Queen's College

Rutgers University was first founded as Queen’s College in 1766. Inspired by other religious readers who had sponsored colleges, the Dutch Reformed Church also wanted to establish a college that would educate the church's future leaders. Beginning in 1761 several ministers petitioned New Jersey governors to approve a charter for a new college in the state. On November 10, 1766, Governor William Franklin granted a royal charter for Queen's College a charter that was issued by authority of King George III in honor of the Queen Consort of Great Britain, Charlotte. There was a delay in starting the college because the Trustees could not decide where to locate it. It was finally decided that the college would be opened in New Brunswick because the city had raised the most money in support of the college. Classes began on the second Tuesday in November 1771. Old Queens was built in 1809 and is the oldest building on campus. When it was first occupied in 1811 the building held the Theological Seminary, Rutgers Grammar School, and academic work of the College.