U- University of Washington

The city of Seattle was one of several settlements in the mid to late 19th century vying for primacy in the newly formed Washington Territory. In 1854, territorial governor Isaac Stevens recommended the establishment of a university in Washington. Several prominent Seattle-area residents, chief among them Methodist preacher Daniel Bagley, saw the siting of this University as a chance to add to the city's prestige. They were able to convince early founder of Seattle and member of the territorial legislature Arthur A. Denny of the importance of Seattle winning the school. The legislature initially chartered two universities, one in Seattle and one in Lewis County, but later repealed its decision in favor of a single university in Lewis County, provided locally donated land could be found. When no site emerged, the legislature, encouraged by Denny, relocated the university to Seattle in 1858. In 1861, scouting began for an appropriate 10 acres site in Seattle to serve as the campus for a new university. UW opened officially on November 4, 1861, as the University of Washington.

"University of Washington." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Washington>.