San Jose State University

Founded in 1857, San José State is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast. San José State began as Minns' Evening Normal School in San Francisco in 1857. This city school became a state school - the California Normal School, created by the California legislature in 1862. In subsequent years, several cities attempted to get the School to relocate and San José was selected by the California legislature in 1870. The cornerstone of the new school building at the Washington Square site donated by the City of San José was laid on October 20, 1870. That building was completed in 1871 and the students and faculty moved from San Francisco to San José . To view historic documents and photos, as well as other information about SJSU's fascinating history, please see the links below.

1857 versus Today: Things have indeed changed. In 1857, the Normal School's purpose was solely to train teachers. Today, training of K-12 teachers remains a significant part of the University's activities, but, in addition, San José State offers over 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In 1870, the population of the City of San José was about 9,000 people. Today, the City has a population exceeding 900,000 and San José State University itself has over 26,000 students.

History, Traditions, People and Events in San José State's History

• History - 1857 to 1925
• Timeline of Key Events in San José State's History
• Printable 2-page summary of SJSU's history and a detailed timeline
• History of Colleges, Departments and Programs at SJSU
• Principals and Presidents of SJSU: 1857 to Today
• Well-Known Alums
• Campus Traditions
• Celebrations of SJSU's History
• Spartan Pride

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