Durbin Aquarium Building dedicated
2001 Coastal Institute, Kingston Campus
Schmidt Labor Research Center named
2002 URI Foundation Building
Thomas M. Ryan Center
Niles Farmstead Cemetery dedicated
Bradford R. Boss Ice Arena
2003 Ballentine Hall Renovation
Green Hall Restoration
Newman Hall dedicated
Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN) Laboratory opens
2005 URI Alumni Center
2006 Independence Hall Renovation
Meade Field Improvements
Emergency Medical Services building Central Warehouse addition
Tibbits Farm purchased (130 acres)
2007 Garrahy, Wiley, and Eddy Halls dedicated
Hope Commons Dining Hall
IEP House II opens
2008 School of Communication established
Independence Hall renamed Swan Hall
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