Lander University

The story of Lander University is the story of the struggles and successes associated with providing college-level education to women in a rural Southern town after the Civil War and surviving through more than a century of change and growth. Originally named Williamston Female College, the school was founded by Rev. Samuel Lander in 1872 in Williamston, South Carolina, and initially located a short walk away from the famed Williamston Mineral Spring. Known for its healing qualities, the spring was the drawing point for a nearby resort, and potential college students were assured of having abundant fresh water. The spring became part of the ethos of the school, with legends of a resident naiad and water themes surrounding college life that continued well into the 20th century, even after the college moved to Greenwood, South Carolina. For 150 years, the school has been a prominent force for good in the community–first as a private nonsectarian women’s college, then a Methodist women’s college, a four-year coeducational college (run by Greenwood County), and a state-supported university.