Gardner Webb University
Boiling Springs, Cleveland County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Gardner Webb University. Baptist. Founded 1905 as Boiling Springs High School; junior college, 1928-1971. University since 1993.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Gardner-Webb began in 1905 as Boiling Springs High School, a Baptist institution founded to bring education to the rural North Carolina foothills. It grew into a junior college in 1928 and achieved university status in 1993.
Why it matters
It reflects the deep role of church-affiliated schools in expanding access to education across the rural South.
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Themes & tags
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